Heralding the New Year

The blossoming of the fiery red erabadu flower and the cry of the koha (Indian koel) signals the arrival of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. In Sinhala, this festival is known the Aluth Avurudda and also as the Surya Mangalya and Bak Maha Ulela.

In Tamil, the New Year festival is called Puthu Varudam

This much awaited festival takes place in April and this month is known as Bak in Sinhala. In Tamil this period is called Chiththarei Puruvadam or Puththandu.

The origins of the Aluth Avurudda date back several centuries. In ancient times people worshipped Nature, the Sun, Moon and the Stars among other objects. The Sinhala farmers held a harvest festival to honour the Sun, Moon and the Goddess of fertility, Sath Paththini. This too was held in the month Bak or April. Gradually, these ancient festivals and customs evolved into the Aluth Avurudu festival as we know it today.

Sankranthiya or the transition

It is believed that the Sun God travels in a circle called the Zodiac. It has 12 segments and each one has a different sign or symbol. These are known as the Zodiac signs and are called raashis in Sinhala.

The Sun takes 12 months or one year to complete its journey through the Zodiac. The first Zodiac sign is Aries or Meesha and the sign is a ram or male sheep. The last sign is Pisces or Meena and the sign is two fishes.

The sun begins its journey from the Meesha Raashi or the House of Aries ends it at the Meena Raashiya or the House of Pisces.

It takes the Sun a few hours to make the tansition from the House of Pisces (Meena Raashiya)to the House of Aries (Meesha Rashiya). This transition period is called the Nonagathaya and is considered to be an inauspicious time. All work has to be stopped before the Nonagathaya and all fires doused and the hearths cleaned out.

Pre New Year preparations

As the New Year approaches the harvest is brought home, It is stored in conical shaped bins generally made of clay and thatched roofs. They are known as wee bissas and are kept outside. Atuvas are storage bins kept outside the house.

The Aluth Sahal Mangalya is a tradition where the rice is from the new harvest is offered to the gods. This is done at temples and the rice is poured into a huge vessel till it overflows.

Preparations during the old year

Getting ready for the New Year is one of the major tasks of the old year or the days preceding the New Year. Storing harvests, cleaning and painting houses, buying new curtains and pots and pans and the buying closer to the New Year the air is filled with delicious smells as people prepare rasa kavili or sweetmeats.