Sri Lanka, Jan. 15 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his Thai Pongal message, highlighted the festival's profound spiritual, cultural, and environmental significance, describing it as a celebration of gratitude, renewal, and collective hope for the future.

The President noted that Thai Pongal, celebrated with deep devotion by Hindu devotees across the world, "is an occasion dedicated to expressing gratitude to the Sun God, to cattle such as cows and bulls that support a successful harvest and to nature itself. Symbolising prosperity and thankfulness, Thai Pongal is not merely a celebration of a bountiful harvest, but also an invitation to embark upon a new journey towards the future with courage and confidence."

Reflecting on th...