Sri Lanka Celebrates Sinhala & Tamil New Year This Month – A Time for a New Beginning

Regarded as one of the most significant festivals in Sri Lanka, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year – Aluth Avurudu in Sinhala, and Puththandu in Tamil – plays a major role in the lives of the Sinhalese and Tamil people of this nation. Generally celebrated on the 13th and 14th of April each year, this festival marks the beginning of the traditional new year as the sun transitions from the House of Pieces to the House of Aries, according to astrologers.

During the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, a wide array of unique rituals and traditions are practised by the Sinhala and Tamil communities; these include engaging in religious activities at auspicious times, heading to temples, preparing various sweetmeats and exchanging them with neighbours, lighting firecrackers and much more. You can witness these practices in different areas of Sri Lanka including certain places to visit in Kalutara; accommodation providers such as Anantara Kalutara Resort offer an ideal getaway to enjoy the spirit of Avurudu as well.