New Year customs and traditions

Sarath C. Jayawardana

It is the month when the cultivators get ready to enjoy the fruits of their toil following the reaping of the harvest. Time to set aside their ethnic and religious differences and join in celebrating the Bak New Year as a national event. It can then be the best display of ethnic and religious coherence.

April is a month of festivity for the Sri Lankans. April or Bak is of special significance to the Sinhalese and the Tamils (Hindus) as it marks the dawn of a traditional new year. April is also appropriately called ‘Bak’ in the lunar calendar meaning ‘abundance’. It is the month of plenty.

It is the month when the cultivators get ready to enjoy the fruits of their toil following the reaping of the harvest. The silos are full with newly harvested grain, and the children make merry playing in the paddy fields laid barren after the harvest. Trees bear fruits and the flowering trees are in full bloom. Koel, the cuckoo heralds the arrival of a new year from tree tops.

The zodiac or the imaginary line marking the path of the Sun among the stars is divided into twelve sectors giving names according to the domineering constellation in each sector. It begins with Aries (the Ram) and ends with Pisces (the Fishes) with ten others falling in between.

The earth rotating round the Sun completes the cycle in twelve months facing each of the twelve sectors in relation to the position of the Sun. Earthlings viewing it as the passing of the Sun through these sectors celebrate the passage of the Sun from Pisces to Aries as the beginning of a new year.

Transition period

This period of transition has been celebrated for centuries as the birth of a New Year not only by the Sinhalese and Hindus in Sri Lanka but also in India. Indian New Year is called Baisakhi, and is celebrated in April/May.

The practice of celebrating the New Year in April in Sri Lanka has continued through generations and is still followed with lot of gaiety throughout the country. The new year is called ‘Saka Varsha’ or the Saka Year as it was started during the reign of King Saka of India and the year 2006 is the Saka year1928.

Our ancestors calculated the months according to the phases of the Moon and named them Bak, Vesak, Poson, Esala, Nikini, Binara, Vap, Il, Unduvap, Duruthu, Navam and Medin. Bak was considered the first month of the year as it coincided with the passage of the Sun from Pisces to Aries.

The beginning of New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka is unknown but, there is proof that it had been practiced for centuries in this country. Robert Knox in his book ‘An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies’ written in 1681 makes the following reference. (Quote) “His great Festival is in the Month of March at their New-years Tide.” (Unquote) ‘His’ refers to the Buddha. He is obviously referring to the Bak festival that is celebrated around March/April when he says their New Year Tide. That was more than three centuries ago.

National New Year

Sri Lanka is not the only country to observe a National New Year. A National New Year is celebrated in many other Asian countries.

Chinese celebrate their New Year according to the lunar calendar with the new cycle of the moon falling in January or February. They name the year according to twelve symbolic animals namely, the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and the boar.

Japanese New Year is called Ganjitsu and is observed on first January. Japan’s New Year celebrations are called Oshogatsu. They celebrate the New Year for three days decorating their homes, exchanging gifts and sending greeting cards. A special feature is the planting of small pine trees on both sides of the door representing longevity and constancy.

Tibetans celebrate their New Year in April when Buddha images are bathed in scented water. Sand stupas are built on river banks or in temple grounds to be washed away at the New Year symbolizing the cleansing of evil.

Baisakhi is the Indian New Year celebrated in March or April with worshipping at the temple, ritual bathing, and music, dancing, and fireworks.

The passage of the Sun from Pisces to Aries is the time for celebration. The customs and practices or the ‘Rites of Passage’ that are associated with the New Year are ritualistic in character observed according to auspicious times.

The celebrations take the form of a national event with the entire village coming alive. Preparations begin well in advance with the cleansing and whitewashing of the dwellings irrespective of the social status.

New garments are sewn for all at home and many varieties of sweetmeats are prepared not only for home consumption but also for distribution among the neighbourhood.

Auspicious times

The village astrologer fixes the auspicious times. Time plays an important role in the celebrations spelling out the need for punctuality. There are auspicious times for lighting the hearth and cooking the first meal of the year, partake of the first meal, anointing the head with oil and taking the first bath and for the commencement of the practiced vocation.

Not only the time but also the colour of the clothes to be worn is decided. It is a time of merriment for the entire family with the married children living away from their parents congregating at the parental residence with their families to celebrate the New Year.

Nonagathe

All work stops at the predetermined time when the Sun leaves Pisces.

No work is undertaken till the dawn of the New Year during this period of transition which is called Nonagathe meaning ‘no auspicious time’ and is devoted to religious activities.

It also remains a period of fasting as nothing is eaten after commencement of Nonegathe till the appointed hour for eating the New Year meal. The period of fasting sometime lasts several hours and is spent playing indoor and outdoor games.

Work recommences following the entry of the Sun to Aries. New Year activities commence with the lighting of the hearth. This can be correlated with the ancient practice of worshipping the fire. Fire was considered the life giver as well as the destructor and was worshipped with awe by the forebears.

Hindu religious practices still involve the chanting of mantrams seated around a fire. This importance attached to fire is reflected in the lighting of the hearth as the first activity for the New Year.

Mother kindles the fire and cooks kiri bath (milk rice) and the father as the head of the household is the first to taste the New Year meal with his family members.

She has therefore to finish her task before the next auspicious time of partaking the first meal and is assisted in her work by the other female members of the family.

The table covered with a white table cloth is laid with kiri bath, an assortment of traditional sweetmeats like kevun, mun-kevum, aasmi, aggala and ripe plantains. A coconut oil lamp is lit and placed on the table.

For some families this can be the only time when all the family members sit together at a meal. It is a joyful occasion.

Paying obeisance to the elders of the family offering a sheaf of betel is an age old custom carried out during the New Year time.

All disputes and differences are forgiven when accepting the offered sheaf of betel making the family bonds stronger.

Chief prelate

New Year customs end with the anointing of oil on the head. Usually it is done at home. It is also performed as a community function either at the village temple or in a community centre.

A herbal preparation is applied on the head by an elder or if it is at the temple by the chief prelate. This is followed by taking the first bath for the New Year. It is believed that this ensures good health in the coming year. It is also the time for exchanging gifts and visiting relatives during the New Year is another important custom which strengthens family ties forgetting any misunderstandings.

Hindu customs

It is customary to give gifts to those who visit the house or take a gift when visiting a relative or a friend.

Hindu New Year customs differ. Auspicious times are determined according to Hindu Panchanga.

The New Year customs begin with bathing at the auspicious time after anointing the head with holy water brought from the temple.

After performing the ablutions prayers are said followed by the preparation of Pongal, a kind of sweetened milk rice.

After consuming the New Year meal the members of the family gifted cash by the elders. All this take place within the auspicious period.

Sinhala New Year customs on the other hand take a different form with different auspicious times fixed for different activities spanning over a couple of days.

Sri Lankans, at least the majority Sinhalese, follow New Year customs acting in unison once a year symbolizing national harmony. They all light the hearth, cook the first meal, partake the first meal and anoint their heads at the same time.

Bak New Year

Bak New Year should be called the National New Year as it is the only major occasion that allows social cohesion.

All Sri Lankans should set aside their ethnic and religious differences and join in celebrating the Bak New Year as a national event. It can then be the best display of ethnic and religious coherence.