Sri Lanka New Year
01 Apr 2010 - 30 Apr 2010

Sinhalese and Tamil cultures celebrate their New Year in April with elephant races, coconut games and other fun activities like pillow fights. It’s a great time to visit the northern regions, when peace pervades this otherwise tense part of Sri Lanka. 

Sinhalese New Year or Aluth Avurudhu rituals begin with observance of Nonagathe. At this time, people consider it to be inauspicious to engage in any activity. They go to temples and perform religious rites to receive the blessings of the priests. Women in villages congregate to play rabana (drums) to announce the time to start performing New Year rituals. 

People begin the New Year by taking a ceremonial bath on the last day of the old year. They apply Nanu (a herbal mixture) on their head and body before bathing. This herbal is supposed to purify the body and soul.

Another custom of offering betel to the parents and elders is considered as a token of love and gratitude. Elders feel accepted and cared by their children and give them blessings in return.

Food is the essential part of New Year festivities in Sri Lanka. Sinhalese food is very rich in nutrition. They prepare sweet meats such as mung kavum, konda kavum and unduvel. There is also an old tradition of preparing Kiri Bhaat (milk rice) with rice from new crop. It is prepared by the father or the male head of the family. All the family members sit together to enjoy the lavish feast on the New Year's day.