Traditions then and now

The traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year which falls in April was a fun time for me as a child. We looked forward to this joyous occasion, which fell right after the school holidays began. It was a time when relatives gathered at my grandparent's house. There were plenty of games, food, fireworks and laughter. Now our grandparents are no longer around, so the relatives don't gather as much and families are getting smaller in size and living further apart.

The New Year is kind of a big deal in my culture. There is astrological significance in planetary shifts, there are auspicious times to do certain things, there are certain directions you have to look at while doing these customs, certain colours you have to wear, etc. All with the promise of bringing in good luck and prosperity.

I feel sandwiched between two generations of differing thoughts. My parents follow the traditions with a lot of devotion with no questions asked. Projecting ahead, the generations after me will see little point in following some of these traditions at all. I am stuck in a place where I want to keep the traditions going for it's cultural and nostalgic significance but I see little meaning in some of them.

This pattern is evident in other aspects of the culture too - religious events, funerals, weddings. While many of us question the significance of some customs, we feel compelled to follow through.

Of course, questioning the meaning of traditions and demanding evidence is akin to being a jerk. Some can argue that unique traditions from various cultures make the world a more interesting place, it helps people to bond and it keeps the generations connected in a special way.

An important aspect of maintaining traditions is that older generations set an example and pass down the knowledge to younger generations. With a growing number of skeptics, smaller families, geographic isolation, inter-racial marriages, etc, there is bound to be some "dilution" of traditions in the years to come. In a way, I admire families that make an effort to stay connected with extended families and keep annual traditions going just so the younger generations have something special to learn and experience.

The boiling of milk in a new earthen pot for the New Year until it overflows signifies the abundance of prosperity

Except food - no one questions the cultural significance of food!