Sinhala and Hindu festival in honour of sun and moon ‘deities’ “Nava bag lasand dut – Minisak hu novajanneyi”

The Southerners in Sri Lanka paying homage to Sanda Deiyo [lunar deity] on the first appearance of the moon in the New Year in anticipation of affluence is an age-old practice. The above Sigiri graffiti of the 9th century as translated by Prof. Paranawitana proves the point. 

‘A man who has seen tender moon of the month of Bak [April] should not be rejected.’ 

The mythological backdrop of the New Year is probably based on Hindu literature. Indradeva, the Avurudu Kumaraya or Prince of Peace, slides down upon the planet to ensure peace and prosperity. He comes in a white horse carriage wearing a floral crown. He dips into the sea of milk [Kiri Sayura]. In the middle of the month of Bak, marking the end of the harvest season when the sun moves in the celestial sphere from House of Pisces Meena Rashiya to the House of Aries Mesha Rashiya [in an astrological sense], Sri Lankan people begin celebrating the Sinhala New Year or Aluth Avurudu. 

The cultural history of the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, which we celebrate today in this month of Bak [April], dates back to ancient times in our history. The celebration of New Year is the time for change; change of thoughts, habits and traditions. A range of beliefs associated with richness of the harvest is the beginning of many customs, rituals and ceremonies linked to the New Year. With the advent of Buddhism 23 centuries ago, a change of the existing traditions and practices in the light of Buddhism took place. With a majority of Sri Lankans being Buddhists, viewpoints were instrumental in transforming the New Year rituals to what they are now. 

In mediaeval times, Hinduism existed alongside Buddhism. New Year traditions interpreted in the Hindu way developed among the Tamil Hindus. Some of the philosophies of the two religions were running parallel. The nature of a creative god, the way to achieve emancipation and Nibbana, except for certain crucial truths concerning the self, there was no grave disagreement in New Year rights and rituals that are found among the Lankans, whether they were Buddhists or Hindus. The availability of fruits and vegetables in abundance makes April [Bak, spring festival in the month of prosperity]. Awur [the sun] and Idda [that moves straight] mean when the sun moves directly above us. Studying ancient scripts, we could comprehend that the Sinhala and Hindu New Year is shared with people’s culture through the religion of two ethnic groups of Sri Lankan society. The auspicious times are set and the ritualistic activities are determined according to the movements of planetary systems in the universe. 

The astrologers calculate the auspicious times that are used in the celebration of the traditional New Year. The celebration and rituals are a complex mix of astrological indigenous practices backed by Buddhist and Hindu cultural traditions. There is documentary proof to say British colonial masters announced this in late 19th century as an official holiday. However, Sinhala Buddhist traditions stand somewhat distantly connected rather than the Hindu astrological traditions. 

The change of year unlike the celebration of the Gregorian calendar that takes place in a moment on December 31 at midnight [year ends at midnight and new year commences immediately]. The uniqueness in the Sinhala New Year is that it begins at a time determined by astrology/astronomy; with a gap of 12 hours and 48 minutes in between and referred to as Nonagathe [or the punya kalaya]; the time it takes to cross the boundary between Pisces and Aries and the centre is taken as the beginning of the new year. 

Another unique feature of the festival is that it starts with, what is called the parana avurudda-old year when a series of occurrences takes place marking the end of the previous year are performed. The hearth is lit and the last meal for the old year is taken. All day to day activities will come to a halt after the last bath for the outgoing year. The period follows is the ‘vacuum’ called Nonagathe, the inauspicious space. All work, selling, buying and trading will be suspended; tanks, rivers and other water resources are not patronized. Water will not be drawn from wells, domestic and professional work come to a standstill. 

