Tag Archives: Sinhala & Tamil New Year in April

Immerse Yourself in Sri Lankan Traditions: A Guide to Experiencing the Sinhala & Tamil New Year in Galle

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Sinhala and tamil new year celebrations in Sri Lanka

If you are planning a trip to Galle, Sri Lanka, in April, you have a great opportunity to experience the island’s traditional New Year, celebrated by both the Sinhala and Tamil communities. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect, from rituals to food and more.

New Year Rituals

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year falls on the 13th and 14th of April every year, and the celebrations are based on auspicious times. From lighting the hearth to preparing and enjoying the first meal, there are many rituals linked to this cultural festival. Staying at a villa, including at Heenatigala Walawwa, offers an ideal chance to experience the New Year in Galle, and you can check to see if there will be any activities taking place at the property itself or nearby.

Traditional Sweets and Dishes

New Year celebrations are incomplete without enjoying festive treats such as kavum, kokis, and kiribath (milk rice). If you are staying at one of the luxury villas in Galle, check to see if you can enjoy some of these food items during your stay.

Visiting a Temple for Blessings

Visiting a temple to offer prayers and seek blessings for prosperity and good fortune is another way to experience the beginning of a New Year like a local. Of course, remember to dress modestly, covering bare shoulders and legs.

Festival Games

Another interesting thing you can do to experience the New Year is to witness festival games. Organised by locals in villages, these traditional games are lots of fun; they include tug of war, bun-eating contests (with the hands of participants tied behind their backs!) and sack races, bringing people together to celebrate the dawn of the New Year.

When Sri Lanka welcomes the Sinhala & Tamil New Year in April

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The period of transit from the last star sign to the first is supposed to be one of defame and bad luck and nothing auspicious is started during that period. In contrast, people try to engage in various religious activities or games and play items abstaining from their usual work, or studying or even for housewives their important household work.

The onset of New Year becomes visible even in the weather, as the days grow longer and warmer and sunnier while the mangoes and fruits like Cashew nuts become rounder and riper, their aroma drifting through the villages. The flower called ‘Erabadu’ is one blossom that fills the trees during this particular season and the faithful and timely crowing of the Cuckoo bird is also a sign that heralds the New Year.

A foreigner visiting Sri Lanka at this time around would do well to walk through the remote villages to find many of the authentic games and traditions of the island still being practiced diligently while a great number of games, from ‘Chak gudu’ to smaller games like ‘Pancha’ can be seen conducted by the young and old. At the end of the auspicious period, there are a number of auspicious times, to commence one’s important duties and a time to cook the first meal and a time to consume it together with the family. The aroma of sweet meats that are inherent to the New Year can be experienced coming from many a household. Sweetmeats like ‘Kevum’, the cracker like ‘Kokis’ the starchy sweet ‘Aluwa’ are just to name a few. There is a lot of sharing of food in the neighbor hood and children go around worshipping their elders while they give gifts for the children.

In Sri Lanka, Kalutara is a fairly village like yet rather urban town, where the practices of New Year are diligently performed. So many a Hotel in Kalutara also shares the festivities of the New Year with its patrons. Avani Kalutara Resort enjoys a spectacular location with one side overlooking the endless serenity of the Indian Ocean while the other side glances over the soft waters of the Kalu River. From among the many Beach Resorts Sri Lanka Kalutara, this is one that enjoys this privilege of being placed in this exotic location while providing contemporary conveniences and superb residing options to an international clientele.