Saturday 12^th September 2020

I was invited to a party at Muki, the first water baby. Unfortunately, Emilka was horse-riding, Steve had to stay at home waiting for a visitor, so only Misa and I went (I had to really work hard to convince him to come with me, teenager!).

The ceremony Annaprasana, when the baby is fed its first spoon of food is celebrated with close family and friends. First, dad had to heat up milk in a clay jar over the fire to overflow. Misa was loosing patience and wanted to advise them, as a true scout, that they were suffocating the fire by adding more and more wood, instead of leaving it aerated – it took them about 30 minutes! They even preheated the milk to speed up the process, we would be still standing there now waiting for the milk to flow! The priest had a 20-minute speech (Singlish) first to the baby and then blessed their new apartment. They had just moved into a new apartment, so they killed two birds with one stone as we say. The priest kept walking from room to room and always said a specific prayer and a blessing to that room – it was interesting.

Mummy made up the “meal” and with his father they gave him his first “real food”. Even though it was just a tasteless rice, in their customs and culture it is an important ritual, Muki was not that keen on it. They had a blanket (it should have been a banana leaf) ready on the floor with various objects that Muki would encounter in life. They placed him on the blanket in hope he would reach-for / stretch / look closely at / take in his hand. The poor boy didn’t know what was going on and unfortunately it was not possible for him to choose one thing, he is only 5 months old and “He is lying on his arms anyway, poor boy!”, pointed Misa out to me whispering.

As part of the ceremony, a friendship lamp is lit. I was asked  – as an honorary guest, to light it first. Misa was allowed to do it too; a nice touch and when all the wicks saturated in coconut oil are lit up, it is a really special siting. 

The table was laid with various goodies and one of the grandfathers tried to explain to me what each means; typical Sri Lankan (very sweet and mostly fried) goodies, each with its own symbol. I tasted a piece of the brown cake – full of sugar and coconut.

They had wraps to offer to everyone, sweet tea and coffee to drink. Sri Lanka has 11% of the population with diabetes. I’m surprised it’s not much bigger number knowing what their diet consists. People live here on breads, fried things and rice – all full of sugar.

Misa was a little bored, but he tried to join in conversation and suffered two hours without a mobile phone.  A new experience from life in Sri Lanka.

 Annaprasana is held at a temple or at home, a priest is called to conduct the ceremony and he recites religious rites and prayers and even a ‘havan’ is performed on this day, then the elder family member or child’s father then feeds the baby with the first solid food which is generally made of rice.

Rennie