19th January 2023 21:32:33 Hours
Army troops across the island giving their share to the celebration of the annual ‘Thai Pongal’ festival organizing community projects of different nature and religious observances.
552 Infantry Brigade troops of the 55 Infantry Division under the Security Force Headquarters-Jaffna (SFHQ-J) launched a mammoth community-oriented project where donation of dry ration packs, school bags and stationeries, coconut saplings and cash gifts for winners in traditional games occurred on Monday (16) at the Public Bus Stand Premises, Pallai.
Following the sponsorship, extended by Mr S Madan of Pallai Hindu Tamil Union 552 Infantry Brigade troops, commanded by Brigadier Wijayanath Jayaweera, organized the event following a conceptual guidance given by Major General Prasanna Gunaratna, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 55 Infantry Division.
The donation programme, held at the bus stand at Pallai was coloured by cultural and dancing features presented by school children and adults in the area.
More than 500 villagers and children during the event received dry ration packs, 150 school bags, 500 coconut saplings and gift vouchers to the value of Rs 50,000.00 for distribution among winners in Thai Pongal traditional games on the same day. The entire stock cost Rs 8 lakhs for the donor, Mr S Madan. Troops afterwards assisted the distribution of those incentives among beneficiaries.
The event was closely supervised by Lieutenant Colonel A.C.R Thilakarathne, Commanding Officer (CO), 1 Mechanized Infantry Regiment, and Major R.M.R.B Rathnayake, CO, 23 Gemunu Watch while Major R.R.S Dehigala, Civil Affairs Officer, 552 Infantry Brigade actively coordinated event.
GOC, 55 Infantry Division attended the event as the Chief Guest, while Commander 552 Infantry Brigade, Mr S.C Krishnendran - Divisional Secretary for Pachchalaipallai, Mr K. Vaikunthanathan - President Trade Union Pallai, the donors, Senior Officers and Other Ranks with a large crowd of natives witnessed the day’s occasion.
Meanwhile, 65 Infantry Division troops of the Security Force HQ - Wanni offered a special Thai Pongal Pooja at Sthivnayager Alyam Kovil in Alankulam, Mallavi on Sunday (Jan 15). It was done under the guidance of Major General Prasad Edirisinghe, General Officer Commanding, 65 Infantry Division who joined the Pooja with Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks. Devotees in the area also participated in the offerings.
At the same time, 651 Infantry Brigade troops and 17 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (17 SLLI) troops organized a cultural evening, related to the celebration of Thaipongal Day at Therankandal Maha Vidyalaya, Thunukkai on Wednesday (Jan 18) under the guidance of the GOC, 65 Infantry Division where children in the area showcased their aesthetic talents.
Brigadier Wasantha Bandara, Commander, 651 Infantry Brigade attended the event as the Chief Guest with Major H.M.J Premathilaka, Commanding Officer, 17 SLLI. A large gathering, inclusive of Senior Officers, Officers, Other Ranks, Principal and teaching staff, parents and villagers witnessed the event. Participant students meanwhile were given gifts by the Chief Guest soon after the cultural show.
A similar cultural event was coordinated by the 652 Infantry Brigade and 10 SLLI troops on account of Thai Pongal under the guidance of the GOC, 65 Infantry Division at Palinagar Maha Vidyalaya on Wednesday (Jan 18).
10 SLLI musical group and 4 Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps cultural group added colours to the occasion, together with the students of the school. GOC, 65 Infantry Division attended the event as the Chief Guest with Brigadier Sanjeewa Wanasekara, Commander, 652 Infantry Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel D.S Sooriyarachchi, Commanding Officer, 10 SLLI, Divisional Secretary Manthai -East, Principal and tutorial staff, and more than 300 students enjoyed the colourful event.
In the meanwhile, troops of the 17 Sri Lanka Light Infantry of the 651 Infantry Brigade under the 65 Infantry Division on the instructions of the General Officer Commanding, Major General Prasad Edirisinghe and the Commander, 651 Infantry Brigade, Brigadier Wasantha Bandara organized a Thai Pongal Festival spectacle.
Civilians in the area and students joined the spectacle, staged at Therankandal Tamil Maha Vidyalaya on 18 Jan 2023.
Likewise, the Office of the Forward Maintenance Area-North (FMA-North), contributed to the conduct of Thai Pongal Celebrations under the guidance of Brigadier Clifford De Zoysa, Commander, FMA-North.
On Saturday (Jan 14), troops of 5 Sri Lanka Army Service Corps cleaned up the surroundings of the Ural Amman Kovil, Palali, and offered a delicious tea to the locals who joined them. Moreover, 4 Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps troops cleaned the area, adjacent to the Progressive Pre School at Alaveddy West, while 4 Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police cleaned the areas adjoining Pulleyar Kovil, Mailiddy.
Furthermore, troops of the 5 Sri Lanka Army Service Corps and the 5 Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps joined hands to clean the Maradanamadam Kovil area and the Palaly Army Base Hospital staff cleaned the Sri Gnanawairawa Kovil area on Sunday (Jan 15).
