Sinhala-Hindu New Year:

A delightful event

Rupa BANDUWARDENA

The dawn of the Sinhala Hindu New Year is the most welcome news to both Buddhists and Hindus in Sri Lanka. It is a delightful event of historic and cultural significance. In short it is the most significant of the annual events organised and celebrated by the two communities. It has been given pride of place in the annual calendar and certainly it brings back pleasant recollections of yesteryears.

Customs, traditions and rituals play a vital role

The role played by the New Year has come down the annals of history reviving the island's cultural heritage. History records that this national event was celebrated with much grandeur by the early kings since the inception of the Sinhala race. Hindus too shared the same views. It is an event that strengthens unity, peace and harmony - a bond which continues to blossom over a long period bringing joy, cheer and entertainment to the participants. It is also a source of strength, inspiration and encouragement to the country's two main communities to live together in harmony.

This traditional event has different meanings to different persons according to their religious beliefs. It has made a great contribution to national unity - a good example to the present day society - very appropriate in today's context, as an urgent need of the day, pushing them on the right track to live in harmony.

Now - back to the memories of the Sinhala Hindu -New Year amidst warmth, the love of the family relatives and friends. The sound of Koha reminds you of the Avurudu season bringing joy to the children who in their innocence await their funfilled day with traditional new year games. This is the most wonderful time of the year for children in village areas. Kadju trees are in full bloom with dry nuts for traditional games, as well as raw ones for the table as the traditional curry on the new year day. Exotic flora - flame-coloured red flowers on Erabadu trees are another signal of the dawn of the new year. The sound of Raban played to the tune of traditional folk songs and melodies are a striking feature of the New Year.Prior to the New Year a series of activities take place in both the Buddhist and Hindu abodes with the dawn of the season lots of things are done mostly in rural areas; gardens and compounds are well cleaned. Colour washing, polishing the floors, varnishing the household furniture are the main tasks carried out prior to eventful day. Shops are overcrowded with customers buying new clothing for the entire household. Streets are filled with shoppers, along pavements and also in shopping complexes. City shops are illuminated in the night with all kinds of gifts for the new year.

The house becomes a hive of activity with the preparation of traditional sweets with kevun, kokis, aasmi etc. being given prominence. The indigenous varieties of food like pickle, brinjal pahi and fish ambulthial truly resemble the traditional atmosphere.

Hindu specialities are mostly mouth-watering cuisine like crispy murukku, vadai, Dosai and munguli etc. and mungrice in Banana leaf. Cooking for the new year is done in newly bought pots and pans.

Customs, traditions and rituals play a vital role in the entire event. They are all observed with utmost ease and devotion. Auspicious times are observed to the very letter with the belief that any mishap will bring bad luck to the house or the family. The Avurudu table laid with the traditional oil lamp to be lit at the auspicious time by the chief of the family - The father before partaking the Avurudu meal reflects the love and faith, unity and culture. The sound of crackers act as the "time keeper!" At present the electronic media too facilitate the event.

Paying obeisance to elders and parents will be the next item. Money transactions also take place as a part of the procedure. The leaf of betel figures prominently on all these occasions. Even those outside Lankan shores sometimes return for the sake of the family unity creating on exceedingly happy moment for their near and dear. Religious aspects - Places of religious worship too create a proud landmark in their activities of the day.

The temple for the Buddhists and kovil for the Hindus are a vital link and they perform their religious rites with high confidence for a bountiful new year.

They visit the temple during the non-auspicious time called "nonagatha" meaning `no nekatha' and spend time venerating the Triple Gem for a blissful new year. Still later, another celebrated traditional event is bathing for the first time after the new year, anointing the head with medicinal oil (Na-anu) with the blessings of the temple. Another custom adhered to, is the setting out for work as an auspicious time.

The New Year binds you together with precious bonds, brings homely pleasures and the delight of sharing with all the relatives friends and neighbours irrespective of race or religion.

Mention should be made here of my immediate neighbour and friend, an exception, a non-Buddhist, yet who celebrates both New Year and Christmas entertaining the entire lane.

Sincerity is what makes the occasion special. Jealousy, enmity, hatred and anger disappear when visiting one another for the new year. This is an age-old practice for the younger generation to get accustomed to.

Still another remarkable feature of the new year is celebrating the event with traditional games, beauty competitions and various other related activities, organised, participated and enjoyed by the youth islandwide.