Sri Lanka holds elephant ritual to mark Sinhalese, Tamil New Year
epa10575346 Elephant keepers prepare to apply drops of herbal oil on an elephant as part of a Sinhalease and Tamil New Year ritual in Homagama suburbs of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 16 April 2023. The Sinhala and Tamil New Year are celebrated in Sri Lanka annually on the auspicious dates of 13 and 14 April, which correspond to the middle of summer, right after the main paddy harvest. After the New Year, it is customary to anoint the head with a mixture of oil and herbal extracts before bathing. This ritual is performed on people and elephants. EPA/CHAMILA KARUNARATHNE
