News
Sri Lankans asked to choose auspicious times from disputed almanac
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
With only a few days remaining for the Sinhala Tamil New Year, there is still confusion about auspicious times, following a dispute among astrologers.
While the two factions—the state committee and a rival group of astrologers—presented different auspicious times and then refused to compromise, the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Vidura Wickramanayake, told the Sunday Times that the people could follow the auspicious times that were convenient to them.
This request came after the astrologers failed to heed the minister’s earlier request to reach a consensus.
He suggested that people be confident in themselves, take responsibility, and strive for the betterment of the country instead of focusing on disputes.
“For 75 years, this country’s leaders worked according to auspicious times, from submitting nominations to swearing in, every important task was done according to auspicious times, but our country had faced an economic crisis. If auspicious timing worked, how can this be the outcome?” he asked.
He said people lack self-confidence and determination, which are important for bringing prosperity.
Mr. Wickramanayaka said anyone keen on astrology can follow either of the times.
He refused to comment on the auspicious times, yet he personally believes that there should only be one auspicious time. While there are various methods of calculating, the answer should be the same, as in mathematics.
He suspects ulterior motives aimed at destroying the country’s culture of celebrating the New Year.
The state Nekath Committee, entrusted with preparing auspicious times, said that the government as well as the people had accepted the auspicious times they had set.
A member of the committee, Pandadure Prashanth Mallawige, confirmed that the auspicious times that the committee prepared and approved would not be changed.
“It is final; now that the auspicious times have been officially released to the media, there cannot be any changes. We call on people to follow the auspicious times we prepared,” he said.
Meanwhile, a member of the rival group, the organiser and convener of the National Astrologer’s Society, Ravishanker Senanayake, claimed that a meeting was held with the secretary of the Cultural Ministry, and the secretary explained that he had issued a statement asking people to follow auspicious times prepared by the Nekath Committee.
He said that the secretary has assured that the Nekath Committee will be dissolved after the New Year and new members will be appointed.
Mr. Senanayake said the secretary also requested that they provide guidelines for auspicious times.
However, the statement issued by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs asks Sri Lankans to follow the auspicious times prepared by the state panel.
The statement said that auspicious times for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year have been set and approved by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, provincial councils, and local government, to be published on October 2, 2023.
According to the statement, an astrologer who took part in the committee and agreed that auspicious times were correct by signing a document got together with a group that opposed the times determined by the committee.
The statement added that a group is working towards damaging the cultural identity of the country and that people should not be misled. Instead, the state committee determined the auspicious times.
Cultural Ministry secretary Somaratne Vidanapathirana told the Sunday Times that he would not comment.
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