Sinhala new year
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In April (the month of Bak), when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries); Sri Lankans begin celebrating their New Year or Aluth Avurudhu (in Sinhala) and Puththandu (in Tamil).
However, unlike the western celebration of the new year at midnight on December 31st; the Sri Lankan New Year begins at a time determined by astrological signs. Also unlike western traditions; the ending of the old year, and the beginning of the new year occur several hours apart from one another (this span is determined by astrology as well) - this period is, aptly enough, referred to as the nona gathe (neutral period). During this time Sri Lankan children are, according to custom, encouraged to refrain from material pursuits, and engage solely in religious activities.
The date upon which the Sri Lankan New Year occurred, while determined by astrological signs, also tends to coincide with the end of the harvest season - for this reason, many farming communities celebrate the new year while gathering fruits that have fallen from their trees.
Cultural rituals begin shortly after the beginning of the new year with the cleaning of the house and lighting of an oil lamp. In some communities, women congregate to play upon on the raban (drum) to warn others of the incipient change in the year.
Families indulge in a variety of rituals which are carefully determined by astrological calculations - from lighting the fire to making the kiri bath, (milk rice) to entering into the first business transaction and eating the first morsels.
Once these are done, the partying really begins as families mingle in the streets, homes are thrown open and children are let out to play. The ubiquitous plantain is dished out alongside celebratory feasts of kaung (small oil cake) and kokis (crisp and light sweetmeat, originally from the Netherlands).
Aurudu has become an important national holiday for both the cultures of the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil Hindu Sri Lankans, and is unique as such, as it is not celebrated elsewhere in the world.
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[edit] History
The mythological conception of a `Aluth Avuruddha' is that the Prince of Peace called Indradeva descends upon the earth to ensure peace and happiness. He comes in a white carriage wearing on his head a white floral crown seven cubits high. He first dips, like a returning space capsule plunges, breaking earth's gravity, into a `kiri' or sea of milk.
The actual history of the New Year goes back to primitive period in Sri Lankan history. Various beliefs, perhaps those associated with fertility, gave birth to many rituals, customs and ceremonies connected with the New Year. The advent of Buddhism in the third century BC led to a re-interpretation of the existing New Year activities in the Buddhistic light. The majority of the people in the country were Buddhists, and as such, it is that the Buddhist outlook was predominant in transforming the New Year rites to what they are now.
Hinduism, on the other hand, existed side by side with Buddhism, in medieval times. New Year practices interpreted in the Hinduistic way developed among the Hindus. Buddhism and Hinduism were historically connected with each other. Their philosophies were running along parallel dimensions, except for certain ultimate truths concerning the self, the way to achieve emancipation and the nature of a creative god and nirvana (which Buddhism denies). There was no serious contradiction in New Year rituals that are found among the Buddhists and Hindus.
[edit] Rituals - Customs
[edit] Bathing for passing year
The customary bathing for the passing year is equally important facet. Herbal bath gives physical purification. When one takes a herbal bath over the entire body, anointed with gingelly oil or mustard oil that provides a soothing effect for the body. Herbal baths are prescribed in Vedas too.
For this year, water mixed with the Juice of Bo leves is recommended. Body massage and herbal bath promotes blood circulation, and it is considered the best method of maintaining positive health. Herbal baths are prescribed as a method of treatment in many nervous disorders and diseases of the muscles and joints.
[edit] Promote family bondage
Another salient feature of the New Year is to respect the elders and to strengthen relationships with neighbours. Usually, visiting relations and friends and exchanging presents, greeting them with a sheaf of betel is the order of the day. Betel is considered a sacred herb with many medicinal values. Chewing of betel along with cloves, cardamoms and arecanut after a meal is considered the best way to strengthen the gums. A chew of betel cleans the mouth, and wades off bad breath. The juice of betel leaves promotes digestion, kills organisms which are harmful to the body. The value of betel is also appreciated in Buddhist literature. Building up confidence, love, friendship and hope among elders, relations and friends plays a great role in achieving mental, physical and social wellbeing. Arrogance, hatred, sorrow, pangs of jealousy, cruelty are all considered as mental illnesses. Exchanging sheaves of betel and paying respect to elders brings about a new feeling of freshness.
The elders feel that they are accepted, wanted and venerated by their kith and kin. This warmth helps to a great deal to the elders in maintaining good health and vitality.
[edit] Nonagatha
The nonagatha is the transitional period in the planetary movement and considered to be inauspicious to start any propitious work. Therefore, this time is set apart for religious observances. Ayurveda envisages a method of treatment known as Daivavyapasharaya or spiritual therapy. This therapy involves the use of mantras or incantations such as Aushadhi or sacred herbs, Mani or precious gems, Mangala or propitiatory rites, including oblations, bali or offerings and homa or sacrifices, Niyama or vows, prayaschitta or cremonial pevitence, uparasa or fasts swastyayana or prostrations and pranipata - gamana or pilgrimages and so on.
Ayurveda explains that transitional period at different seasonal variations changes an imbalances in the body humours or forces namely Vata, Pita, Kapa. Therefore it is advised to have light food or complete fasting (Langana) during such periods. So that minimal fluctuation in the three Dosha will take place. Therefore during nonekata it is the custom to be aloof from all normal activities and to confine only to religious observances.
