The Sinhala and Tamil New Year, also known as Avurudu, is one of the most important cultural and traditional festivals celebrated in Sri Lanka.
It takes place annually, usually on either 13 or 14 April, marking the transition of the sun from the ‘Meena Rashi’ (Pisces) to the ‘Mesha Rashi’ (Aries). This celestial movement is believed to bring new beginnings, prosperity, and harmony to people’s lives.
The New Year is deeply connected to agriculture and rural life, as it signifies the end of the harvesting season and the start of a fresh cycle.
The celebrations include various rituals and customs that take place at auspicious times, such as lighting the hearth, cooking the first meal, and offering blessings. People also enjoy traditional New Year food, games, and religious observances, strengthening family bonds and promoting unity among communities.
This festival is not just about rituals. It is a time of togetherness, joy, and renewal. With its colourful traditions, cultural values, and warm hospitality, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year stands as a unique and cherished celebration in Sri Lanka.
One special feature of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is the set of customs followed at specific lucky times. These traditions are believed to bring peace, good fortune, and happiness every year.
The Avurudu we celebrate today is not the same one our grandparents cherished. When we listen to their stories, it feels like stepping into a world we never knew – a world filled with love, unity, and rituals that bound families together in ways we can only imagine.
Some of those traditions are already gone, lost in time. Some we have never even heard of. But in their voices, in the way they talk about those memories, you can hear it – the longing, the warmth, the silent hope that we won’t let it all disappear.
So, before we lose them forever, let’s bring some of them back, if only in memory.
Visiting the temple and receiving blessings
This time is called ‘nonagathaya.’ Before stepping into the New Year, people paused for a while, avoiding any activities. Instead, they spent this time engaging in religious activities.
People would visit the temple to seek forgiveness for past mistakes and offer merit for a peaceful future. This tradition was a reminder that letting go of the old is just as important as welcoming the new.
Lighting the first fire: A home’s first breath of the New Year
Long ago, when the old year ended, the hearth fire in the home was put out, symbolising the closing of a chapter.
With the dawn of the New Year, a new fire was lit, breathing warmth and life back into the home. It wasn’t just a fire; it was a silent prayer for new beginnings, protection, and happiness.
Cleaning the well: Washing away the past
Before Avurudu, villagers would gather to clean their well and draw fresh water, believing that the first water of the year should be pure and untouched.
It was more than just cleaning; it was a promise to let go of the past and step into the future with a clean heart.
Seeking blessings from elders
One of the most sacred customs was for children to visit their elders, offer them betel leaves, and receive their heartfelt blessings.
This act wasn’t just about respect; it was a way to carry the wisdom and good wishes of the elders into the New Year.
The importance of togetherness
Avurudu is more than just a celebration; it is a heartfelt expression of love, togetherness, and cultural warmth. As time passes, these traditions may fade, but it is up to us to carry them forward and preserve them for the generations to come.
My mum says that the New Year today doesn’t feel as special as it used to. Back then, as the New Year approached, families would come together to clean the entire house, take everything outside, and wash it all with so much care.
There was a beautiful togetherness at the time; everyone would gather to make sweet treats, laughing and sharing stories. But now, it feels like those traditions are slowly fading away, and New Year just doesn’t feel the same anymore.
These days, Avurudu sweets are often made by just one person, a mother or a grandmother, working alone in the kitchen. Meanwhile, the rest of the family waits to take pictures of the beautifully arranged table, ready to upload on social media. But where is the togetherness in that?
What Avurudu really means
Once upon a time, Avurudu meant gathering as a family, laughing, and making sweets together. It wasn’t just about the food; it was about the love that went into making it.
This is because the real sweetness of Avurudu isn’t in what’s on the table; it’s in the hands that prepared the food, the laughter that filled the kitchen, and the moments shared, not just posted.
And I should mention this too. These days, if you walk through the busy streets of town, you will see crowds pushing and shoving, desperate to buy new clothes. People are rushing, stores are overflowing, and for a moment, it feels like Avurudu is nothing more than a festival of shopping.
But stop for a second and ask yourself: is this what Avurudu really means?
Yes, new clothes are part of the traditions. But Avurudu is not about the fabric we wear; it is about the warmth we carry in our hearts.
It is about family, about laughter, about the simple joy of sitting together and sharing a meal.
It is about old hands teaching young ones to make ‘kavili,’ about parents and children working together to clean their home, and about neighbours exchanging food and blessings with genuine smiles.
Avurudu is not measured by how expensive our outfits are, but by how much love we share.
We are so caught up in buying new things that we forget the true essence of this festival; the kindness, the togetherness, and the traditions that once made Avurudu magical.
Because at the end of the day, the best things about Avurudu can’t be bought.
They are felt. They are shared. They are lived.
So, let’s open our hearts and truly experience the real spirit of Avurudu – even now, before it’s too late.
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