Sri Lankan Sinhalese and Tamil New Year
The Sinhalese and Tamil new year in the month of April signs the beginning of a week of exciting cultural celebrations, uncontrolled culinary indulgence and a renaissance of traditional , cultural rituals. Traditional games such as coconut rope swings, sounds of folk music and the sound of “Rabana” (a large oval shaped drum which four to 6 people can play at ones ) . Beating traditional drums, singing folks and pealing bells signal the auspicious times for every ritual while doing traditional Avurudu game (New year games) such as climbing a greasy pole, Kotta Pora (pillow fights), marathons, cycle races, kana mutti bideema ( breaking pots), bun eating contest and Ankeliya ( Tugging the horn).
Private tour guides in Sri Lanka