SEC - Season 5, Week 3: My favorite celebration of the year

Hello friends, I am @senehasa from Sri Lanka. This is my first posting in your community. When someone asks me which festival, I most look forward to each year, I always mention our Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebration. My dear friends, you must not be familiar with this event because it is specific to Sri Lankan culture. I never heard of any other nations celebrating this festival because it is only observed by Sri Lankans. However, Sinhalese and Tamils who reside outside of Sri Lanka also celebrate this festival gathering together on the same day and at the same time.

This New Year festival started every year on April 13th and 14th. When the sun shifts from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) in the celestial sphere, Sri Lankans celebrate this festival known as "Aluth Awurudu," which symbolizes wealth in the Sinhalese Calendar.

source

April 13th called as Parana Awuruddha (Old Year) and April 14th called as Aluth Awurudda (New Year). All individuals, big and small, eagerly await the arrival of this day. Stores are overflowing with fresh food, toys, clothing, and other products. There are firecracker stalls located all around the country. The preparation of sweets like Kaum, Kokis, Mun, Aluva, and Aggla is taking place in every home. Everyone has painted and cleaned their homes in preparation for the new year. Children eagerly await dressing in their new outfits. Children and adults alike are gathering firecrackers. The main activity of the event is buying gifts for family members. Those who have and those who haven't been celebrating this festival equally. This celebration is comparable to Christmas in other nations, with the exception of decoration.

source

This festival has a lengthy history and is celebrated nationwide with enjoyable events and age-old games. The first ritual of the new year, known as the Neutral period, begins on April 13th (Nonagathaya). During this time people keep off from all the work and do nothing and but engage in religious activities to get the blessing of their religion. Everybody dresses new clothes when the awurudu drawn. As the first ritual, on 14th at the same time, that mean in auspicious time, all houses light the hearth and cook milk rice which is the main food dish of festival table. After that auspiciousness of eating occurs. All in the family members round the awrudu mesaya and eat in the same time. Other all rituals like commencement of work, transactions and partaking of meals, anointing of oil and leaving for works are performed in the auspicious time. In every auspicious time, fire crackers are burning all over the country. Worshiping elders with beetle of leaves and offering gift is a common site that can be seen in every house.

source

source

Upon completion of the mandatory rituals, families visit and share Awrudu foods with their neighbors, friends and relations. Normally, Awrudu celebrates for about a week. People engage in different kinds of Awrudu games and activities such as ‘Olinda Keliya’, Kana mutti bindeema’, Playing Raban, ‘Onchili Waram and etc. Awurudu Festival organize in various areas consisting with our traditional games like lissana gahe nagima, kana muttiya bindeema, and jana gayana contest etc.

_{Our New Year Food Table}

This is how we celebrate our favorites festival. I hope you've never heard of this festival. Please comment below if you enjoy my favorite festival and feel free to ask any questions about our traditions if you aren't familiar with them. As I conclude my blog, I extend an invitation to @sualeha, @Jyoti-thelight, @sailawana, and @nadiaturrina to participate in this contest and share your experiences with us.

Thanks for reading. Have a great day.