Features
The First Day of a New Year – customs and celebration
The Julian Calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC superseded the Alexandrian calendar of Egypt and was a reform of the Roman calendar used so far. It was followed for 1,600 years in the Western
Britain accepted the Gregorian Calendar (New Style) by an Act in 1750 discarding the Julian calendar and making January 1 the date of the beginning of a new year. However, we in Sri Lanka are lucky like many Eastern nations in having two New Year celebratory days – January 1 and in mid-April. We also have the Buddhist Calendar which is set from the Parinibbana (death) of the Buddha. As such 2023 will be 2566 BE January 1 is celebrated by many Christian faiths as the day of the naming and circumcision of Jesus Christ.
Celebration
In the earliest of western civilizations in Mesopotamia and Babylon, celebration of the new year was founded on the rebirth of the natural world and their feast was named Akitu. Statues of gods were paraded, A ritual involving the king appearing before the god Marduk was in reality to affirm his divine power. Roman celebrations were accompanied by imbibing of alcohol and households exchanging gifts of honey and figs. Celebrations were centered on double faced God Janus. Thus it was both a looking back and looking forward: reflection and resolution and moving to new beginnings. Ancient Egypt had the Nile flooding at the time of their new year in mid January and beginning of February, so it was celebrating a season of planting and expecting harvests.
In China the lunar year was celebrated from 3,000 years ago. It was the start of the spring planting season. The ancient Chinese cleaned houses and celebrated with even fireworks; them being the inventor of gun powder. In ancient India, as most happenings are even now, New Year celebrations were complicated and diverse, because certain states and regions followed the lunar calendar while others the solar. There too gods were central to celebrations and baths of purification were mandatory.
In our country the perception is that January 1 New Year is a western concept, acceptance and celebration. Speaking for Buddhists, we do observe it as the first day of a new year, but our New Year proper with spring cleaning, new clothes, gift giving, special food, relaxation with games, gambling and imbibing is in mid-April.
Customs and rituals are minimal in January unlike in astrologer dictated to Sinhala and Tamil New Year where every act and rite is prescribed according to astrological times. I well remember our earlier than dawn trek round the mist covered Kandy lake on January 1 as we carried heel dane to the Dalada Maligawa and mingled with huge crowds. Mother insisted on the first sight for the New Year being a tree which exuded milk – not rubber but a jak tree preferably; failing which a papaw plant would be gazed at. Reason was not explained nor asked for either. Ours was to obey Mother unquestioningly. Maybe a tree exuding kiri spelt prosperity.
Resolutions
The making of resolutions seems to have been a universal rite or ritual and practiced from ancient times. Equally true is it that resolutions made are invariably broken. It is believed the Babylonians made resolutions in the face of their new year as far back as 400,000 years ago. The first recorded resolution making in the western world was in the late 17 to early 19 centuries. Resolutions usually are dependent on, or are a reflection on one’s status, finances, responsibilities and self discipline.
A very interesting bit of info I retrieved when Googling is the contrast between New Year resolutions made then – 1947 – and now, according to a Gallup Poll. In each time slot ten resolutions were listed; I have pared them deleting similar ones in consideration of space.
1947.
1. Improve my disposition, be more understanding, control my temper
2. Improve my character, live a better life
3. Stop smoking, smoke less; Stop drinking alcohol or drink less
4. Save more money
6. Be more religious, go to church more often
7. Be more efficient, do a better job
8. Take better care of health; lose or gain weight
9. Play greater part in home life
Current Resolutions
1. Get organized. Spend less, save
2. Enjoy life to the fullest
3. Stay fit and healthy.
4. Learn something exciting
5. Quit smoking
6. Help others fulfill their dreams.
7 Fall in love
I gave up making resolutions many years ago, though when young, I diligently wrote them down and even pasted the paper on my study desk. I was invariably surprised at how soon I broke them and blamed others. I got wiser to myself and lost my idealistic self-opinion and gave up creating ‘I wills’ and ‘I won’ts’ on each December 31.
The main resolutions most of us will make or have to make are: I will tighten my belt further; I will stop grousing or if that is not possible, lesson my grumbling. Most important resolution would be to not lose hope; not give up, not be overcome by pessimism.
Resolutions for the country and its leaders
This list can very well be a mile long – so very many resolutions for the government. Very important would be the lessening and final abolition of bribery, corruption, lies, impunity, violation of rights. We could make umpteen resolutions for each ministry and department, including, with trepidation, for the Justice Ministry and Police Department. The President will be inundated by a resolution cyclonic storm. He will brush them all off with a cynical smile; a joke perchance, and go his own way. But one resolution we citizens would scream out is: Have elections urgently, mostly a general election so we see wiser, educated, younger, smarter, incorruptible persons in the House by the Diyawanne with a much pruned contingent and at least a quarter of them women MPs.
The acting on this one resolution would be absolutely delightful and a huge bonus for the New Year. Resolve to throw most of the present lot of MPs – doddery, stupid, uneducated, venal, crude, totally self-centered – to the Diyawanna hoping there are ravenous crocs in it who would consume even tough meat. Some of them we wish to return to Parliament as they have positives, much needed in leaders. Nan wishes you all a fine New Year with contentment and justice savoured.