President Maithripala Sirisena’s Thai Pongal Message –
(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Since the dawn of civilization, the humanity’s devotion to the sun that symbolizes the wholeness of nature has remained intact. From among the many traditional festival and rituals of Hindus in veneration of the sun, Thaipongal is the foremost festival that marks the supreme status the Hindus have bestowed upon the sun throughout history.
Thaipongal is rendered colourful by the fact that it allows us to show our gratitude to nature and renew our hopes devotedly. Depicting the broad span of the Hindus culture evident, the devotees mark Thaipongal as an occasion to be thankful, not only to the sun for giving us warmth, timely 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 epitomizing the enormity of the human gratefulness.
As the world look forward to move in the direction of sustainability, the message transmitted by Thaipongal since antiquity, becomes ever more relevant.
I wish a happy and a prosperous Thaipongal festival to the Hindus in Sri Lanka and abroad.
Maithripala Sirisena