Sri Lanka, April 4 -- The 58th National New Paddy Harvest Festival (Aluth Sahal Mangalya) was held today (4) at the historic Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

This traditional annual ceremony, which dates back to the era of ancient monarchs, involves offering the first portion of the Maha season's harvest to the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi, seeking blessings for prosperity and self-sufficiency in agriculture.

The event, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Services, was conducted under the theme "In unison, let us cultivate the land, to build a self-sufficient nation." Farmers from across the country gathered to take part in the ritual, praying for tim...