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Sinhalese New Year, generally known as Aluth Avurudda (Sinhala: අලුත් අවුරුද්ද) in Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan holiday that celebrates the traditional New Year of the Sinhalese people and Tamil population of Sri Lanka. It is a major anniversary celebrated by not only the Sinhalese and Tamil people but by most Sri Lankans.
"Sri Lanka Thaaye", the Tamil version of the Sri Lankan national anthem, is an exact translation of "Sri Lanka Matha", the Sinhala version, and has the same music. [27] Although it has existed since independence in 1948 it was generally only sung in the north and east of the country where the Tamil language predominates. [27]
A traditional arrangement of festive foods for Puthandu. The Tamil New Year follows the spring equinox and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. [1] The day celebrates on the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Every year on or about April 13 Sinhalese and Tamil people celebrate Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Festival, Muslims celebrate Mawlid, fast during the Islamic month Ramadan and celebrate at the end of the month with the festival which is (Eid al-Fitr) and (Eid al-Adha) is celebrated on the final month of the Islamic calendar known as Dhu al-Hijjah.
The Indian Tamils (or Hill Country Tamils) are descendants of bonded labourers sent from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka in the 19th century to work on tea plantations. [110] [111] Most Sri Lankan Tamils live in the Northern and Eastern provinces and in the capital Colombo, and most Indian Tamils live in the central highlands. [109]
The form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is known as Theravada (school of elders). The Pali chronicles (e.g., the Mahavansa) claim that the Sinhalese as an ethnic group are destined to preserve and protect Buddhism. In 1988 almost 93% of the Sinhala-speaking population in Sri Lanka were Buddhist. [60]
The caste systems of Sri Lanka were historically not tied to the religious establishment but rather a tool to service the ruling elite - a model more reminiscent of feudalism in Europe. At least three major, parallel caste systems exist in Sri Lankan society: Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamils. [1]
Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis saw people queueing for basic necessities. Two years later, many are still struggling [Getty Images] Rajapaksa and his government were blamed for the crisis.