Sri Lanka, Jan. 15 -- "The Thai Pongal festival, celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm by Hindu devotees across the world, falls today (15).

At Thai Pongal, gratitude is expressed 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.

In the aftermath of the greatest natural disaster we have faced in recent times, kindling the hope of rising again as a nation, we are together shouldering the greatest reconstruction effort ever undertaken, with immense effort and firm determinati...