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President, first family lead National New Year celebrations on an enthusiastic note
View(s):President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with members of his family led the Sinhala and Hindu New Year celebrations this year with festivities taking place across the country on an enthusiastic note. First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa lit the hearth at the auspicious time of 10.17 am as the boiling of milk ceremony took place in homes and businesses in keeping with Sinhala Avurudu traditions.
As part of his New Year rituals, President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the Shri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura on Friday to obtain blessings.
This was followed by the partaking of meals at the auspicious time where families gathered to enjoy a meal of kiribath and traditional sweetmeats.
Most banks and business establishments opened soon after for ganu-denu for the benefit of customers, so that they could commence their financial activities for the New Year on an auspicious note.
For Hindus, the New Year celebrations began with a visit to the kovil with thousands flocking to places of worship in the north and east and other parts of the country, seeking blessings for a prosperous year ahead.The army played a special role in the New Year celebrations in the north by organising several festivities in collaboration with the District Secretariat and Police in Jaffna.
Many tourists resorts and hotels also conducted special celebrations for Avuduru during which foreign visitors to the country had a first-hand experience of how the traditional new year is celebrated in the country. They also took part in traditional games such as ‘kotta pora’, tug-of-war and others on New Year’s day.
The State Anointing with Oil ceremony took place on Wednesday with President Rajapaksa participating in it at the Yatawatta Raja Maha Viharaya premises in Kossinna, Ganemulla. It was conducted under the patronage of the Chief Sangha Nayake of Siyane Korale, Ven. Thorapitiye Ananda Nayaka Thera. This ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine
The Avurudu festivities for the year wound down towards the end of the week with many returning to work on Thursday, the designated auspicious day to resume work.