ALUTH AVURUDU TRACES ITS ORIGIN TO NAGA PEOPLE
IT IS A NEKATH SYSTEM NEW YEAR ADVANCES ONE DAY IN 73 YEARS IN FUTURE, IT WILL BE CELEBRATED ON APRIL 14, 15 NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS IN MYANMAR, THAILAND HAVE SINHALA – BUDDHIST CHARACTERISTICS
With the pulse and smell of New Year or Aluth Avurdu in the air, people get nostalgic about celebrations and observation of rituals. It is noteworthy, yet to throw some light on the origin of this festival and its uniqueness with the Sinhala Buddhist culture. According to Prof. Nalin de Silva who did extensive research into the astronomical and astrological aspect of Avurudu, it is very much linked with Nekath (auspicious) system followed by people here from time immemorial.
In a discussion with the Daily Mirror he said the sky is divided into 27 Nekaths and Sinhala people had made use of the motion of the Sun through Nekaths. He opined that the origin of Aluth Avurudu could be traced back to the days of Naga people who inhibited the island even before the advent of Buddhism.
“Naketh is a word derived from Naka.naka is ‘Naga people’. There had been various Naga clan from Assam in India to Sri Lanka. These Naka people were navigators. When you navigate, you have to form an idea of the stars or the planets or Grahayas. These people divided the sky into 27 Nekaths. My view is that Sinhala people developed this New Year system from these Nekaths. Originally, my understanding is that the Sinhala New year dawns when the sun passes from one Nekath to another,“he said.
In a mathematical calculation of planetary motion linked with New Year, he said Sankranthi or the transitional period was the time taken by the Sun to move from Pisces to Aries. This time period is 12 hours and 48 minutes.
My view is that Sinhala people developed this New Year system from these Nekaths. Originally, my understanding is that the Sinhala New year dawns when the sun passes from one Nekath to another
He said, “However, according to western astronomy, Sun moves to Aries (Mesha) not on the 13 or 14 of April, but a few days after that. This discrepancy could be explained if we consider the Neketh system where the particular disc of the Celestial Sphere, in which the Grahayas move relative to Earth is divided into 27 Nekethas instead of the 12 constellations. The New Year dawns when the sun moves from the Revathi Neketha to Asvida Neketha, and the beginnings of the Asvida Nekatha and the Aries constellation do not coincide.
The ecliptic path of the Sun relative to Earth in the Celestial Sphere intersects the Celestial Equator of the Celestial Sphere at two points. The Sun passes through these two points on the March 21 (Northwards) and September 21 (Southwards). The Western New Year is the time interval between two consecutive March 21sts.
The axis of the Earth is inclined to the ecliptic at an angle of 23.5 degrees and further the axis precesses. Due to this precession the point at which the ecliptic intersects the Celestial Sphere goes “backwards” roughly about one degree in 71 years.
The Sinhala/hindu New Year is the time interval between two consecutive transitions from Revathi Neketha to Asvida Neketha (or from Pisces to Aries). Due to the precession of the axis of the earth this day advances relative to the western calendar roughly about one day in 72 years. In the beginning of the 20th century the dawn of the New Year has fallen on April 12 and 13. These days, it falls on the 13th and 14th of the same month. In twenty to thirty years’ time it will be on the 14th and the 15th.
Prof. de Silva said, “Actually in history, the Sinhala people celebrated the New Year on a date in the latter part of March. That was according to the old Julian calendar. It was changed with the Gregorian calendar.
For example, the Russian revolution took place in October. According to the new calendar, it was in November, if you add that. During the time of Robert Knox, the
Due to the precession of the axis of the earth this day advances relative to the western calendar roughly about one day in 72 years. In the beginning of the 20th century the dawn of the New Year has fallen on April 12 and 13. These days, it falls on the 13th and 14th of the same month. In twenty to thirty years’ time, it will be on the 14th and the 15th In respect of the Sinhala/hindu New Year, it is fixed by the motion of the sun relative to the earth. These are all relative motions. There are no absolute motions as such. There are no absolute concepts. All concepts are relative. We are concerned with our fate on the earth, whether astrologically or not Also, we know King Devanampiyatissa went on the hunting expedition on a Nekath day. These are rituals not associated with Buddhism. Even before the advent of Buddhism, people would have incorporated some Buddhist rituals into the practice like going to temples. Punya Kalaya is a concept introduced by Buddhists. Naga and Yaksha people would have introduced Nonagatha period
Sinhala/hindu New Year was celebrated somewhere around April, 7, 8 or 9. That is with the change of calendar.
