Sinhala and Tamil New Year April 13th and 14th A big festival in Sri Lanka. The sun moves from Pisces to Aries and the harvest season ends and a new year begins.

Cultural Significance

Also known as the Sun Festival, the New Year is to worship the Sun God as our society is based on agriculture. It’s a time when families come together, homes are cleaned and decorated, and rituals are performed to bring in prosperity and peace. ​

Traditional Rituals

Some unique customs:​

• Neutral Period (Nonagathe): Before the New Year starts, there’s a time when all work stops and people engage in religious activities to get blessings for the year ahead. ​
• Lighting the Hearth (Lipa Gini Melaweema): At an auspicious time the hearth is lit to make milk rice (Kiribath) to bring in prosperity. ​
• First Meal (Ahara Anubawaya): Families gather to share a meal with traditional sweets like Konda Kewum, Kokis and Asmi. ​
• Anointing Oil (Hisa Thel Gaama): A ritual where oil is anointed on individuals’ heads to bless them with health and well-being. ​

Festive Foods

The New Year feast is the highlight with traditional sweets and dishes:​

• Konda Kewum: A deep fried fluffy cake made with coconut treacle and rice flour. ​
• Kokis: A crispy sweet made of rice flour and coconut milk. ​
• Asmi: A crunchy delicacy topped with traditional caramel syrup.

Games and Entertainment

Also there are many traditional games and activities to bring in community spirit:​

• Playing the Rabana: A big drum played together with singing and dancing. ​
• Traditional Games: Olinda Keliya and Pancha Demima are popular games using natural items like seeds and shells. ​
• Village Festivals: Communities have events with games like tug-of-war (Kamba Adeema) and climbing the greasy pole (Lissana Gaha Nageema) to add to the festive mood. ​

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a big celebration that sums up all of Sri Lanka’s rich culture, family bonding, community harmony and gratitude for the blessings of the past year and looking forward to a better future.