IN ANCIENT CEYLON, NEW YEAR STARTS IN APRIL

In Sri Lanka (Ceylon) the Major National Festival of Rice Harvest and celebration of Sinhalese and Tamil New Year are at the same day. The New Year day is timed by an astronomical phase as the Sun moves from Pisces (Meena Rai) to Aries (Mesha Rasi) in the Zodiac. Ancient customs dictate every aspect of celebration, every ceremony auspiciously timed by astrologists, as everyone wants to ensure that good fortune and happiness is granted to them in the coming year.

Everyone is wearing new clothes, which must be in the astrologically auspicious colour to bring good luck. All activities for the New Year first day are also astrologically timed. Hearths are lit at a prescribed time, facing the auspicious direction and then a special traditional meal (Kiribath – milk-rice made with the newly harvested rice and coconut cream) is cooked in a new clay pot. Everybody sits down facing the lucky direction, at tables with traditional oil lamps and has a traditional breakfast. Anointing the head with herbal salves and bathing is also at a prescribed time to ensure good health in the New Year. Even business transactions are auspiciously timed. At this special day people gather to play traditional age-old games most of which can be seen only in Sri Lanka.