Sri Lanka, Jan. 15 -- Thai Pongal, a major religious festival for Hindu devotees, is being celebrated today (15). Known as a harvest festival, it is observed with great reverence by Hindus residing all over the world.

The primary purpose of the celebration is to offer the first fruits of the harvest to the Sun God. People closely connected to agricultural life use this occasion to express their gratitude to the sun, rain, and farm animals for their support in ensuring a successful harvest.

A central feature of the festivities involves the ritual boiling of milk and rice. This tradition symbolises prosperity and abundance as the community honours the elements of nature that sustain their livelihoods.

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