Last year, the people thought that having to celebrate the Sinhala and Hindu New Year – Sri Lanka’s biggest cultural event – amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, was a tragedy. This year, the citizens are left with no option but to celebrate the New Year amidst a bigger tragedy, i.e. the ongoing economic crisis, which shows strong signs of exacerbating. Not too many people are in a position to actually “celebrate” the New Year.
That is why the people need to be prudent, selfless, and sparing, when it comes to celebrating this New Year.
It is no secret that the economic crisis is getting worse, despite promises by the Government and the authorities that it is going to end soon, which have blunted the people’s faith, and attempts that resulted in merely temporarily alleviating the burden of the economic crisis. Put simply, the people should not rely on the Government’s promises, and wait, but instead push for concrete action.
Therefore, first and foremost, the people should not get blindsided by the joy of the New Year, or the temporary suspension of power cuts, or the temporary availability of essential goods, but should instead look at the past few months or weeks, and be cautious about the coming period.
The main point that the people should take into account is that there is only so much that the Government or the authorities can do to resolve the economic crisis. The uncomfortable truth is that a large part of survival in the current economic crisis is in the hands of the people themselves, and utilising available resources sparingly is key.
The people should certainly celebrate this New Year. However, it should not be a celebration of an affluent season of the year, as the New Year season is originally meant to be. During this New Year season, the people should make it a priority to purchase and store essential goods, and refrain from squandering monetary and other forms of resources.
The New Year is a season of sharing, and it is more important now than it ever has been. The people should remember that not everyone is privileged enough to get their hands on all essential goods, and that there are people who cannot even afford one meal if they do not go to work. Therefore, those who can still afford days’ worth of essential goods should be thankful that they are still luckier than a considerable portion of the population, and be selfless enough to share what they have with the needy whenever possible.
However, using resources sparingly and helping those in need are not practices that should be limited to the New Year season.
It is the best time to practice what has been preached by religious leaders for a long time.The majority of the people who celebrate the New Year are Buddhists, and therefore, helping others in times of crises and uncertainty should not be practices that they have to be taught about, or limited to, the coming New Year season.
What is more, at least now, the people should start looking at the big picture, and not succumb to temporary relief measures. Speculation is rife that Sri Lanka may in the near future have to face a famine, and shortages of certain food items in all parts of the country have resulted in people thinking twice about what they have for their next meal. In this context, saving not only during the New Year season, but also even after that, should be the priority of every citizen.
If the people start thinking about their tomorrow, and the wellbeing of others, this New Year season will not be a challenge that the people cannot pull through. With that in mind, we can only wish our countrymen a New Year blessed with the wisdom we so direly need in these trying times. A New Year of survivalism and altruism
12 Apr 2022
A New Year of survivalism and altruism
12 Apr 2022
Last year, the people thought that having to celebrate the Sinhala and Hindu New Year – Sri Lanka’s biggest cultural event – amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, was a tragedy. This year, the citizens are left with no option but to celebrate the New Year amidst a bigger tragedy, i.e. the ongoing economic crisis, which shows strong signs of exacerbating. Not too many people are in a position to actually “celebrate” the New Year.
That is why the people need to be prudent, selfless, and sparing, when it comes to celebrating this New Year.
It is no secret that the economic crisis is getting worse, despite promises by the Government and the authorities that it is going to end soon, which have blunted the people’s faith, and attempts that resulted in merely temporarily alleviating the burden of the economic crisis. Put simply, the people should not rely on the Government’s promises, and wait, but instead push for concrete action.
Therefore, first and foremost, the people should not get blindsided by the joy of the New Year, or the temporary suspension of power cuts, or the temporary availability of essential goods, but should instead look at the past few months or weeks, and be cautious about the coming period.
The main point that the people should take into account is that there is only so much that the Government or the authorities can do to resolve the economic crisis. The uncomfortable truth is that a large part of survival in the current economic crisis is in the hands of the people themselves, and utilising available resources sparingly is key.
The people should certainly celebrate this New Year. However, it should not be a celebration of an affluent season of the year, as the New Year season is originally meant to be. During this New Year season, the people should make it a priority to purchase and store essential goods, and refrain from squandering monetary and other forms of resources.
The New Year is a season of sharing, and it is more important now than it ever has been. The people should remember that not everyone is privileged enough to get their hands on all essential goods, and that there are people who cannot even afford one meal if they do not go to work. Therefore, those who can still afford days’ worth of essential goods should be thankful that they are still luckier than a considerable portion of the population, and be selfless enough to share what they have with the needy whenever possible.
However, using resources sparingly and helping those in need are not practices that should be limited to the New Year season.
It is the best time to practice what has been preached by religious leaders for a long time.The majority of the people who celebrate the New Year are Buddhists, and therefore, helping others in times of crises and uncertainty should not be practices that they have to be taught about, or limited to, the coming New Year season.
What is more, at least now, the people should start looking at the big picture, and not succumb to temporary relief measures. Speculation is rife that Sri Lanka may in the near future have to face a famine, and shortages of certain food items in all parts of the country have resulted in people thinking twice about what they have for their next meal. In this context, saving not only during the New Year season, but also even after that, should be the priority of every citizen.
If the people start thinking about their tomorrow, and the wellbeing of others, this New Year season will not be a challenge that the people cannot pull through. With that in mind, we can only wish our countrymen a New Year blessed with the wisdom we so direly need in these trying times. Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!