Tamil rituals performed during Sinhala and Tamil New Year

(By Sarasi Paranamanna)

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a platform for national unity as people of both nationalities welcome the New Year with joyful celebrations.

The Tamil people celebrate the New Year on April 14 to mark the transition of the Sun into nirayana Aries, which is called Nirayana Mesha Sankranti. Greetings are made as “puththandu nalvalththukal,” which is to say “Happy New Year.” The rituals performed by the Tamils are similar to the rituals followed by the Sinhalese, but the auspicious colour to be worn during the New Year is different. This year, according to the Sinhala almanac the auspicious colour is green, but the auspicious colours for the Tamils this year, is red and white.

Before the day of the New Year, Maruthu Neer is applied on the heads of the family members with the blessings of a priest. Maruthu Neer is an oil made, using nine herbal leaves. After applying this special oil, clean water is boiled putting herbal leaves, selected flowers, milk and saffron to bathe. The household is prepared and decorated before the New Year. Saffron water is sprinkled after dusting and cleaning for further cleansing.

The front area of the house is especially cleaned to draw ‘kolam,’ which is a decorative design, done using scraped coconut or white rice flour. The drawing of kolam is not only for decorative purposes, but is drawn to make maximum use out of articles of waste. The Tamil community gives a special place for their religion as they go to the kovil before the auspicious time arrives for other rituals in order to receive the blessing from the priest for the coming New Year.

On the day of the New Year, the hearth is made facing a little away from the East at the auspicious time. A new pot is used to prepare the milk-rice and the fire is lit by the housewife. The housewife plays a major role just like in the Sinhala ritual system and even the lamps in the house are lit by the housewife in the New Year. The head of the household prepares the “mangala kumbam,” which is a pot with five mango leaves and a coconut.

Together with the mangala kumbam lit joss sticks, a tray of flowers, betel leaves milk rice and a comb of bananas is offered to their gods to get blessings for a prosperous future. The mangala kumbam and the other ingredients which are offered with it signify fullness and prosperity. In addition the younger generation offer betel leaves and worship the elders and the elders in return wish good luck for their future endeavours while presenting them money. This tradition is known as “kai vishesham.”

The head of the family starts work at the auspicious time signifying his occupation. If a farmer is starting work in the New Year he will cut a portion of paddy or if he is a teacher he will start by teaching a lesson and the children following the head of the house will study at the auspicious time, this ritual is called “er mangalam.”

Then the whole family sits down to eat at the auspicious time and afterwards the poor are gifted with new clothes and food. The culture and the rituals performed by the Tamil community bear many similarities to the traditions adopted by the Sinhalese community which reminds us that all of us are one community in one nation.