13 April 2010

New Cycle


April is a festive month in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans celebrate their traditional new year on the 14th of April which is tomorrow. Astrologically, it marks the entrance of the sun into the first zodiac sign, Aries (Mesha) from the last one, Pisces (Meena).

Incidentally, April marks the end of Sri Pada season as well. The above picture was captured from the top of Sri Pada.

39 comments:

cocco said...

oh, this is gorgeous! & interesting. in western astrology, the day the sun goes into aries (usually 21 March) is always the first day of spring. it's also the moment of the equinox.

rainfield61 said...

Then, am I right to say Happy New Year to you?

BLOGitse said...

I like that - spring is always like 'a new year'! Happy New Year!
Greetings from Casa!

BLOGitse

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Happy New year, K.... Wow--that picture from the top of Sri Pada is fabulous!!!!! I hope everyone enlarges it. WOW!!!
Betsy

Knatolee said...

Happy new year! And yet another beautiful photo. THanks for sharing these. :)

Magerata said...

Never understood the zodiac signs but pretended to understand and went through all the rituals to please Grand parents. Lovely photo! Happy New Year!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Cocco,
Thanks for the interesting facts.
There are a few differences in the vedic and western astrology. Sri Lankans follow vedic astrology which was originated in India. But both calculates the movement of Sun with respect to other celestial objects.

Rainfield,
Of course yes and thanks :)
Hope this new year brings all happiness to you too!

BLOGitse,
Exactly, spring is the best period to start everything fresh!

Betsy,
Thanks very much and yep that is one of my favourite image from up there. :)

Knatolee,
Thanks very much and you are most welcome :)

Magerata,
I too not a follower of astrology but follows all rituals for new year. I like the concept that everyone does the same thing at an exact time at least once a year. Imagine every house light fire at the same time and cook milk rice and then yet again have it at a given time..

Thanks for lovely comments and wish you all a great new year ahead!

Rick (Ratty) said...

This is a good time to have a new year. Spring is the time when life begins again.

Mahasen said...

Wish you a happy new year K!

I was at horton plains yesterday and remembered your blog while passing by the Kirigalpoththa trail :)

Harshi said...

Wow.. what a breathtaking scenery. Almost like a painting.

Was this taken just before 'Ira Sevaya'?

oh and Wish you a Happy New Year!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Ratty,
Yes an ideal time. Harvest season also finish so usually people have enough to eat and also more relaxed.

Mahasen,
Wish you the same mate!
I saw all the photos in your blog taken from Horton. Beautiful! I'm happy to hear that you remembered my blog there :)

Harumi,
Wish you a great new year ahead!
This was taken after 'Ira Sevaya'. In fact we couldn't see a proper ira sevaya cos of clouds.

Naquillity said...

Happy New Year Kirigalpoththa~ hope all celebrations go well. beautiful photo. have a great day.

Μαριανα said...

Great post... happy new year Kirigalpoththa!

What zodiac sign are you really? I'm pisces :)

George said...

This picture is absolutely fabulous. I think it is one of the most amazing that you've shared with us.
Happy New Year!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Naquillity,
Thanks very much for the wishes! It was a good new year and all went well. Tomorrow going to see relatives.

Μαριανα,
Thanks very much for the wishes! I'm aquarius. that is as per vedic astrology. According to western method, i'm virgo.

George,
Glad you like it :)
I'll share the rest of the photos from the top of Sri Pada soon.
Thanks very much for the wishes!

Sankara Subramanian said...

Happy New Year Man! Even for us in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, it is New Year day - April 14.

Harshi said...

Thanks.

I see. That's too bad.

Me-shak said...

Wow, boss has done it again! Amazing ,K!
Cheers!

Loshini said...

Gorgeous shot, K!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Sankara,
Oh great! hope you had a great new year festival! Glad to know that Tamilnadu also celebrate the new year on the same day.

Harumi,
I'm planning to a climb durng off season. Hopefully I'll see 'Ira Sevaya' then.

Me-Shak,
Thanks mate! :)

Loshini,
Thanks a lot!

wenn said...

beautiful sky! Happy SS!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Thanks Wenn!

eileeninmd said...

Beautiful image! Happy new year!

cat said...

A great shot of the cloudy sky! Happy new year :)

Verna Luga said...

Looks like a Jurassic Park ... great scene.

Remains of the old Dabaw
TV above my coffee
The Cosmos

Kirigalpoththa said...

Eileen,
Thanks a lot for the comment and wishes!

Cat,
Many thanks for the comment and wishes!

Vernz,
ha..ha..yes mist and the high montane forest are exactly like what we saw in the film :)
Thanks a lot for your comments!

Carolyn Ford said...

What a BEAUTIFUL place to capture the scene. The low clouds hovering the valleys is divine. And, what an amazing sky too. Very very nice!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Carolyn,
Thanks very much for your comments! :)

Lorac said...

I enlarged it to get a better look. Well worth it, it is so beautiful!

Amila Kanchana said...

The new year brought heavy rain fall to Kurunegala,with typical thunder and lightning. Nevertheless had fun. Hw's the weather up in the hills? Lots of flowers? Could you post some images of N'eliya in the season?

Loran said...

What wonderful scenery!

Kirigalpoththa said...

Lorac,
Glad you like it :)

Amila,
There was heavy rain on the new year night in Colombo. I thought that helped to mitigate terrible heat these days. Was in Balangoda to Haputale stretch and there were some rain but I think more to come later in May. Didn't go to Nuwara-Eliya yet but surely post a few photos by end of May :)

Mountain.mama,
Thanks a lot :)

Harshi said...

Off season.. means when it's pouring down this heavily? But isn't that too dangerous? I once saw it on TV when the Swarnavahini crew made it there during off season. It sure was scary. =D

Oh and you might need to get special permission and gears for that right? Anyway best of luck!

Kristin said...

Looks like paradise. :-)

Linnea said...

That's amazing...there's so much going on in this scene! Wonderful views.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Happy belated New Year. What do you normally do?

Kirigalpoththa said...

Harumi,
Yes, you get torrential rain in these areas. Sometimes such conditions can be dangerous at these heights. Also you won’t see all the little boutiques and usual crowd during your climb. Good to have some protection from cold and heavy rain.. also enough supplies and first aid.
No need of special permission as this is an area specified as a sanctuary. You are allowed to roam in peak wilderness area without any permission but of course you have to abide by certain rules.

Kristen,
Thanks a lot for dropping by and for your comments!

Linnea,
Yes, you are looking at one of the most splendid areas in Sri Lanka.

Ann,
Thanks a lot!
Usually during this traditional New Year people go to their hometown. Each house prepares special sweets to eat after the New Year dawn. By 13th people clean their houses, gardens and be ready for the New Year dawn. There is a special time period before the New Year dawn, where we abstain from our usual work like working, cooking, going out to meet friends etc. but concentrate more on religious practice. On the 14th morning every house lights a fire at a given auspicious time and cook milk rice. Then we sit together in our home and have a scrumptious meal of milk rice with lot of sweets to accompany at an auspicious time. Then we visit relatives and neighbors and never forget to take some gift or a plate full of sweets. You can read more about it here.

Janith said...

That's a lovely picture K... Somehow reminds me of those time-lapse videos they show on CNN and all where the movement of the clouds are sped up and shown... :)

Kirigalpoththa said...

Chavie,
Good to see you after long time. Hope you did well in the exams.
Time lapse video would have been quite spectacular here.
Thanks a lot for your comments!