The spirit of the Sinhala and Hindu Avurudu

by Andrew Scott

It's Sinhala and Hindu New Year once again, a season well known for good cheer and universal festivity. Though the degree of New Year festivities change from place to place, from village to village and from town to town and according to people's means its seasonal cheer and its love and friendship are perennial throughout the length and breadth of Sri Lanka.

The threats of social upheaval and political turmoil, the problem of unemployment and under-employment in certain areas of the country coupled with the recent adverse effects of the tsunami, cannot wipe out the enchanting cheer of the New Year that pervades the entire country during this season.

The spirit of the Sinhala New Year is so universal and appealing that its endemic cheer is an undiluted joy that makes all Sri Lankans smile even in an atmosphere of sorrow and fear brought about recently by the merciless tidal waves that virtually swept away some villages and towns in this country.

A unique feature of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is that one need not necessarily be a Buddhist or Sinhala, a Hindu or Tamil to enjoy the cheer and goodwill of this season. New Year festivities and customs appeal to the spirit of even the most dejected, frustrated and exploited sectors of many Sri Lankan families and particularly to a world enmeshed in numerous conflicts that are difficult to solve at times, the spirit of the Sinhala New Year brings good cheer and universal hope.

Today not only the countries like Sri Lanka in the East but the entire world is in a crisis and the very social foundations and the economic structure of several countries such as ours are in the throes of a struggle for their very survival while lured by false standards of living many people thought Sri Lankans are engaged in unhealthy competition at the cost of true human values and at the cost of civilisation itself.

It is amidst a climate such as this that we celebrate the Sinhala New Year today and none of these burning issues could snatch away from us the joy and fellowship of the New Year that has come down to us through the centuries.

As the exuberance of New Year celebrations can sometimes be too extravagant, wasteful and anti-social, when we celebrate the New Year our guiding principle should be austerity even if one is blessed with an abundance of wealth and everything one desires.

New Year greetings with the traditional offering of the betel leaves, cordial visits and the exchange of gifts and the Kema Bandesis (trays of food), are age old traditional customs that help us to strengthen bonds of friendships and these are the customs that encourage the spread of peace, goodwill and reconciliation throughout the country and among the races.

There is no doubt that in a world divided with strife and hatred gestures such as exchanging new year greetings and presents contribute immensely to promote peace, prosperity and harmony throughout the country.

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year season should also be utilized to think about our lesser fortunate countrymen to whom we should extend our sympathy and goodwill to lighten up their lives. The message of charity and goodwill should be taken to all those in need such as the oppressed and the neglected, the suffering and the diseased.

Individuals as well as organized social groups can muster themselves to bring hope and comfort to these unfortunate classes in our society. There is no better time for us to think about the upliftment of all affected by the recent tsunami and to help them to lead a dignified life free of economic and social problems which they have been pushed into by the ruthless powers of nature.

It is no secret that specially during the New Year season people who are better off live in luxury amidst plenty of everything. Specially these privileged groups should think seriously about extending the spirit of the New Year to the large number of men, women and children who have virtually nothing to eat, no clothes to wear and no place to call their own home. Let us resolve to take the spirit of the new year to these lesser fortunate beings and make their lives more cheerful.

Throughout the country many New Year parties are held and most of these are channelled to entertain people who could easily afford to maintain themselves. On the other hand there are thousands of others who find it difficult to have even a square meal a day. For such unfortunate people parties and merry making are much beyond luxuries which they can never even dream of.

It is particularly to these unfortunate people that we should extend the true spirit of the New Year and it is only then that we can aspire to create a world of peace and harmony.