Let national unity be the theme for the New Year

By Lionel WIJESIRI

In a few days when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) in the celestial sphere, Sri Lankan Sinhalese and Tamils together will begin celebrating their Aluth Avurudu and Puththandu. The anthropological history of our 'Traditional New Year' goes back to an ancient period in Sri Lankan history.

Anointing of oil at the auspicious time

Scholars tell us that the Sinhala-Tamil New Year has come about in the form of harvesting thanksgiving. In time, this celebration has developed into a national event of significant social, cultural and religious features unique to Sri Lankan life.

Although there are some slight differences in their customs and traditions, the Sinhalese and Tamils celebrate the same New Year and find amity in their beliefs.

This clearly demonstrates the deep-rooted common bond and cultural heritage between them.

Let us take few events in the celebrations. When the predetermined time for the preparation of the ceremonial meal comes, someone, usually the matriarch, dressed up in lucky colour and facing the auspicious direction, starts the fire to begin cooking the first meal of the New Year, usually Kiribath (Milk rice) in the Sinhalese tradition, and Pongal in the Tamil tradition.

After cooking Kiribath or pongal, the whole family sits for the first meal of the New Year. Before eating, however, Buddhists normally make a special offering to the Buddha, and the Hindus to birds and animals.

Tradition

After the meal, comes the auspicious time for Business Transaction. It is called Ganudenu in Sinhalese, meaning receiving and giving. Most commonly, people exchange coins wrapped in betel leaves, usually the always lucky young getting more money than what they give.

In the Tamil tradition, the head of the family or another prominent member distributes money to others. This tradition is called kaivisesam in Tamil. Tamils believe that if they receive money from an elder it will bring them luck. Thereafter comes the auspicious time for initiating work. The farmer plants a tree. The student reads a book or does a math problem. Small children do their first time reading and writing too at this time. The two or three days that follow, mark the most joyous merry making time of the year. The entire country, both Sinhala and Tamil, participates in one big celebration.

At the end there is a special way to end the festival. In the Sinhalese tradition, the eldest member of the family prepares special herbal oil and anoints the rest of the family members.

In the Tamil tradition, a similar event takes place with holy ash, sandalwood paste, and kumkumam. People decorate their foreheads with three lines of holy ash and a beautiful pottu in the centre, after a special puja in their shrines.

Harmony

Let us now move a step further and dedicate this New Year to ensuring the growth and stability of racial harmony.

Raban players in action

Healing the wounds and building a society in which people of diverse backgrounds live as members of one family are the most pressing issues confronting Sri Lanka today. Our peace, our prosperity, and even our standing in the international community depend on the resolution of these issues.

The responsibility for the achievement of peace and unity Sri Lanka rests upon us. To build a society in which the rights of all its members are respected and guaranteed, we must be animated with the spirit of optimism and faith in the eventual realisation of their highest aspirations. We must recognise that unity is essential for our survival.

Youth

We must recognise that there is only one nation - Sri Lankan nation. We must recognise that a harmoniously functioning society that permits the full expression of the potential of all persons can resolve the social and economic problems now confounding our society.

Children and young people are perhaps the key to realising true national unity. Young people are the first to adapt new technologies, the first to consider new possibilities, new ways of thinking.

Young people tend to ignore superficial differences, and make friends with people from all strata of society - a key component to building unity and national understanding.

Children should be allowed to mix with all races and religion - this should not be a matter of choice but a must.

By growing up and studying in such an environment, our children will grow up to eventually disregard the differences among them.

They would understand each other's culture well and learn to respect them as well.

They would then grow up in a healthy mindset.

At school, all students must learn all three languages - Sinhala, Tamil and English. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Tri-lingual Education Policy is a good starting point.

In the not-too-distant future, when each citizen in Sri Lanka knows all languages used in the country, there will be free communication between the various races in Sri Lanka.

When they are communicating between each other, they become friends. When they become friends, they may start to know and respect each other.

When they respect each other, there will be ultimate unity among Sri Lankans. This is a reconciliation cycle found to be successful in many countries with multi-racial population.

A scene from a New Year celebrations

The public of Sri Lanka has always been united and though incidents of the past may be used to show dissent. Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and all other ethnic groups living in Sri Lanka have good relationships with one another and with the movement of people there are new ties emerging.

If everyone starts doing their part in the nation building exercise Sri Lanka will never have to fear falling prey to any external force. Nevertheless, the present scenario calls for all individuals and groups to unite to ensure that our nation does not become a target of another western game plan.

The only way we can do that is if we come together to create a force to be reckoned with. Under one banner of unity, we can be together - Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims - and unite for a united Sri Lanka.

Resolution

So for the sake of our future generation, in the eve of this year's Aluth Avurudda, let all of us have a singular resolution: to walk that extra mile towards the next stage of an authentic reconciliation - addressing the issues that stand in the way towards a united Sri Lanka.

No great idea or plan of action by the Government or other interested organisations can hope to succeed if the individual neglects to respond in his or her own way as personal circumstances and opportunities permit.

Therefore, let us call upon our fellow Sri Lankans of whatever background to look at the present situation with new eyes and with a new determination to lend effective support to the resolution of a problem that hinders the advance of this great country toward the full realisation of its glorious place in the world.