Avurudu, or the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, is a most remarkable and exciting day for many of us. As the new month of April begins to shine, we are told by our parents that this is the greatest holiday of the year. But most of us do not recognise the real importance and beauty of this celebration. Today, in this article, we are going to dive deep into this remarkable celebration and find out the truth behind Avurudu.
What does the Sinhala and Tamil New Year represent?
‘Avurudu’ in Sinhalese and ‘Puththandu’ in Tamil mark the movement of the sun from the pisces (meena) to aries (mesha) in astrology. It also marks the end of the harvest season and farmers give thanks, celebrating their gratitude for good crops. The Sinhala and Tamil New Year highlight various beliefs, customs, and religious practices related to agriculture. It is a mix of culture that weaves together the rich heritage of our country, Sri Lanka.
History of Avurudu
Robert Knox wrote in his book that he saw the Sinhala New Year festival celebrated during the month of March. Historians believe that the festival was shifted to April during the Nayakkar Kings’ times to celebrate the Tamil New Year called ‘Pudu Varsham’.
Sinhalese New Year traditions
During Avurudu, every ritual is performed at an auspicious time. Well-known rituals include Kiri ithirima (boiling milk in a new clay pot to symbolise abundance to bring good luck to the entire family), Lipa gini melaweema (lighting the hearth), Ahara anubawaya (Taking part in the first meal), and Ganu-denu (exchanging money and exchanging plates of sweetmeats and food among neighbouring houses).
After the Avurudu meal, the family exchanges sheaves of betel leaves to symbolise respect and strengthen relationships. The mother of the family first shows respect to her husband by offering him a sheaf of betel leaves. The children then offer betel leaves to their parents. The elders or other relatives are welcomed with betel leaves and are worshipped by the youngsters.
Betel leaves are very important in Asian culture and considered sacred due to medicinal values. Anointing with oil is a very special ceremony usually held at the village temple to bless everyone and we certainly cannot forget the various traditional games played by young and old alike!
Tamil New Year traditions
The Tamil New Year is celebrated similar to the Sinhalese New Year. It is widely celebrated in April in India and Sri Lanka. Similar to the Sinhalese traditions, auspicious times are observed by priests who boil water with herbs and special flowers and leaf types, mixed with milk and saffron. A sweet rice called Pongal is made with raw red rice, jaggery, cashew, and ghee.
A decorative Kolam design is drawn on the ground with coloured rice flour. A pot with five mango leaves, a coconut, and joss sticks is arranged on a tray of flowers, with betel leaves, areca nuts, and a comb of bananas. This is offered to Lord Ganesh and the Sun God. Similar to Sinhalese traditions, elders bless the children as they worship them.
What are the foods we eat and why are they important?
We already know that we eat specific food for Avurudu in both Sinhalese and Tamil celebrations. Some such food include milk rice (Kiri bath), kavum, kokkis, bananas, aluwa, etc. Some foods are more important than others; for example, milk rice symbolises abundance, prosperity, harvest, and good fortune.
Food is an important part of Avurudu and should be shared by everyone. No one who visits is allowed to leave without sharing a meal. Even animals are fed the special food and sweetmeats made at home.
What is the importance of games played in Avurudu?
A number of special traditional games are played during the Avurudu season. Some are, Avurudu kana mutti, onchili padima, olinda keliya, banis kema, kotta pora, and so much more. Some traditional ancient Avurudu games such as ali pora, dadu gesima, gon pora, kalagedi sellama, kalli gesima, katti penima, porapol gehima, lanupora allima, leekeli sellama, mallawa pora, meemesi keliya, mewara keliya, olinda keliya, etc., cannot be seen in town areas now.
Even though many of us think games are for our enjoyment, these games hold much more importance than that. Games are a symbol of joy and laughter that fill us during this season. It’s a time to get together with loved ones and fill our hearts with excitement. The most important part about these games is that it’s not about winning; it’s about having fun and enjoying the moment.
Avurudu is the most important day for a majority of Sri Lankans and now we can understand why. It brings together traditions, history, and people in love and unity. Now that we know, we will always respect this wonderful traditional celebration and hold it lovingly in our hearts.