A NATIONAL FESTIVAL.

                     A NATIONAL FESTIVAL.

  


    There are several National Festival in Sri Lanka. Among them the Sinhala and Hindu New Year is regarded as the most important National Festival. 

        The New Year festival is held in the month of April every year. It does not fall on a fixed day every year. The date is fixed by the astrologers. In most of the years it falls on the 13th of April, This is a festival of cultural, social and national importance. All the activities connected with this festival are done according to auspicious times under traditional customs. There is an almanac in every house. All the auspicious times are mentioned in it. 

     Before this great day people do so many things. They colour their houses and prepare sweet meats. They go shopping and buy new clothes in lucky colours. They buy gifts too. 

       The period between the old year and the new year is called "Nonagathe time" which is regarded as an unlucky time. During this period people engage in religious activities. They go to temple and offer flowers. Children set off crackers. They also play on the swings. 

      First of all the hearth is lit at the auspicious time and the traditional milk rice is cooked. Then they partake the first meal of milk rice. After partaking the first meal they engage in other activities. They wear new clothes and exchange money with others. The children offer sheafs of betel and worship their elders. 

        Annointing oil too is done at an auspicious time. This is usually done at the village temple. The first bath and setting out to work are also done at an auspicious time. 

     New Year compositions are held on village level. There are lot of traditional games. Some of them are panchi, Pora-pol and Ang-kelli. Olinda and Raban are the popular games among women. The other games that can be seen are pillow fight, cadjan weaving and coconut scraping. 

       The sweet song of "Koha" and the throb of the rabana are heard everywhere. People in all walks of life spend the New Year Joyfully.

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