<span style="color: #222222;">In Sri Lanka, the festival of Thai Pongal is being celebrated by Tamils with traditional fervor and gaiety. People are seen visiting the temples and greetings their friends and relatives along with preparing traditional delicacies at home. <br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Houses and places of worship are decorated with kolam or rangoli and the main food preparation is Pongal with rice, milk, spices, raisins and other ingredients. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his festival message said the new relationship built within the family with the dawn of the Thai Pongal, gradually expands to the entire society strengthening harmony. <br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He invited all of Sri Lankan Tamil brothers and sisters living in various countries in the world to perceive Sri Lanka as their motherland and to unite to achieve national objectives. Prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said festivals and cultural celebrations such as Thai Pongal should be an opportunity utilized to bridge gaps between communities and strengthen reconciliation. He said as the month of 'Thai' signifies new beginnings, there could be no better opening to step into this new journey of development and new ventures.</span><br />