Vishu and New Year: A Celebration of Shared Heritage between India & Sri Lanka- Culture beyond boundaries
By BPHomes Cultural Chronicles
April is a month of renewal, and for both India and Sri Lanka, it marks the beginning of a new year steeped in tradition, faith, and festivity. While India celebrates Vishu in Kerala and Tamil Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka marks the Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Avurudu)—a time rich in cultural resonance and shared rituals. Despite national boundaries, these festivities reflect common threads of heritage, astrology, and agrarian cycles.
🌞 Seasonal & Astrological Alignment
Both India and Sri Lanka follow solar calendars for these new year celebrations. The timing is aligned with the sun’s transition from Meena (Pisces) to Mesha (Aries) in the zodiac, symbolizing a fresh cosmic cycle and the onset of spring/summer harvest. This astrological significance creates a common spiritual mood in both countries, with similar rituals of cleansing, offerings, and prayers.
🪔 Early Morning Traditions
- In Kerala, people wake up to the Vishukkani—an auspicious arrangement of fruits, flowers, gold, mirror, and lamps, set before Lord Krishna.
- In Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, the day begins with ritual baths, temple visits, and viewing of auspicious items, called “Kanni” in Sri Lanka too—highlighting a shared tradition of beginning the year with positive visuals and offerings.
🍚 Feasts & Festive Foods
Festive meals play a central role:
- Vishu Sadya (Kerala) and Puthandu Saapadu (Tamil Nadu) feature multi-course vegetarian meals served on banana leaves, symbolizing prosperity.
- In Sri Lanka, the Avurudu feast includes milk rice (kiribath), bananas, sweets like kavum and kokis, all prepared after the auspicious time set by astrologers.
- In all three cultures, the emphasis is on abundance, sharing, and gratitude to nature’s bounty.
🔔 Temple Visits & Prayers
Devotees across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka visit temples, light lamps, and offer prayers for prosperity and family wellbeing. The spiritual mood is deeply rooted in Hindu tradition, with Sri Lankan Tamils often visiting Kovil (temples) just like in Tamil Nadu, while Sinhalese Buddhists offer prayers at Buddhist temples—showcasing how religious harmony and ritual coexist beautifully.
🧨 Celebration with Fireworks & New Clothes
- Wearing new clothes (Puthukodi) is common across all regions.
- Children eagerly look forward to fireworks and receiving money or gifts (Kaineettam in Kerala), a joyful practice also mirrored in parts of Sri Lanka.
🎉 Cultural Programs and Community Vibes
Community plays an integral role:
- In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, schools and cultural organizations organize Vishu or Tamil New Year events, showcasing classical dances, dramas, and folk art.
- Similarly, Sri Lankan towns come alive with Avurudu games, drumming, and community bonding events.
🌍 A Shared Legacy
These new year festivals transcend borders. They are:
- Agricultural (honoring harvest),
- Astrological (aligned with solar movement), and
- Cultural bridges linking India and Sri Lanka through history, language, and spirituality.
Despite national identities, the Tamil and Kerala diasporas in Sri Lanka, and Sri Lankan Tamils in India, preserve these rituals with devotion—reminding us that culture flows like rivers, beyond man-made boundaries.
✨ In essence, Vishu and Tamil New Year are not just regional festivals, but a reminder of our shared past, celebrating life, abundance, and cosmic rhythm—across India and Sri Lanka alike.
Dr Balaji Singh
Founder & CEO
BPT group
