Funday Times

Alut Avurudda is round the corner
It's just a few days more for the Alut Avurudda meaning the Sinhalese and Hindu new year. The auspicious times have been announced to start the new year on Friday, April 14. New Year dawns at 6. 49 in the morning and the main activities connected with the avurudda will be done between that time and 1.13 in the afternoon.

Avurudu is a busy time for the mother. Within the next few days she will prepare the usual sweetmeats - kevum, kokis, aasmi, aluva, aggala and the like. There will be at least three varieties of kevum - konda kevum, athiraha and mung eta kevum. She will prepare the first meal for the new year by lighting the hearth at 7.14 in the morning looking south. Kiributh will be cooked along with a curry using milk. She will be clad in clothes with mixed colours this year with the astrologers deciding that as the lucky colour.

The punya kaalaya or nonagathe when work is stopped and everyone takes part in religious observances is from 00.25 in the morning on Friday, April 14, until 1.13 in the afternoon. During this period it is customary to visit the temple and offer flowers before meeting the high priest to get his blessings.
The little ones will join the parents and other members of the family at the auspicious time of 8.24 in the morning for the first meal for the avurudda. Following the elders, prior to taking part in the meal, they will perform their first tasks for the new year which invariably will be some school work - reading a text and writing a few words of blessing - Namo Buddhaya being the usually greeting, facing south.

Offering betel to the elders - the parents as well as elder brothers and sisters - and seeking their pardon for any wrongs during the past year takes place next. The youngsters eagerly look forward to this happening because that is the time for ganu denu. Though it is strictly a time to 'give and take', for the young ones, it's only ganu and no denu. Even if they have already been given new clothes for the new year, they are bound to get more gifts and of course, pocket money from everyone. Ganu denu is done by those who earn money. The elders will exchange money with others whom they think are the lucky ones to bring them more during the coming year.

They will then sit with the elders at the table to enjoy the meal. The mother will serve everyone else and serves herself last. The family will then partake of the meal.

Avurudu is fun-time for children. It's the time that they play with their friends, cousins and other relations who visit them for the alut avurudda.
The village folk enjoy the avurudda much more than the urban folk. It's the time everyone meets having left their workplaces in the towns during the New Year holidays. Old acquaintances are revived. Friends get together and compare notes of what they have been doing since the previous avurudu.

The 'avurudu ulela' is a happening in every village. Various games, particularly those which are revived just for the occasion as well as numerous competitions are organized. Pillow fighting is a popular game where two youngsters would start hitting each other with pillows while balancing on a pole. Chak gudu is a team game. Climbing the grease pole is a popular event which provides a lot of entertainment with many of them coming down fast not being able to go up.

The avurudu kumari contest provides an opportunity for the village damsels to compete in a beauty contest. The onchilla is an ideal spot for them to chat away.

The applying of oil on the head for the new year is also done at the auspicious hour. It's fixed for 7.39 in the morning on Saturday, April 15, the day after avurudu.

Thursday, April 20, is the day assigned to leave home for work. The observance of this custom has become a problem since most working people have to get back to work much earlier. So it's one more avurudu - a festive time that is eagerly looked forward to.

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