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President joins Polonnaruwa farmers in praying for rain
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President Sirisena participating in a pooja to invoke blessings for rain. Pic by Karunaratne Gamage
With the drought situation likely to worsen in the New Year, the Government is seeking divine intervention for rain.
President Maithripala Sirisena himself took part in several religious observances in his native Polonnaruwa yesterday to ask the rain gods to be merciful to Sri Lanka.
A ‘Deva Pooja’ was held last morning under the patronage of the President at the Dimbulagala Sri Muththu Mariamman Kovil to pray for rain. A group of Veddas also held a cultural ceremony invoking the blessings of the deities for rain.
Last evening, the President also attended a ‘Vesi Piritha’ near the Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa. The pirith chanting was conducted by 50 Buddhist monks.
The events were organised by the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat and farmer organisations. Polonnaruwa has been hit hard by the drought, which is likely to get worse as the New Year dawns.
Meanwhile, the drought is also wreaking havoc in the Vavuniya District. According to District Secretary M.B.R. Pushpakumara, about 9,000 acres of paddy land cultivated during the Maha season are in danger of being destroyed due to the drought.
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