[edit] Food value
The food which is taken during Sinhala New Year has many nutritious values. Sweet meat such as Mung Kevum, Konda Kavum made of brown rice, flour, Unduvel made of undu are indigenous sweets. All they have many food and nutritious values. Taking meals at an auspicious time with all family members sitting together is a noble, and healthy custom. This happy get together should be adapted at all meals, and not confined to the New Year table alone. Many indulge in unwanted arguments and talks while taking meals. The Avurudu custom, gives the signal to avoid such unhealthy manners. Happy state of mind is very necessary for the proper digestion of food. Ayurveda makes it clear that wholesome food taken at proper time in proper quantity will not digest properly if the person is in bad mental state, such as fear, sorrow or arrogance. Therefore happy state at meals is ulmost importance in attaining healthy digestion.
[edit] Complement of New Year
Anointing of the head with Nanu (medicated shampoo) and oil is described in Ayurveda as a way of promoting health, specially massaging the scalp with oil and cleaning the head with medicated decoction known as Nanu. It promotes the growth of hair. It improves a sound sleep and balances the body humours. These rituals and New Year custom are healthy. Therefore they should be incorporated in our daily life for greater progress and prosperity.
[edit] Other Customs
[edit] Socio-anthropological significance
The structure of the New Year rites, customs and ceremonies would prove an important point. The start of the New Year ceremonies is made by looking at the so-called "old moon" and engaging in a ritual bath on behalf of the passing year. Sri Lankan Buddhist influence turned this act to an act of gratitude for the past year. To Hinduism it was one of establishing purity - specially bodily purity, gradually making way to spiritual purity.
The break with the past by doing away with everything associated with it might have been a pratice, as primitive people had in the past. In the sixties, it was observed, how, when a death had occurred the Veddas completely demolished their huts and constructed a new one. In the past, they left the old cave and occupied a new cave; thus starting a new life, breaking from the past.
The New Year for the Buddhists, and maybe according to Hindu practice, provided an important break with the past. It was a break undeertaken with two important principles in mind. On the one hand, you break away from the past, but do that with gratitude. This gratitude was not found in primitive times. The awe the primitive people had for natural objects (e.g. the sun, moon etc,) prompted them to worship such objects, and the Hindus gazed at the moon and bade `adieu' to the past year, perhaps with some nostalgia, but always with gratitude.
Secondly, they did this with a firm resolve to do better in the New Year. The prayers of the Hindus to gods and the transfer of merit to gods by the Buddhists were believed to a prosperous harvest and a successful New Year. This resolve was very important to both cultures - Sinhala and Tamil. It was observed on a number of occasions associated with the New Year; particularly in the astrological beliefs which gave life to certain rituals.
The gazing at the old moon and ritual bathing for the passing year were undertaken at auspicious times. Even the preparation of the hearth, lighting of the hearth, preparation of food; particularly milk rice, the partaking of meals, engaging in the ritualistic bath for the incoming year, and gazing upon the New Year moon as well as the start of economic life in the New Year - all had specific auspicious times set for them. Buddhism, although it does not believe in good and bad times, saw in it a sociological truth. A community of people get disciplined by working to time. An auspicious time once set, people believe that it is bad to work outside it. The strength of the beliefs lays the foundation for a trait of positive behaviour; working according to a time-table. It is considered as a type of modern day concept of time management, this came into the culture of Sri Lankans through astrology.
Sociologically the importance of this break is seen when the busy commercial life in the city of Colombo is observed. In Fort, Pettah and Maradana, a considerable number of petty and lower middle class traders ply their trade all through the year. The only time they take a break from the stressful work schedule is during the New Year period. From the onset of the New Year, around the 12th or 13th of April till about the 20th, one does not see the usual busy commercial life in Colombo.
The trders all go back home, and very useful break in their life is thus caused. Not only petty and lower middle class traders, but also upper class merchants who migrted to the city from the village, take a welcome break from their stressful work-schedule during this time and often visit their rural places of origin. It is sometimes their only tenuous connection with the village from where they have migrated to the town.
Stress is positively met not by individual solutions, but through cultural or social opportunities created to defuse it at the community level. The atmosphere provided with sufficient room for recreation, religious rituals, community or family interaction and the emphasis on values and norms provide an elegant opportunity to deal with social or individual stress in a creative way.
Even the solutions to conflicts is built-in to the structure of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations. The strengthening of family units takes place in the form of eating together at home according to a set plan created by auspicious times and fortified by rituals which are looked at with respect. The father and mother lead, and the children follow. They exchange gifts, paying attention to seniority, and these activities release a fund of goodwill and thus strengthen the foundation of family life.
In the community, social visits are made, and usually a plate of oil cakes, milk rice and plantains are sent from one house to the other. Each one reciprocates by continuing the chain of mutual exchange. Even those who for some reason or other have developed ill-feeling, exchange such food.
The value of paying respect to elders is found underlying all phases of New Year celebrations. It is one of the vital reasons that motivates young people not to forget their parents in their old age.
