Awesome star wars break out over this year’s auspicious times to eat

Days before the Sun God has even begun his annual transmigration in celestial spheres, an astrological rebellion on earth in Lanka strikes fear and confusion

Days before the traditional new year arrives, an acrimonious star war has broken out between two camps in the Cultural Ministry’s 42-strong State Astrologers Committee.

This dedicated galaxy of professional star gazers’ fiercely fought dispute, revolves around whether to dine on the 13th night or breakfast on the 14th morning to herald a peaceful and prosperous new year for the family and country.

Such are the weighty thoughts that occupy the minds of those who reside in the land of the lotus eaters. Long before the Sun God has even begun his annual transmigration in the heavenly spheres to become exalted in the fiery War Lord Mars’ constellation of Aries, their collective fancy, whilst they await the summer feast, profoundly takes a gastronomic turn. And for good reason, too.

For many in the Western world, the dispute might appear a trivial issue but for the natives of Lanka, it’s one worth enough to draw blood. Ever since the great economic debacle, they must perforce exist on one square meal a day, and the auspicious time when to consume the day’s sole sustenance is no laughing matter but one that boggles the mind.

To starve all day and eat at night or eat at morn and starve all night is the question that perplexes ‘nekath’ makers, and keeps them up all night, burning the midnight oil. For the controversy hasn’t blown away but has intensified in strength. The swords are drawn and the battle is on, with each camp zealously protecting its own hallowed ground and refusing to yield an inch.

The State Astrologers Committee was set up in 1991 by the then Cultural Affairs Minister Lokubandara to establish a standard auspicious time for everyone to simultaneously participate in New Year’s rituals at one given moment. In March each year, it delivers its certified prescription list of nekath times to be followed by the nation, no questions asked.

Throughout the last 33 years of its existence, though it hasn’t been without its fair share of squabbles, consensus has governed its decisions. A spokesman of the astrological committee, Ananda Seneviratne explained how this process works.

Speaking of how a common auspicious time is chosen to engage in the New Year traditions, he said, "Many of us spend months on end studying the planetary positions and selecting the best auspicious time. We do this by ourselves at home individually. And then, the Cultural Ministry informs us of the date for a meeting. We attend it and present the best auspicious times we have individually arrived at. A long discussion ensues for hours at length to consider the auspicious times presented and a sheave of the best times presented are taken up for greater discussion. Out of these best time, the quintessence is chosen.”

But this time there’s revolt in the Oracle of Lanka’s Delphi and lily-white astrologers from

the old school find their honest findings challenged most undeservingly. The row between the old guard and the breakaway rebels, centres around whether it’s best to go by strict astrological rules or plug for an expedient time for convenience sake on April 14th morn, had escaped from the committee room and gone viral on social media. On one YouTube Channel debate, a rep from the old school and one from the rebels nearly ended in blows.

While the rebels attempted to batter the bastille down with spurious claims that eerie times when devils climbed trees – yakku gas nagina velawata – had been given by the other faction, the old die-hard guard solidly held the fort by explaining how astrological principles on which nekath were made, had prevented them from giving more convenient times.

A veteran astrologer in the state committee with over 60 years of experience, Gunapala, said: “The auspicious times given are dictated by the movement of the sun as given in the almanac. The Sun starts its transition at 9.05 pm on 13th night and to eat at 12.06am. According to the principles of astrology, the auspicious times for lighting the hearth and consuming the first meal must take place within 6 hours and 24 minutes of the Sun's transition to Aries.”

Astrologer Gunapala said: “We could not have taken a time later on the 14th morning as it would have been against the principles of astrology. We could not have taken an auspicious time earlier because the Rahu Kalaya was till 10.30 pm and because it was the Mars horawa. That being the reigning time of war lord Mars it would have spelt violent disaster for the country. So we waited for the hour to lapse. What follows is the hour of the sun, the majestic hour which is best for stately functions. Furthermore, the sun is placed in an extremely fortunate position.”

“Some may fear that we have chosen a time when corpses are burnt. But we had no other time to give than this auspicious time according to the movement of the Sun this year,” he said.

You can’t really blame the old guard for picking the best possible time for the people to engage in their first activities in the newly dawned year. The decision to give auspicious times is dictated by the entry of the sun to the constellation of Aries. And no deviations can be made from these astrological rules. If they pick another time on the basis of convenience, it will amount to heresy.

But the rebel group opt for convenience and promote breakfast on April 14th morning as the ideal time. They claim, to celebrate the New Year at the midnight hour, will result ‘in Sri Lanka going up in flames.’

As if this land is flowing with milk and honey, where all have three square meals a day, where families are cosily tucked up in bed by 8 at night and sleep untroubled till the break of dawn. They claim the official night times, will mean adults and children will have to stay up late, and what’s worse, on empty stomachs. Their time of convenience is to light the hearth on the 14th morn at 6.17 dressed in red. No doubt it will be a popular choice but then it will be at the expense of ignoring basic astrological tenets.

Independent astrologer, Ahungalle Thosa de Silva, who has no truck with either camp, said: “According to the 2024/2025 Aapa Panchanga Almanac, the auspicious time to light the hearth is at 11.06 on the 13th night. A certain group of astrologers decry this time for some unknown reason.”

She stamped her seal of approval on the chosen night time, and said: “I, as a member hailing from the astrological family of Mendis Abeysekera, famously known as Ahungalle Guruthuma, who started the Aapa Panchanga Almanac, wish to state that this auspicious time is a bountiful one for Sri Lanka. There will be marked developments in agriculture and industry as well as increased effort on the part of the people. It will usher in an era where the country will see a significant reduction in corruption and will be governed by better politicians and officials.”

The Cultural Ministry, too, has proclaimed the old guard’s prescribed list as the official auspicious times for the people to engage in traditional Avurudhu rites. The time for Tamils to light the hearth or ‘puthandu’ is also at night at 8.15pm according to Hindu astrological calculations on the sun’s movement.

So what will be your pick? Will you dare to take whatever the New Year holds and boldly sing ‘que sera, sera,’ or, since there’s a good and bad in every force, with time no exception, tread the beaten path forefathers had trod, and, as sticklers to tradition always do, play safe than sorry. Cheers. Here’s raising a toast for the good times.