Travelling during Avurudu the Sinhala Tamil new year what actually happens and is it a good or bad time

I keep the new year traditions at home so let me explain Avurudu to an outsider with love What it is the Sinhala and Tamil new year in mid April marking the suns movement between zodiac houses it is the biggest cultural (not religious) festival shared across communities and unlike a single day it is a sequence of astrologically timed moments the end of the old year a neutral nonagathe period where work and cooking pause and people visit temples then the dawn of the new year the lighting of the hearth the first transactions the anointing all at astrologer set auspicious times to the minute What happens the customs cleaning the home and lighting the new hearth to boil milk rice (kiribath) until it overflows for prosperity the elders are venerated the children given money the rituals of first work first meal first eating done facing auspicious directions in auspicious colours The food a feast of sweets kavum the oil cake kokis the crisp rosette aluwa kiribath the milk rice and more table after table The games the village comes alive with avurudu games the pillow fights on poles the tug of war the kotta pora the raising of the greasy pole the kana mutti pot breaking joyful communal play Wonderful or difficult to travel HONESTLY both it is culturally magical to witness the most heartwarming family festival but it is the hardest travel week of the year the whole country effectively SHUTS for several days shops restaurants and businesses close families travel to home villages so transport is jammed before and empty during and many tourist services pause How a respectful visitor does it well do NOT try to move around during the core days stay PUT in one place ideally as a guest of or near a family or a guesthouse that celebrates accept every invitation the hospitality explodes outward at new year you will be fed sweets and folded into games stock essentials beforehand as shops close and treat it as a settle in and be embraced time not a sightseeing time experienced this way being included in an Avurudu is one of the warmest things this country offers a visitor