• Voices across the country reflect resilience amid economic strain
• Families scale down celebrations but strive to preserve cultural rituals

With Sri Lanka approaching the Sinhala and Tamil New Year amidst global tensions and national uncertainties, a festive season once known for its vibrancy, togetherness, and joy is being overshadowed by the increasing price of goods and the possibility of resource shortages. 

Although a majority of Sri Lankans find it difficult to celebrate as they once did, they are still trying to hold onto traditions and rituals to the best of their abilities, either for the sake of their children or for the preservation of their cultural beliefs.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, voices across the country revealed a rollercoaster of emotions about what the upcoming festive season feels like for many amid ongoing struggles and hardships.

Avurudu traditions disrupted

Praneetha Nagarajah, a student at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, reflected on how the spirit of the New Year season had evolved over time due to price fluctuations of goods and other resources. “As Sri Lankans, we have adapted to a lack of resources for a long time, but the current economic state of our country remains a heavy burden to families across the island,” she said.

Nagarajah recalled past celebrations, adding: “Rice is our staple food, and the recent shortages have caused many to suffer, making it difficult to even think of the New Year as a festival.” While she noted that her family used to celebrate Avurudu with their extended family and neighbours, the current situation marks a shift from the usual shared festivity to a quieter, more constrained one.

Yaenitha, 18, shared that the Sinhala and Tamil New Year felt less joyful this year due to the fuel crisis and rising costs caused by the Middle Eastern war. With travelling becoming increasingly difficult, she said many, including her family, were unable to reunite with relatives, which was a major tradition of the season, leaving only more basic customs to be observed. “Still, we try to hold on to the spirit of togetherness in whatever small ways we can,” she said, emphasising her hope and resilience despite the challenges.

Kavindu Achintha, 29, expressed his excitement about the upcoming New Year despite the prevailing difficulties, noting that he would be celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year with his family after three years overseas. “There are difficulties, but obviously the country cannot be blamed or held accountable. So I would like to take whatever opportunity and positivity remaining and utilise it to celebrate Avurudu this year with my family,” he said. 

Instead of lamenting the challenges or inability to travel, he expressed his desire to preserve the opportunity to celebrate with his immediate family. “The biggest issue I have been facing is fuel. Since visiting relatives and extended family will be difficult, I would like to stay home and celebrate,” Achintha added.

Amodya Perera, a 33-year-old mother, told The Sunday Morning that this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year was arriving with the weight of uncertainty of rising costs, unlike the usual lightness it once carried. She reflected on how the festive season had always been a time of excitement and wonder for children.

“Kids love the festive vibe of new clothes, visiting relatives, and the general sense that something special is happening. For them, the days that lead up to it feel almost like a countdown to a big celebration. They are very excited for the rituals,” she said. However, this year’s circumstances would be different, Perera noted, saying: “Due to this fuel crisis and other resource constraints, it will not be the same.”

M.B. Sriyani, a 49-year-old stay-at-home mother, lamented how the spirit of this year’s festive season had diminished compared to previous years. She recalled a time when festive preparations had been filled with enthusiasm. “The heartfelt happiness of the New Year’s arrival is simply not there this year,” she said. Despite this, she noted that the New Year must be celebrated, as it came only once a year.

“My family will celebrate, but not in the same grand way we used to. We hope to at least carry out the rituals properly,” she remarked, noting practical challenges such as potential fuel shortages and power outages during the New Year period, which could disrupt rituals. “I think if people could hear that the war is over, the spirit of the New Year will be restored and people would truly feel it again,” she added.

Economic concerns 

While the immediate focus highlights the hopes and expectations surrounding the upcoming New Year season, researcher and environmental and animal welfare activist Dr. Shri Sriskandharajah emphasised the importance of looking beyond the immediate local crisis and recognising the broader situational challenges currently confronting the nation.

She observed that while public celebrations had traditionally fostered joy, unity, and social cohesion, this year’s observances were characterised by overlapping issues across communities. “This echoes conditions observed during the 2022 crisis, when the country mobilised collectively in pursuit of political and socioeconomic renewal,” she said, adding that people may need to move beyond divisions and unite to face challenges as Sri Lankans.

Sriskandharajah added: “Right now, it is imperative to set aside narrower ethno-religious concerns, whether perceived as justified or not, in favour of the broader objective of national recovery. Prioritising collective action to address systemic problems will better secure a stable and prosperous future for all Sri Lankans, rather than dwelling on the immediate discomforts of the moment.”

M.A. Anil Kumara, 58, a contractor, described this year’s New Year as a period of turmoil shaped by both national and global instability. He noted that Sri Lanka had been stabilising and recovering from long-term economic challenges, particularly following the transition of governments, but that unexpected shocks such as Cyclone Ditwah and global conflict had disrupted that progress.

“Just as the Government was rebuilding the nation, developing the economy, and stabilising finances, we are now forced to face a global crisis,” he said. “With the New Year approaching, the daily lives of people everywhere have been completely disrupted. It has reached a point where people cannot even fathom celebrating the New Year as they once did,” Kumara said.

He noted that travel, a key part of the festive season, had become difficult due to fuel uncertainty. “People have no way of travelling or visiting their villages. Those in cities find it hard to return to their hometowns due to the breakdown in transport systems,” he said.

He also noted that while both public and private sectors usually granted holidays around 10 April for the New Year, providing benefits – including New Year bonuses – would prove difficult. “Perhaps things could change in the next 10–15 days if fuel shipments arrive and life returns to some level of normalcy, allowing people to visualise a future. Right now, it remains uncertain. Alongside the fuel crisis, a power crisis is also looming,” Kumara said.

“If not for this crisis, this would have been the best New Year in 75 or 80 years under the new Government. The country was reaching a stable point; it is not a lack of money or dollars that has destabilised us, the main blow has been this fuel crisis. There are other ripple effects too, like the shortage of urea for farming, which is creating problems for crops.”

A 61-year-old retired tea industry worker from Balangoda, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke about the impact of an international war on a country that remained neutral. “The war is in another country, but fuel prices, bus fares, and the prices of goods are increasing in Sri Lanka,” he said. “Prices have risen so high that it may not be possible for people to truly experience a happy New Year.”

Jerome from Nuwara Eliya, who works in Qatar and is nearing the end of his three-month holiday, said that he had been unable to travel around Sri Lanka as he wished to due to the fuel crisis. “All I have to say to this Government is that it should arrange a way for us to return to our jobs in an orderly manner,” he said, adding that he hoped to spend his New Year in Qatar, if flights were not disrupted due to the Middle East tensions.