Sri Lanka’s government has confirmed that no official Avurudu auspicious times will be issued this year, leaving millions of families to rely on competing astrologers and private calendars for one of the country’s most sacred cultural traditions.
For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the government has decided not to publish an official set of auspicious times for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. This decision represents a significant shift from a long-standing cultural tradition that has guided Avurudu rituals across the island for more than three decades.
The change follows the dissolution of the Avurudu Auspicious Sign Committee during the tenure of former Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake. The committee was disbanded after protests from a group that challenged the accuracy of the auspicious times released for the 2024 Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Despite more than a year passing since the controversy, the committee has still not been reconvened, leaving the Department of Cultural Affairs without an official body to determine the traditional Avurudu calendar.
Prince Senadheera, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, confirmed that no state-issued auspicious time schedule will be released this year. He explained that several independent astrologer groups have already published their own Avurudu auspicious time tables, allowing the public to follow whichever schedule they prefer for New Year rituals.
Astrologers warn that the absence of a unified national Avurudu calendar may create confusion among families who traditionally rely on official guidance when performing key rituals such as lighting the hearth, preparing the first meal, and beginning work for the new year.
