The staff of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington D.C, led by Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe celebrated Sinhala and Tamil New Year at the Embassy premises on 15 April 2024. The festivities began with customary rituals, including lighting the hearth and boiling milk, followed by lighting the oil lamp and conducting religious observances. Ambassador Samarasinghe delivered a speech on the cultural significance of the event, emphasizing its importance as a symbol of the diversity that is woven into Sri Lanka's social fabric. Following the completion of the Avurudu customs, the Avurudu table filled with traditional Sri Lankan sweetmeats and milk rice was opened, marking the first meal of the New Year.
In addition, two Sinhala New Year celebrations, adhering to Sri Lankan customs and traditions, were held in the United States. The Washington D.C. Buddhist Vihara and the Maryland Buddhist Vihara spearheaded these celebrations. The Avrudu Festival of the Dhamma School of the Washington Buddhist Vihara was organized under the leadership of Chief Incumbent and North America's Chief Sangha Nayaka Ven. Maharagama Dhammasiri Thero. The Chief Judicial Sangha Nayaka of North America and Chief Prelate of the Maryland Buddhist Vihara directed the celebration of Sinhala and Tamil New Year with Dhamma School students and Sri Lankan communities at the temple premises. Chief Incumbent of the Paris International Meditation Center in France Ven. Paravahera Chandrarathana Thero also attended the ceremony held at the Maryland Buddhist Vihara.
Furthermore, the Sri Lankan Associations, namely Sri Lanka Association in Washington D.C. (SLAWDC) and Bethesda Api celebrated the New Year festival on the 14 of April and 13 of April respectively, with a large gathering of the Sri Lankan community in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV). These celebrations highlighted traditional rituals, games, cuisine, culture and heritage.
Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe and the Embassy staff participated in all these events.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington D.C.
30 April 2024
