Sri Lanka, Jan. 15 -- Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, in her message for Thai Pongal, has extended her heartfelt greetings to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and abroad who celebrate the Thai Pongal festival, describing it as a proud tradition that expresses gratitude for the dignity of labour and the protection bestowed by nature.

In her statement, the Prime Minister said that "the noble festivity manifests to the world the inseparable bond between human life and nature."

"We are all creations of nature. There is no path we can take in defiance of nature or beyond it. In that sense, showing respect and gratitude in return for the blessings we receive from nature can be regarded as one of the highest human virtues," she said.

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