By Sugeeswara Senadhira/Daily news

Colombo, April 11 The Sinhala and Hindu New Year, known respectively as Aluth Avurudda (Sinhala) and Puthandu (Tamil), is a vibrant and spiritually significant celebration observed by the Sinhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka. Unlike the January 1 Gregorian New Year, many of these festivities are tied to lunar or solar calendars, occurring in different months and emphasising themes of renewal, family unity, and spiritual cleansing.

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year is more than just a cultural event — it is a spiritual journey. It invites individuals to pause, reflect, and start anew with conscious intention. Through its rich tapestry of rituals and traditions, it fosters unity, instills values, and nurtures human values.Falling in mid-April, typically on the 13th or 14th, it marks the end of the old astrological year and the beginning of a new one. Deeply rooted in agriculture, astrology, and spiritual renewal, this festival embodies both cultural unity and individual introspection.

Unlike the New Year celebrations in the west that begin at midnight, most eastern countries including the Sinhala and Hindu New Year of Sri Lanka occur at a specific auspicious time, determined by astrological calculations. There is a transitional period called Nonagathe (or Punya Kalaya), when neither the old year nor the new year is considered to be in effect. During this time, people refrain from material activities and instead engage in spiritual practices like visiting temples, meditating, and performing acts of charity.

Cosmic Energies

This sacred interval emphasises the spiritual pause, which gives time for reflection, prayer, and realignment with cosmic energies.

Each tradition performed during the New Year is governed by precise astrological times and is steeped in symbolism. Some of the main rituals include, Lighting the Hearth and Preparing Milk Rice. At the auspicious moment, families light the hearth and boil milk, symbolising prosperity and abundance. The milk rice (kiribath) prepared is among the first meals of the New Year and is shared with family, neighbors, and guests.

The first transactions and exchange of money, known as ganudenu, this ritual involves the first financial exchanges of the year. Elders give money or gifts to the young, symbolizing blessings for a prosperous future. The act is done at a spiritually auspicious time to bring wealth and luck.

A day is set aside for applying herbal oils, usually by an elder or a religious leader, on the heads of family members. This is believed to purify the body and soul, and protect against illness in the coming year.

Many people begin the New Year by offering flowers, lighting oil lamps, and chanting prayers at Buddhist or Hindu temples. This act is both a spiritual cleansing and a reaffirmation of faith.

The New Year is not only a religious or spiritual event but also a cultural festival rich in music, dance, and games. Traditional sports such as tug-of-war, pillow fighting, and coconut scraping competitions foster community bonding.

What makes this celebration particularly unique is its simultaneous observance by both Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus, showcasing the pluralistic spirit of Sri Lankan culture. Despite differences in language and faith, the shared reverence for time, nature, and community brings people together.

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year symbolises spiritual themes such as renewal, gratitude, and harmony. It is an occasion for Letting go of the old, welcoming the new with hope and intention, giving thanks for the harvest, family, and blessings of the past year and rekindling relationships, forgiving past grievances, and promoting peace.

Cultural Identity

New Year celebrations across East and Southeast Asia are deeply rooted in tradition, spirituality, and cultural identity. The Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) falls between January 21 and February 20, based on the lunisolar calendar.

Honoring ancestors is central to the celebration. Families offer sacrifices at ancestral graves or during reunion dinners to show respect and seek blessings.

Cleaning homes before the festival symbolises sweeping away bad luck and preparing for good fortune.

On this day, Chinese houses are adorned with red decorations to ward off evil spirits. Red envelopes (hongbao) containing money are gifted to children as symbols of good luck. Iconic lion and dragon dances are performed to bring prosperity and drive away negative energies.

Korean New Year is known as Seollal and that too coincides with the Lunar New Year. Korean families conduct charye, a ritual offering food to ancestors, symbolising gratitude and seeking blessings for health and peace. Koreans wearing traditional clothing (hanbok), performing deep bows (sebae) to elders, and receiving money (sebaedon) are common practices.

The New Year of Thailand is known as Songkran and that falls on Sihala and Hindu New Year period of April 13–15, marking the solar New Year. Water plays a central role in cleansing rituals in Thailand. Pouring water over Buddha statues and elders is a sign of respect and symbolises washing away misfortunes.

The streets transform into lively water fights, blending fun with spiritual symbolism. Families spend time together on “Family Day” and visit Buddhist monasteries (wats) for alms-giving and prayers.

Removing Negativity

Japanese New Year, Oshogatsu falls on January 1. The Osoji ritual involves thorough house cleaning to remove negativity from the past year. Visits to shrines for hatsumode (first prayers of the year) are common, seeking blessings for health and prosperity. Special foods like osechiryori are prepared, symbolising good fortune.

In Indonesia, the Bali New Year is celebrated as Nyepi. It is also based on the Hindu soli-lunar calendar, typically in March. Nyepi is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation to cleanse the soul and start afresh. On Nyepi eve, exorcism ceremonies with effigies drive away evil spirits. The next day is marked by complete silence across Bali.

South and South-east Asian Solar New Year Celebrations

Countries like Laos (Pi Mai), Myanmar (Thingyan), and Cambodia celebrate their solar New Year around April. These festivities too emphasise cleansing rituals such as water blessings to wash away negativity, honoring ancestors through offerings at temples or shrines and community gatherings featuring traditional foods, parades, and cultural performances.

The common spiritual themes across New Year eastern cultures include cleaning homes or engaging in water-based ceremonies symbolizes removing past negativity to welcome good fortune paying respect to ancestors through offerings or prayers fosters spiritual connection and gratitude and strengthening family unity by reunions. These festivities also emphasize familial bonds, reflecting shared hopes for prosperity.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/QgrcJHrjCFQJlwLxrgZmRJCLHRnJKgvkJsL

END

Sinhala and Tamil New Year, New Year in South and South East Asia,