The elders in our village always had children in mind, in whatever they did. That was the reason why they started off by putting up the swing first. It was made of home made rope, strong and tightly twisted to ensure the safety of the young ones.

From the time the swing went up on the mango tree, it was the start of the New Year celebrations for the kids who more or less lived on the swing.

Before making the sweetmeats, coconut oil had to be made. For this our immediate neighbours gathered together at Aththamma's centre hall.

The huge basin from under her massive bed was dragged out, washed thoroughly and cleaned. Then the women sat on the coconut scrapers around this huge basin, and scrapping coconut. A big heap of coconuts was cracked and the coconut water was the kid's delight who drank and drank the water till their bellies bloated out like balloons. Then they kept jumping up to hear the water gurgling in our tummies. Nobody stopped them.

The highlight of the day was when the temporary hearth was put together in a corner of compound. The big cauldron from under Aththamma's bed was pulled out. Into this was poured the extracted coconut milk. And then each one took turns to ladle the boiling milk. They ladled till the sun turned westwards.

After some time the oil appeared on the surface, which was gently skimmed and stored in a big jar.

Village got ready

The whole village seemed to be getting ready as if for a great wedding feast.

One of the other major preparations for the New Year was the washing of the house which was another great day for the kids.

Washing of the house

They didn't mop the floor with wet cloth like now-a-days. Instead whole bucketfuls of water were splashed on the entire floor.

Usually on New Year's eve mother and Caroline had much to do. They cleaned and removed ash from the hearth. Astrologers prescribed a time to stop work for the old year, on New Year's eve. And until the dawn of the New Year it was Nonagathe time to devote to religious activities. During the Nonagathe no work should be done and the hearth should not be lit. Lighting the hearth for the New Year is done at an auspicious time.

Everyone went to the temple during Nonagathe time. We too joined our neighbours, all dressed in white, carrying flowers, joss sticks, coconut oil and wicks for the oil lamps.

On returning home, mother spread mats under the mango tree, and we spent out time in joyous mood. We played indoor games like Panchi.

Panchi is played with five small sea shells, a coconut shell and a chart. Players are divided into two groups. My father and I were always on one side, whilst mother and Caroline were on the opposite side.

Half way through the game, father would whisper to me, ``we should let them win. If mother loses, she will be angry and getting angry on New Year's day is not very good.''

Tambourine

Aththamma had brought out her big rabana, The largest tambourine, propped up on three wooden legs. Before beating a tune with her fingers Aththamma heated the rabana over burning coals to make the tune clearer when playing on it.

Mother and Caroline were in the kitchen with everything ready for the making of kiribath and waiting for the auspicious time to light the hearth.

Washed rice was in the brand new pot. The hearth was made with dry wood and a small sheaf of dried coconut fronds. The box of matches was at hand. That moment, everybody in every household was waiting for the auspicious time to light the hearth to welcome the New Year.

And then the temple bells pealed, the burst of fire crackers filled the air. From far and near came the rhythmic beat of the rabana playing.

In our own kitchen the fire in the hearth began to crackle richly. I watched how the new pot with rice was slowly getting covered with soot on the hearth. Caroline cracked the coconut and began scraping it, to extract the milk to add to the rice when cooked to make kiribath - milk rice. A smile was appearing and disappearing on Caroline's face.

Out in the yard Aththamma was beating a popular tune on her rabana When I went to her, she taught me to play a simple accompaniment to her beat.

 
"Punchi batala getatumba kola 
Linda watakara bahina batala." 

Sweetmeats

Soon the smell of kiribath came swirling out of every kitchen in the neighbourhood and the spirit of a happy New Year filled the air.

Our dining room became charmingly alive. A pure white cloth was laid on the table. On it was placed the small brass lamp polished for the occasion and new wicks and oil ready for lighting at the auspicious time, before partaking of the first meal of the New Year. Mother brought in the big tray of kiribath cut into diamond shapes, and placed it on the centre of the table. The various types of sweetmeats were arranged around the tray of kiribath. There were kevum, asme, athirasa, kokis and aluwa and also a luscious comb of golden yellow bananas.

One could eat the kiribath with either the red chilli sambol that was there or with jaggery.

Just a little before the appointed time to partake of the first meal for the New Year, father lit the lamp and kindled a handful of joss sticks and placed them in a little jar on the window sill. The smoke carrying the smell of burning incense went curling around creating an aura of divine sanctity.

Mother dished out platefuls of the meal for everyone and we waited for the auspicious time to eat. The first meal for the New Year had to be taken facing a certain direction prescribed by astrologers each year.

Once again the temple bells pealed and then it was time to begin the meal. Mother handed father his plate of food and ours were given in turn.

There was a most peculiar thing that intrigued me in this whole ceremony. Before we began to eat our food, each one of us had to pick out a bit of every item of food on our plates and drop into a piece of banana leaf. This was taken outside the house and placed on a high elevation away from cats and dogs.

I asked my father for whom this food was meant to be. And he told me it was for the unseen ones, the spirits of the dead. I was unable to understand how the dead could turn into spirits and still lurk around. But all I saw was that the birds and squirrels too had a feast as well on New Year's day, which I thought was a wonderful thing.

After the New Year meal mother worshipped father offering him a sheaf of betel leaves. And we too offered betel to father and mother worshipping them. The elders in the village were always offered betel in this way on New Year's day.

Silver rupee

Father gave each one of us a silver rupee coin blessing us with good health, happiness and prosperity.

Many people came visiting my mother on New Years day, mainly to receive a silver coin from her as the first transaction of the New Year. They believed she was a generous lady. The people came with platefuls of kiribath and sweetmeats and all this fare was heaped on the string bed in our dining room which had a mat on it.

The old and the young played together on New Year's day. Some played the cadju nut game on the gravel road. Some sat in groups on the verandahs playing panchi The menfolk indulged in playing draughts and card games.

We kids had a rollicking time on the swing. The swing had a long plank, on which sat all the kids holding each other firmly. On either side stood two young women who swung forward by turns. As the swing moved to and fro, the women worked up the speed by pushing themselves forward in mid-air. Soon the swing went flying high to and fro, whilst the women sang long drawn swing songs.

The first bath for the New Year had to be taken at an auspicious time as well. For this a special herbal oil was brought from the temple. An elderly man anointed this oil on the heads of other with blessings for long life. Then they took the first bath in the New Year, usually two days after the dawn of the New Year.