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Friday, March 07, 2008 - 5.10 GMT |
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President's Maha Shiva Rathri Message |
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Today, Hindus in Sri Lanka and abroad celebrate the
Maha Shiva Rathri, one of the most important
festivals in the Hindu religious calendar. This
festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva, marks the
day he is believed to have married Parvati and the
night when he performed the dance of primordial
creation and preservation. The many rituals
associated with this festival include fasting, night
long vigil at temples, making of offerings to Shiva,
the lighting of lamps and singing hymns in praise of
Lord Shiva.
The aim of all this devotion is the dispelling of
ignorance and the search for knowledge, to overcome
the evil tendencies of lust, anger, greed,
infatuation, jealousy and hatred, and seek peace and
harmony both in their lives and in society.
Hinduism, one of the great religions of the world,
teaches man the virtues of piety, unity and harmony.
In our country Hindus, true to their religion, have
been living for ages in amity and harmony with
followers of other religions.
On this day sacred to them, I wish all Sri Lankan
Hindus a happy Maha Shiva Rathri. May their prayers
and expectations for a better tomorrow be fulfilled,
and may every lamp they light on this day enrich
them spiritually and enhance their understanding of
the need for better understanding and stronger unity
among all our peoples.
Mahinda Rajapaksa
03rd March 2008
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