Aluth Avurudu dress code and the betel tradition

Miran PERERA

April is a month of festivity for the Sri Lankans. It is the month when the farmers relax after reaping the harvest getting ready to enjoy the fruits of their toil. The silos are brimful with newly harvested grain and the children made 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 from tree tops the arrival of a new year. April or Bak is of special significance to the Sinhalese and the Tamils as it marks the dawn of a traditional new year. April is also appropriately called Bak in the lunar calendar meaning abundance.

Sheaves of betel

It is the month of plenty. The sheaves of betel takes centre stage as a tradition during the April New Year celebrations. A sheaf of betel is offered to elders and relatives as a sign of affection and respect. It is an essential part of our culture and some specially in the villages find it a relishing chew as well.

Our Sinhala culture condemns immodesty in dress now so prevalent everywhere specially during New Year time. Our culture endorses the concept that Sinhala modesty in dress should be regulated by customs and styles of time, place and circumstances. In this connection it is appropriate to consider the national dress of both the males and females in Sri Lanka at least during New Year time.

The betel leaf is heart shaped and is glossy as a polished green apple and the betel leaf is surrounded by myths and magic. Its use can be traced as far back as 2000 years and it is even described in the most ancient books of Sri Lanka.

Aluth Avurudda

The betel leaf a native of India and South East Asia it travelled the high seas in those old sea faring days venturing as far as Madagascar and East Africa and what an impact it made in Sri Lanka during the Aluth Avurudda.

During the colonial times the British made an attempt to impose western culture among the people of Sri Lanka.

They made it compulsory for the clerical grades and upwards to attend office in full European suit comprised of coat, trouser, tie and hat. The normal dress of the average Sinhala male was coat and cloth.

With the dawn of the 20th Century there was a national resurgence in Sri Lanka initiated by patriots. As a result many Sinhalese dropped their Western names and changed over to indigenous names. At the same time both the Sinhala and Tamil leaders looked for a national dress for the Sri Lankans.

This dress could have begun to be worn starting from the New Year festival at least. At an inaugural meeting of the national reform society it was resolved that in the evolution of a national dress, cloth for men and sari for women should form the basis.

It is suggested that this dress code should be strictly adhered to during the New Year by men and women to abide by unity of a national consensus. Later cloth, nationals and saatakaya (shawl) was adopted as the national dress for men and sari for women.

The zodiac or the imaginary belt marking the path of the sun among the stars is divided in to twelve sectors and given names according to the dominating constellation in each sector.

It begins with Aries (The Ram) and end with Pisces (The fishes) with the others in between. The earth rotating round the sun completes the cycle in 12 months facing each of the 12 sectors in relation to the position of the Sun.

The never ending list of health properties of betel leaves when made use of in the New Year is long. In Ayurvedic medicine that holistic system of healing originated in India some 3,000 to 5,000 years ago.

National dress

The Betel leaves are said to be an aphrodisiac and a Breath freshener which clearly helps in the amorous department. Offering betel leaves with areca nuts to guests is a common courtesy. In fact it is safe to say that all traditional ceremonies governing many lives use betel and areca. Also when paying a priest the money is placed next to betel leaves and set by his side.

At least during New Year the Sinhalese and Hindus of this country should celebrate festivities in National dress attire as it shows, Unity and Peace. Judging from the dresses that many wear during New Year Westernisation is implied. The Sinhala Tamil New Year did not come from the West but the East hence we must at least discontinue wearing Western dress during the New Year period in April.

Our women throughout has appeared in cloth and jacket, Osariya or the Indian sari and were somewhat averse to the Western frock. Sadly it is not so now. Many Sinhalese who wore the coat and cloth changed over to the national dress.

After 1954 the national costume underwent a change and the shawl was worn for special occasions. At present few wear the shawl or satakaya. April is a month of festivity celebrating the New Year as a national event.

A National event should be celebrated by men and women with national dress. Sri Lankans at least the majority Sinhalese follow New Year customs acting in unison once a year symbolizing national harmony.

Here the national dress should be given its due significance. Here all light the Hearth, cook the first meal, partake the first meal and anoint their heads at the same time.

Social cohesion

Bak New Year should be called the National New year as it is the only major occasion that allows social cohesion. During New Year due to ancient customs people greet each other with a sheaf of betel containing 40 betel leaves.

These sheaves of betel are a common customs of the Sinhalese using them also to offer money and for Ayurvedic purposes. During New year any discussion about betel leaves needs to include those cosmic seasonings that make up the renowned Betel trio, the arecanut and hydrated or mineral slaked lime.

The betel leaf is credited with diuretic properties and is claimed to be an ever so powerful antibiotic. In India it is believed that the pleasure which the betel leaves give is so great that according to mythology Gods and Goddesses long for it.

Until 1980’s most of the Ministers, MP’s and some high officers wore the national costume for occasions. It became the most popular dress among the commoners. Sadly for New Year things have changed today. The cultural renaissance set in motion since independence is being eroded in the midst of the open economy.

Electronic media

Sadly for the New Year it is the fashion among the youth today to slavishly imitate the West. The pop culture and the fashions of the Western world brought to the living room by the electronic media have led to the breakdown in the traditional cultural norms in the country. We now see some youth wearing coloured Nationals here and there as a fashion.

Today the national dress is worn mostly by the politicians. We who live in a tropical country should wear a dress that suits our warm climate and environment. Our ladies who wear the sari for weddings and other occasions seem to be more prudent than men in their dress.

Although there is a tendency among the women folk in our country now to go for frocks and jeans still the standard dress for the women for occasions is the sari. It is believed that the sari is the most beautiful dress for oriental women during the New Year season in April.

The national dress during New Year for men and sari for women in Sri Lanka would be really in harmony with the religious ethos of our country. The national costume which is a common dress of the Sinhalese and Tamils would help to bring the two major communities together with a common national outlook.

In the face of the inexorable advance of modernism and globalisation facing our country making a threat to cultural obliteration and loss of national identity the adherence to tradition following ancient customs of the Sinhala New Year makes survive values enshrined in our society.