Northerners celebrate New Year on jubilant note

by P.KRISHNASWAMY

People of the North celebrated the National New Year this time more jubilantly than ever before after the dawn of peace in the country three years ago, GAs of the five districts in the province told the Sunday Observer.

The evacuation of a large number of families from the coastal villages on Friday afternoon following the tsunami alert did not dampen the spirit of the celebrations. All such families returned to their homes three hours after the evacuation following the official withdrawal of the alert, they said.

Almost all Hindu families worshipped at temples at the auspicious hour at the dawn of the New Year, they said.

They participated in cultural and sports events organised in their districts and are due to attend more events in the next two days.

The cultivation of paddy and other highland crops in the last Maha season had yielded nearly twice the usual amount and farmers are getting ready for the Yala season cultivation with rains already being experienced, they said. People are happy and income levels from agriculture and fisheries had increased, they said.

Mullaitivu GA Nagalingam Vedanayagam said that cultural, religious and sports events were jointly organised in the district by civil administrative officials and the Security Forces, including those at Oddisuddan, Udayarkattu and Mullaitivu. Kilinochchi GA Ms Rubawathy Ketheeswaran said that cultural and sports events were held throughout the day in many villages.

Rupavahini's Eye Channel also telecast a full day event at the Shri Kanagambigai Hindu Temple near the Iranamadu Tank.