On the night before the new year at about 7pm, families gather to light the hearth, the nationally televised event is performed on a schedule and with a great deal of respect to tradition.
A small pot of milk is placed on the fire and as it boils over, we all make a silent wish, the belief is that the wish will come true!
The most elderly in the family feeds all younger members of the house hold with morsels of Kiribath (rice cooked with coconut milk), then we all sit to eat, a simple meal of milk rice and Katta Sambal ( chilli paste), and lots of painstakingly prepared sweets.
We pay our respects to the elderly, a unique style of greeting, showing absolute humility hands held together as if in prayer, head bowed and on bended knees.
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