Happy New Year! The new year (or Avurudu in Sinhala) was celebrated on 13 & 14 April in Sri Lanka. I grew up with celebrating the new calendar year at midnight on December 31, but the Sinhala New Year begins at a time that is determined by astrology. The sun changing its position (from Meena Rashiya to Mesha Rashiya) marks the beginning of celebrating the New Year.
Another difference is that the new year doesn’t begin immediately after the old year ends. There are several hours in between. In these hours the sun crosses the boundary between Meena – and Mesha Rashiya. This takes usually 12 hours and 48 minutes.
The celebration of the new year lasts several days and has many rituals, some at a certain time determined by astrology. For example, the whole country is preparing milk rice at the same time. The countdown can be watched on television, where of course the people are doing the same thing.
Source: GoldFM
Other rituals are going to the temple (to anoint the head) and activities in the neighborhood. Preparing the foods takes a lot of time! I helped my family by making some tasty kokis.