Now we have it on April 13 or 14. Once in 73 years, the New Year advanced by one day. It will dawn on April 15 in future. The Sinhala people used a different calendar altogether. The western calendar says the New Year starts on the midnight of January 1. There is no physical significance attached to this date. It is a date fixed by westerners. In respect of the Sinhala/hindu New Year, it is fixed by the motion of the sun relative to the earth. These are all relative motions. There are no absolute motions as such. There are no absolute concepts. All concepts are relative. We are concerned with our fate on the earth, whether astrologically or not. We do all these things related to the earth. Here we observe the motion of the sun relative to the earth. Even the sun moves in the Milky Way. The Milky Way also moves within the local group of galaxies. The local group of galaxies also moves with the expansion of universe. All these measurements are relative.
If you ask me the length of the Mahaweli River, I do not know. What are the two end points? These two end points change with the low tide and the high tide. All you can do is to take the average. There is no absolute way of measuring these things. What is the tallest mountain in the world? Somebody can say Everest. Another will say something different because the height of it is measured relative to the sea level or to the centre of the earth. If you measure it relative to the centre of the earth, then Mount Everest is not the highest. The sea level is also changes.
Coming back to the subject, I can say, relative to the earth, the sun moves in ecliptic which is the word used in western astronomy. The path of the sun relative to the earth is not fixed. We know that the earth is inclined at an angle of 23.5. Because of this, the path of the sun intersects the celestial horizon. The point of intersection of the ecliptic with the celestial equator changes. Because of this change, the date of the dawn on the New Year advances. That is the reason. During these days, it is on April 14. Then, in the case of Sinhala New Year, we find Punya Kalaya or Nonagatha (inauspicious period). There is no such thing observed in India. But, there is Punniya Kaalam or subavelai observed among Jaffna Tamils. Though they do not celebrate the New Year to the extent of the Sinhalese, they also have Punniya Kaalam. In India, there is a New Year on April 14. In Tamil Nadu, it is a holiday. That is not in fact the dawn of New Year. It is to celebrate the dawn of Chiththirai month. It coincides with the Sinhala New Year.
In the case of Sinhala New Year, we find Punya Kalaya or Nonagatha (inauspicious period). There is no such thing observed in India. But, there is Punniya Kaalam or subavelai observed among Jaffna Tamils. Though they do not celebrate the New Year to the extent of the Sinhalese, they also have Punniya Kaalam. In India, there is a New Year on April 14. In Tamil Nadu, it is a holiday. That is not in fact the dawn of New Year. It is to celebrate the dawn of Chiththirai month. It coincides with the Sinhala New Year
Q If the New year advanced by one day in every 73 year period, there should be people remembering the celebration of the event on a different date in April during their lifetime. How do you support that argument?
It is good that you asked about it. In fact, I have mentioned in my writing earlier about the celebration of New Year on April 12 in a year at the beginning of the 20th century. If not for leap years coming after every four years, this would have advanced less than 73 years.
Q How did Avurudu become a matter for celebration in this manner with religious rituals associated with it?
Buddhist rituals have been introduced later. I feel that from Naga days, it should have been celebrated. We have this Nekath Keli. It is something to do with this. Also, we know King Devanampiyatissa went on the hunting expedition on a Nekath day. These are rituals not associated with Buddhism. Even before the advent of Buddhism, people would have incorporated some Buddhist rituals into the practice like going to temples. Punya Kalaya is a concept introduced by Buddhists. Naga and Yaksha people would have introduced Nonagatha period. During the Nonagatha, we have two aspects. During the first segment, people go to temples.
Q How is it different from other countries in the region that celebrate the New Year?
We have fixed physical custom here. Compared with the westerners, they have an idea – the December 31 midnight, this has something to do with.
The Sinhala Buddhist culture would have been taken to Theravada Buddhist countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. That is the Sinhala Buddhist culture imposed on the Chinese culture. During the 12th century, the Sinhala Buddhist culture had been imposed. There were good relations with these countries through Theravada Buddhism. In Thailand too, they use the word ‘Sankranthi’.