So goes the New Year

"Amma, there's just three minutes more for the auspicious moment."

"I'm coming Asiri, is the firewood chopped to light the fire? Have you brought the Hanasu and Polkola from the shed? Is the rice washed - the coconut squeezed for Kiribath..... Amma stitching on the last button on Nangi's New Year frock, flung a string of questions at me.

The fire burned brightly. The rice was almost done. Thank goodness! This Year everything had gone according to plan. I could remember how last Year Amma scolded me because I had not got everything ready on time, and the auspicious moment was missed. The fire was lit a few seconds later.

"Amma, Amma Aththamma and Dosthara Maama are coming." Malli came running into the kitchen with the good news entwining his head with Ammas' saree pota. I was excited. Dosthara Maama meant lots of presents for us. What would he have brought this year for me? A saree perhaps!

"Every year there's no end to the noise in your house - this unending Tom-Tom beating is getting on my nerves. This year- splitting noise of crackers! Can't you ask Upali to stop this ding for a moment."

Dosthara Maama questioned Amma winking at me with the intension of teasing her. "You seem to have forgotten your childhood pranks. Now he is a much travelled Doctor, Isn't he?" was Amma's reply addressed to Aththamma.

"Now, now don't tell me you intend quarrelling like in the old days. It was when you spoke about Ananda's travels, that it struck me. You know Ananda and I stayed two weeks in Denmark. It was New Year time there. One day I woke at midnight. It was a thundering noise. I made haste to find out the cause and was informed that it was a custom in Denmark to welcome the New Year by lighting millions of crackers and smashing earthenware utensils in front of houses at the stroke of midnight. This was usually done by the womenfolk."

I was deeply interested in Aththamma's story. I knew that Dosthara Maama's scholarship

had taken him almost half way round the world. As he was an only son, Aththamma and he were inseparable. That was why he was accompanied by Aththamma on all his travels.

"Aththamma when you were in Spain, Poland and China didn't it happen to be New

Years time"? I asked her because I loved to hear of the many customs observed by these different people. "There starts the question box. Will you serve tea for Aththamma and Maama", Amma cut in and I made haste to serve the tea. "Don't be disheartened little one, I will answer your question this evening" was Aththammas reply on seeing the disappointed look on my face.

It was a custom with us on New Year's day to listen to Aththammas stories. They always held us spellbound. Seated on the bed with my head on her lap her stories kept me fascinated. Yet this year I was impatient. I was eager to hear about the various New Year customs of women all over the World.

"Asiri, this morning you asked me about the New Year in China" aththamma started her usual New Year story. "I have seen many customs, I have heard of more, and I will tell you all, Upali come and sit near me. "You know Asiri, the Chinese house wife gets ready for the new year quite a few days ahead of the date. It's because she has to prepare a special pudding called 'Nienkao'. The flour for this pudding must be home made and 'Nienkao' is eaten only at New Year. Hence the New Year season in China commences with the preparations for 'Nienkao'. "It reminds me of our oil cakes", commented Nangi from her corner. "Yes my little daughter. Likewise on New Year's Eve there is no sleep for the Chinese. They believe that they should keep awake to bid the Old Year Good Bye.

"On New Year's Day the Chinese house wife gets off Scot free. She doesn't do a stroke of household work. Really she should not even touch a knife at home. She spends the day among friends, enjoying herself".

"That custom suits me fine Aththamma, I don't mind making my way there" I told her and she replied "But there is a reason to this strange behavior of not sweeping the house or washing the clothes, the good fortune that the New Year brings is swept or washed away. Yes New Years day in China is essentially a day of freedom for the Chinese housewife. "

"Now I wish that here too it was the same" exclaimed Amma and as Dosthara Maama

replied "There goes my lazy Akka again" Aththamma fearing a quarrel continued.

"Can you recall the Japanese New Year Putha? It was quite different from the Chinese wasn't it? It goes on for one whole month. That is from the first January, on New Year's day the Japanese housewife is up with the rising sun and makes her way to a nearby lake for the customary bath.

They believe that this bath makes that New Year a fortunate one in every way. It is after this bath that they wish the members of the family a Happy New Year and join in prayer. Then they put on their new clothes and partake of the morning meal. Yellow Chrysanthemums for table decorations are believed to

be a good New Year omen among the Japanese.

In Israel I have heard, there seems to be a custom similar to that of the Japanese. Like the latter they don't bathe in the stream, but the entire family prays on its bank on New Year's day , and then they

strew bread crumbs on the flowing water and ask for forgiveness for their past sins.

"In Sweden too it seems there is a very interesting New Year custom. There the first visitor on New Year's day should be a male. If by accident it is a woman visitor that year was bound to be most unfortunate".

No sooner Aththamma said this than Malli shouted "Three cheers for the men folk" followed by Dosthara Maama's gleeful exclamation " Three cheers for our side" only to be interrupted by Aththamma who continued "when we were in Spain my curiosity was aroused by the people buying plenty of grapes on New Year's Eve.

When I inquired I was told that on New Year's Eve every member of the family was given twelve grapes each.

At the first stroke of midnight they start eating hem and before the twelfth stroke is over the grapes should be eaten. it is only then that the New Year would be a happy one.".

By the end of this story Malli was clamouring for grapes, and Amma teasingly offered to pack him off to Spain the next time Dosthara Maama and Aththamma thought of going there. That silenced Malli all together.

"In South America" Aththamma said continuing her interesting story "It is an astonishing

custom, in Peru and Bolivia, it appears, on New Year's Day the women should wear only old clothes. Their hair is divided and woven in to a number of thin plaits. Various hair ornaments adorn these plaits. I have never seen or heard of any other race of people wearing old clothes on New Year's Day, have you? Questioned Aththamma and Nangi murmured "Please don't make me wear any old clothes".

"The Polish New Year is characterized by the diversity of eats which it attracts.

The more eats at table, the more prosperous the New Year, is a belief strongly prevalent among the Polish women. Also it appears that when they eat certain vegetables they tap their heads with a spoon and mutter some auspicious sayings I was told" said Aththamma.

"Another New Year custom that I have heard of is that in certain other countries specially

among the farming class they observe New Year ritual connected with the breeding of animals.

That is, they mould these various animals in clay and leave them on the temple altars on New Year's Day. After sometime they are taken home with great respect.

Consequently it is believed that the different breeds would be greatly increased in the New Year.

"Goodness! Look Upali and my little daughter seem to be fast asleep" observed Aththamma, not only the little ones, your big Doctor son seems to be in dreamland too" answered Amma, and I too turned towards the wall with a yawn.

Celine Aluvihare Written in 1960