The astrologers calculate the auspicious times that are used in the celebration of the traditional New Year. The celebration and rituals are a complex mix of astrological indigenous practices backed by Buddhist and Hindu cultural traditions

The housewife ensures the hearth is cleaned and will not be lighted up for any reason until the auspicious time is reached. No cooking, no serving of food is undertaken during the ‘merit time.’ But the house holders join in merry-making of all sorts, and engaged in traditional games out-door as well as in-door clad in their new clothes depicting the recommended auspicious colour for the particular year. Rabana [a tambourine drum] beating is usually by the female folk; Kavadi and Pancha Demeema by young adults and kids. Temple bells ring to notify the village folk of the arrival of Avurudu Kumaraya at the ‘Nekath Seettuwa’ stipulated time. Time the sun leaves the constellation of Meena [Pisces] and enters Mesha [Aries] for people to light crackers and the housewife facing the direction as prescribed to lipagini delveema, lighting the hearth. 

The housewife helped by her daughters prepares milkrice for the next and the most important ritual, the New Year feast. A tray made out of a banana leaf with food and a lighted-oiled wick is left on an elevated point as an offering to the ‘Prince’ before lighting an oil lamp inside the house on the dining table decorated with all varieties of oil cakes, sweetmeats, kiribath and a side dish of specially cooked prescribed vegetable. The house holders sit around the table, but facing the prescribed direction awaiting the auspicious time to partake the Avurudu meal. The usual activities hitherto suspended will also be commenced symbolically attending to them, which is known as Veda Elleema. The children reading or writing a para from a text book, father will plant a sapling while the mother as usual commences her house chores. 

In some families it is usual for an invitee to join in the first meal, after which, the householder exchanges a coin wrapped in betle leaves as ganu denu with the visitor. In certain provinces they call it Alevi Kireema, first transaction ritual. 

Usually, after a couple of days arrives the final ritual for the New Year. The first bath preceded by an all important [oil anointing], hisa thel gema. The Sinhala/Hindu Avurudu festival reaches a climax with an anointing ceremony followed by the first bath for the New Year. Oil is mixed with herbal paste for the family elder to rub on the heads of other members while reciting the famous verse, a Pali/Sinhala rhyme. People sit with a white cloth under their feet. While some go to the nearest temple in the village seeking the blessings of the Loku Hamuduruwo others visit the elderly indigenous doctor or the Vedamahattaya who attends on each and every person that walks in to his chamber. Anointing of oil and Nanu (Herbal mixture) has to be done before taking the ceremonial bath. The ceremony has a history connected to Kandyan era, where it was performed as a religious ceremony by the royal Nekath Mohottala, who would directly supervise it. In accordance with his instructions, the royal physician prepares the oils as well as Nanu. In the good old days when the Nanu was prepared in the temple, it commenced at least ten days prior to the Avurudu; and that they did while the monks recited Pirith throughout the long process. 

The oil is made of herbs such as Gorochana, beli-mal, sevendara, sandalwood, iriveriya, kohomba-kola, kumkumappu, kalanduru-ala and sathsanda, by extracting the juices from the leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Nanu is a concoction made using ingredients prescribed by astrological calculations and differ each year; this year leaves from Bo, Nuga, Divul, Karadana, Kohomba or Kumbuk will be used. According to the Almanac, every year herbs associated with the planets are used. It is the same medicinal leaves as prescribed that are held over the head and spread on the ground for the feet, during the ceremony. The person who applies would recite the stanza, “Kalu kaputa sudu venaturu — Molgahe dalu enaturu, Hal essa pela venaturu — Ekasiya vissata desiya vissak ayu bo weva” [Until the black crow turns white -- until the rice pounder sprouts buds -- until the rice seeds germinate -- may your life be as long as two hundred and twenty, instead of the hundred and twenty].  

Oil anointing is the last, but one of the vital rituals, it is an integral part of the Sinhala and Hindu New Year festival it is gradually losing its real value, being hijacked by temple politics; and we have become just helpless spectators. 

These rituals that are associated with the sun, means with fertility. The times for performance of activities are determined by the movement of planets around the sun. The colours prescribed for wear are also based on the sun’s rays. Among the variety of games associated with Avurudu are the Onchillawa [the swing] formed out of a rope with the two ends tied to a branch of a tree, and seat is made by placing a plank across the end of the loop for the player or two of them to stand or sit on it. The swing works like the pendulum. The swing is used in many parts of the world like South India, Bengal and in some Russian territories to celebrate in honour of ‘sun god’ with the intension of influencing a better harvest.