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of the Sinhalese Buddhists and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka coincides with the end of harvest. The New Year dawns with the transition of the sun from the house of Pisces to that of Aries, according to the Vedic Solar Calendar. The New Year begins usually on 13th and 14th April with the exact time determined by the constellation of the planets. The country grinds to a halt with people traveling home to be with their families. The household rituals are determined by astrological dictates such as lighting the fire and making a Kiri Batha (milk rice). The celebrations then begin, with families mingling in the streets and Kawun and Kokis (small oil cake and crispy sweetmeat) freely distributed.