Heli Rate Lyrics by Sunil Santha

In the Hela land now festive graces appear
birds line up in rows, filling their desires
drinking flower-honey, giving out their song
adorning the splendour of the Hela new year

Canopies are bound at the treetops with blossoming flowers
beds are made on the grass from scattered pollen
fragrant breezes blow gently in among the branches
in youthful form the Sun God rides forth in a golden chariot

With red flags the coral-tree crowns are waving
spreading devout carpets before the Sun God
in the shade of the cashew, Hela children pass the day
sweet ash-pumpkins release the fruit-bats from their sleep

The scent of oil-cakes frying fills the ten directions
the secret of bananas ripening in smoke reaches the ear
in house after house fresh sheaves of betel are tied
in village after village, everywhere, visits are seen

Firecracker sounds that cover both ears are heard all around
here and there, in every place, play-circles form
with pit-cashew and line-jumping the field bursts into bloom
“Jalli jakutu hoyi” is chanted for the winning side

With tasty morsels and fruits the belly is well filled
at the auspicious hour, with a lucky hand, gifts are received
worshipping the elders, at the exact moment, work is begun
in prosperity and comfort, the blessed new year is filled

This is an Avurudu song, a joyous portrait of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, sung for “the Hela land” as it fills with “festive graces.” Everything in it comes from the real customs and season of Avurudu, which falls in April when nature itself is in bloom. The birds line up “filling their desires,” drinking flower-honey and singing, and the whole land is decorated for the new year.

The song is built as a loving catalogue of the festival. The Sun God rides forth “in a golden chariot,” a nod to the astronomical heart of Avurudu, the sun’s passage from one zodiac house to the next; the erabadu, the coral tree, waves its red blossoms like flags to welcome him. Then come the smells and sounds every Sri Lankan knows at New Year: kavum, the oil-cakes, frying until their scent “fills the ten directions”; bananas ripening; betel sheaves tied in house after house; and everyone travelling “village after village” to visit relatives.

The last verses are pure festival joy. Firecrackers boom “covering both ears,” play-circles spring up for the traditional games, kotta pora and line-jumping, and the raban chant “Jalli jakutu hoyi” is sung for the winners. Then the song lands on the sacred customs that give Avurudu its meaning: eating the sweets and fruits, receiving gifts “at the auspicious hour, with a lucky hand,” worshipping the elders, and beginning the first work “at the exact moment,” the nakath rituals that Sri Lankans still keep. What the listener is left with is the whole warm, noisy, fragrant world of Avurudu in one song, a blessed new year “filled with prosperity and comfort,” and a people at their happiest.