As we welcome another vibrant Sinhala and Tamil New Year in 2026, it’s time to honor the age-old traditions that bring families together, invoke blessings, and set the tone for a prosperous year ahead. Here’s your complete Avurudu Nakath Litha (auspicious times of Sinhala Tamil New Year celebrations) for 2026—packed with meaning, color, and deep-rooted cultural value.
Let’s dive into the sacred schedule of events and rituals that guide us through this special season.
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi declared that the Avurudu Nakath Seettuwa for this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year has been formally released.
Avurudu Nakath 2026
Avurudu Litha 2026
Here is the information rewritten under the points. Date & Time, Ritual, and Significance:
| Date & Time | Ritual | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| March 20 (Friday) | Observing the New Moon | Marks the beginning of preparations for the upcoming Sinhala New Year according to the lunar calendar. |
| April 13 (Monday) | Ritual Bath for the Old Year | Bathing with divul leaf juice and meditating on deities symbolizes purification and spiritual preparation before the New Year. |
| April 14 (Tuesday) – 09:32 AM | New Year Dawn | The official moment when the Sinhala New Year begins. |
| April 14 (Tuesday) – 03:08 AM to 03:56 PM | Punya Kalaya (Neutral Period) | A sacred transition time between the old and new year. People avoid eating and focus on religious activities until the New Year dawn, after which auspicious activities begin. |
| April 14 (Tuesday) – 10:41 AM | Preparation of the First Meal | Wearing red clothes and facing south, families cook milk rice, sweets, and prepare the traditional milk pot to mark prosperity for the new year. |
| April 14 (Tuesday) – 12:05 PM | First Work & Transactions | Wearing red clothes and facing south, people begin work, trade, and share the first meal of the New Year for success and prosperity. |
| April 15 (Wednesday) – 06:54 AM | Anointing of Oil (Traditional Herbal Bath) | Wearing pacha-varga clothes, facing east, and applying herbal oil with kohomba leaves symbolizes health, protection, and blessings for the year ahead. |
| April 20 (Monday) – 06:27 AM | Leaving for Work (Raksha) | Wearing white clothes, eating milk rice with cow’s milk, and leaving towards the south symbolizes beginning work and responsibilities with good fortune. |
| April 23 (Thursday) – 11:36 AM | Planting Trees | Wearing gold-colored clothes and planting trees towards the north symbolizes growth, prosperity, and harmony with nature in the new year. |
National oil anointing ceremony
The state oil anointing ceremony, which occupies a prominent place among the Sinhala and Tamil New Year rituals, is planned to be held on April 15 at the historic Natha Devalaya premises in Kandy.
The state ceremony of anointing the head with oil is scheduled to be held on April 15 at 6.54 am.
The Department of Ayurveda of the Ministry of Health, the Ayurveda Corporation, and the Department of Culture of the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs will jointly organize this ceremony.
📥 Download the Full Nakath Schedule PDF:
Click here to download the PDF In English
Click here to download the PDF In Sinhala
Suba Aluth Avuruddak Wewa…! May 2026 arrives with abundant joy to your family members and you. Allow the family fireplace to crackle while milk boils in front of you as your love creates comforting warmth between family members.