Avurudu is the much anticipated time of the year when people of all ethnicities get a long holiday to spend time with their loved ones. This is also the time when people go shopping and get ready for the auspicious hours in advance. But for two years in a row, businesses have been down ever since the Easter Sunday attacks, followed by the COVID pandemic. This time, businesses are unable to revive given the prevailing forex and economic crisis in the country. As a result, small-scale businesses and entrepreneurs are badly affected by the prevailing situation in the country. Here’s what a few of them shared with the Daily Mirror Life.

Kasuni Nanayakkara has been a textile vendor at the Diyatha Uyana open market for the past seven years. However, she feels that this year’s Avurudu season will be similar to the previous two years, with fewer crowds. “Since crowds have reduced we can’t make profits anymore. This has been the case for the past two years. We incur losses when paying the rent for the stall. We purchase clothes from factories and individual vendors. We can’t expect profits this time and there’s nothing to celebrate this time.”

Having sold handicrafts, toys, and other items for the past 10 years Abdul Raqim has been keeping his fingers crossed for this year’s Avurudu. But the unforeseen forex crisis and the prevailing situation in the country have impacted his business. “We haven’t been able to gain profits during the New Year ever since the Easter Sunday attacks. Then COVID struck. This year we had hopes, but with the prevailing situation in the country, we have fewer crowds. Four weeks ago there were foreigners as well but now we don’t see even one foreigner. We are unable to sell handicraft items as well. The future seems very unpredictable. We are unable to sell items at a fair price anymore. Sometimes the item is not worth the price but we have no other alternative business either. We depend on this business to pay off loans, pay school fees for children etc. Usually, by the first week of April we have a good crowd but this time there’s no crowd.”
Ganga Sanjeewani is a new textile vendor at the Diyatha Uyana but she doesn’t expect a good crowd during this season. “There was good business in December but crowds reduced since January 2022. It's difficult to put items on sale or offer discounts with the prevailing situation.”

Priyanka Pradeepa Kumari of Priyanka Natural Foods commenced her venture 15 years ago. A visionary entrepreneur who has won several awards and accolades for her unique recipes and food items, Priyanka believes that Sri Lanka is a resilient nation. Some of her own experiments include the green pepper sauce, garlic honey, Lunuwila powder, garlic, and native herbs which are recommended for patients mainly with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes. “People have been purchasing my products despite COVID and other challenges. We have been a resilient nation. Despite the tsunami, a 30-year conflict, COVID we have risen from the ashes. I like to face challenges and my mission and vision are to produce a healthy generation.”

Asanka Jayawardena produces various sweetmeats and Avurudu is the perfect time to sell these items. But two and a half years later, Asanka feels that the pandemic and the prevailing situation in the country have impacted his business. “We are unable to purchase raw materials and we can’t expect much profits this time. There are around 25 employees working with us and we have to pay their salaries. However, we anticipate a bigger crowd and more purchases this time.”

A United Avurudu 
Apart from Avurudu, the Holy month of Ramadan and Easter Sunday also fall in April. For the past few days, Sri Lankans irrespective of religion, caste, creed, gender, age or various other differences have been on the streets voicing against a corrupt regime. Since Saturday (April 9) many have gathered at the Galle Face Green putting up tents and spending consecutive nights as part of a mass protest expressing their disappointment against the government. As Avurudu draws near, many are planning to celebrate Avurudu on the streets.

Dimanthi Gunawardhana

“This year the Sinhala and Tamil New Year will be celebrated within the family. Due to the prevailing economic situation, the majority of the citizens are facing grave financial difficulties. Increased fuel prices have been added to it as well. The amazing thing this year is that all religious occasions can be celebrated together as one country.”

Beshan Kulapala

“We will celebrate it on the road, with a flag in one hand, and holding a banner with the other!”

Peshala Wijesundara

“In a very miraculously weird way, Sinhala & Tamil New Year, Holy Month of Ramadan, and Easter Sunday fall on the same month of April. This feels like the only time in our lives we get this chance but also feels like perfect timing with the ongoing situation in the country. For the first time, with no racial or religious differences, we might be able to come together as a nation to celebrate this amazing day. I think it would be great to see everyone come together to Galle Face premises with all Avurudu sweets and do the new year rituals and show everyone what we Sri Lankans mean together as a powerful nation. Maybe even gather families that were affected by the Easter attack to come to join in on this auspicious day. This will be the perfect example for the world to see what it means to be united.”

Kaushal Ranasinghe

“I want to celebrate this Avurudu with loved ones because I’m not sure about next year, But we plan to go on the road as a family and join a protest to celebrate ‘Nidahase Avurudda’ (New Year of Freedom) to end this corrupted system.”

Maleesha Gunawardana

“This Avurudu is not for celebrating, it’s for protesting to save our country and our people from all that we have been put through. I will be peacefully protesting on the streets of Colombo on the 14th with my friends. There’s nothing to celebrate when we see and hear about how much people suffer, even the ones that got by before the current economic situation.”