Avurudu: Festival of Nature
S B Karalliyadda
Sinhala and Hindu New Year is a festival devoted to the observance of
rituals connected with the worship of the Son God. The ancient Egyptians
and Zoroastrians believed that the sun was the origin of all living
beings and worshiped the sun. Even our ancestors believed in the
creation of all living things by the four elements of Apo, Thejo, Vayo
and Patavi.
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Avurudu: a
season of harmony and prosperity |
Our ancient system of Ayurveda was based on this belief. The ancient
system of education too believed in these four elements. Apo represented
water or the liquid state. Theo was the state of heat, energy of fire.
Vayo represented the air to the gaseous state while Patavi was the solid
or earth state. We worship, observe and perform the rituals connected to
these ‘states’ knowingly or unknowingly throughout generations for the
past thousands of king Saka. Today we are is Saka era 1933. The Saka
ancestors ruled in India with the fall of Maurya dynasty of King
Dharmasoka.
The Saka dynasty became independent rulers for nearly four hundred
and fifty years until 220 AD.
The influence of this dynasty was left in Sri Lanka when our
astrologers adopted the Saka dynasty for their astrological readings.
Saka era was used by our kings to date their inscriptions on the grants
made to temples.
In astrology the sun is supposed to travel along the ecliptic. The
ecliptic of the sun from Mesha to Meena is supposed to be in April
between 12 to 14. The date on which this occurs is observed as the Hindu
and Sinhala New Year. This year it is on April 14.
Rites and rituals
From the rites and rituals observed on this day it clearly shows that
these customs are associated with the four elements mentioned earlier.
Our first custom is to deal with Apo or water. It has become a custom
among us to draw a bucket of water from the well. We introduce some
flowers and mix the well water before we draw a bucket of water from the
well. The water so obtained is kept in the house in a receptacle unit
the next new year day. The ancient villager worshipped water before
using it. .
The second ritual was with Thejo which is heat energy or fire. The
fire is kindled in a new hearth improvised for the purpose at an
auspicious time indicated by the astrologer.
The housewife will light a brass oil lamp and take it round the house
as well as inside the house and keep it in the shrine room until the
wicks are burnt.
The transaction with Vayo or air was a ritual that was observed for
ages. The area around the house is cleared to get fresh air. Even the
house itself is colour washed preparatory to the new year festival.
The Indus make a Swasthika or a Chakara in the compound using various
grains such as rice, dhal, mustard, kurakkan, etc. the transaction with
Patvai or the earth is done with the planting of a tree, or cutting the
earth in the premises if there is no space for tree planting. All these
rituals are performed with utmost respect and care so that the ancient
villager faced little or no damage caused by nature due to floods,
gales, tsunami, wild fire, etc.
Mother nature too prepares for the new year by the flowering of
trees, bearing fruits, the Cuckoo bird announces the approach of the new
year. Migratory birds add colour to our fauna and flora. This is the
month that the farmer collects his grains and fill the barn. The houses
are colour washed and kept clean. The villagers adorn themselves with
new clothes.
The interim period between the transit from Mesha to Meena is termed
‘Nonagathe’ because there is no auspicious time. The villagers use this
time to visit temples and other places of worship and perform religious
activities.
Traditional sweet meats such as Kevum, Kokis, Aggala, Aluva, etc are
exchanged between neighbours. Indoor games are played by women, while
men engage in other outdoor traditional games. The New Year festival is
the start of other festivals associated with the Sinahla New Year
festival. This is followed by Wesak which is celebrated by the Buddhists
world over
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