Sri Lanka : public and bank holidays, closure of banks, stock exchanges, school vacations

School holidays : Tamil, Sinhala & Muslim schools

Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Year’s Day on Christmas Day.

Buddhism (Theravada) : Arrival of the Bo-tree sapling. This was brought to Sri Lanka from India by Buddhist Theri Sanghamitta, and it is this very tree that is venerated by Buddhists in Anuradhapura. It is also the oldest documented tree in the world. Sanghamitta Theri established the Bhikkhuni Sasana (the Order of Nuns). paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday

School holidays : Www.moe.gov.lk
International schools may carry different calendars

Schools have been shut 46 weeks due to Covid epidemics

gazetted by the Ministry of Education
dates may vary according to the religion
Schooling mandatory till age 14
number of instructional days per year in lower secondary education: 204
Teaching languages: Sinhala, Tamil, English
schools are closed on Sunday
school uniforms required

We carry confirmed dates till March 2024

Please note that authorities may take last-minute decisions; please double-check if this information is vital to you
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Secular holiday : Celebration of the harvest, which is observed for three days: Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal. A colourful and traditional festival with many a ceremony devoted to various deities and cattle races.

Buddhism (Theravada) : Commemorates Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka. This visit too took place in the first year of the Buddha's preaching. http://www.mysrilanka.com/travel/lanka/festivals/POSON.HTM

Secular holiday : Celebrating the anniversary of independence from Britain in 1948 not a paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday

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Buddhism (Theravada) : Celebrates the following events in Buddhist history: Entrance into the order of two leading disciples of The Buddha (Sariputta and Maha Moggalana), The Buddha proclaims for the first time a code of fundamental ethical precepts for the monks. The Buddha announces that within three months His Parinibbana (death) will take place. http://www.mysrilanka.com/travel/lanka/festivals/POSON.HTM

Hinduism : A Hindu festival in honor of Lord Shiva and his marriage to Goddess Parvati. Ceremonies involving prayers and hymns take place mostly at night.

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Buddhism (Theravada) : Commemorates the visit of The Buddha to his home to preach to his father King Suddhodana and other relatives and show them the path to enlightenment and final deliverance.

Catholic or protestant : The First Council of Nicaea (a gathering of bishops in the early days of Christianity) wanted to find a day to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. This commemoration had to be linked to Jewish holiday traditions, since the last supper of Christ was believed to be a Jewish Passover meal. But the Jewish calendar is based on lunar and solar cycles, so the Easter celebration had to follow the same calendar.

Sports events : Https://colombomarathon.com/ 2024 edition confirmed

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Muslim, Sufi :

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Secular holiday :

Buddhism (Theravada) : Sri Lankans and Tamilnadu people celebrate their national new year's day (Puththandu in Tamil and Aluth Avurudhu in Sinhala). The specific time of the New Year is set by astrologers on the 13th or 14th. The sun moving from the house of Pisces to the house of Aries signals the dawn of the new year.

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Buddhism (Theravada) : Hanumanji is said to be Chiranjivi (immortal) and is present in the world even today. He is the link between the devotees and God, for, as instructed by the Lord, he serves, protects and inspires the servants of God. Saints like Tulasidas had the darshan (divine vision) of the Lord through the grace of Hanumanji.

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Secular holiday : Chicago, Saturday May 1st, 1886: 350,000 workers go on strike to call for an 8-hour working day. Industries are paralyzed nationwide. On Monday, as demonstrations go on, the police open fire. On Tuesday, Chicago is again on strike. Following a bomb launched against them, the police shoot again. 12 dead, of which 7 policemen. 8 anarchists will be condemned and executed. In 1889, the Socialist International Movement met in Paris and declared this day international workers' day . The Soviets will follow suit, just as the Nazis. In France, under the Vichy regime (1940-1944), the celebration is renamed Labour Day .

cards/flowers : Mother’s day has evolved in many countries in different ways. This is because mother’s day has different origins in different countries and therefore occurs on different days in the year. One school of thought claims that this day emerged from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Mother worship which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of gods, and Rhea, the wife of Cronus, was held on March 15 to March 18 around Asia Minor. They insist that this custom spread around the world. Mothering Sunday is the celebration of motherhood in the United Kingdom. It is also known as Mid-lent Sunday, Rose Sunday and Laetare Sunday. It originally comes from the Victorian practice of allowing servants to return home to visit their mothers on this day. In the United States, Julia Ward Howe (May 27, 1819 - October 17, 1910) was a prominent American abolitionist, social activist, and poet. Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic was first published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1862 and quickly became one of the most popular songs for the Union during the American Civil War. After the war she focused her activities on the causes of Pacifism and women’s suffrage. In 1870 she was the first to proclaim Mother’s Day, with her Mother’s Day Proclamation. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson approved Mother’s Day in 1914

Buddhism (Theravada) : Magha Puja or Sangha celebration. This day falls on the full moon of the third month. It commemorates the main event in Buddha's life, after His first retreated from the rain (Vassa). The anniversary of Buddah's birthday in the Mahayana tradition; the commemoration of Buddah's birth, enlightenment, and death, celebrated on the day of the full moon of the 6th month in the Theravada tradition.

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