Since the dawn of civilisation, humanity’s devotion to the Sun that symbolises the wholeness of nature has remained intact from among the many traditional festival and rituals of Hindus, states President Maithripala Sirisena in a Thai Pongal message. The message adds: “In veneration of the sun,Thai Pongal is the foremost of festivals, that marks the supreme status the Hindus have bestowed upon the sun throughout history, .
“Thai Pongal is rendered colourful by the fact that it allows us to show our gratitude to nature and renew our hopes devotedly.
Making the broad span of the Hindus culture evident, they make Thai Pongal an occasion to be thankful, not only to the sun for giving us duly rain and bountiful harvests, but also to the cattle by feasting of cows, for providing us with milk. “Festivals such as these rekindle the contract between man and the gifts of nature, while epitomising the enormity of the human gratefulness.
“As the world lookS forward to move in the direction of sustainability, the message transmitted by Thai Pongal since antiquity, becomes ever more relevant.
“I wish a happy and a prosperous Thai Pongal festival to the Hindus living in Sri Lanka and abroad”.