Mar 04, Colombo: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs has instructed the Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs to take necessary steps to celebrate the Maha Shivarathri festival in a grand manner.

Maha Shivarathri Day, a special festival of Hindu devotees, falls on March 11, 2021 this year.

The Prime Minister has also instructed the Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs to encourage the organization of the Maha Shivarathri fasting festival in Hindu temples.

Accordingly, special Hindu religious ceremonies will be organized focusing on the Divisional Secretariats where the majority of Sri Lanka’s Hindu devotees live.

There, Hindu children will be made to understand the glory of the Maha Shivarathri fast in the temples and devotional art festivals of Hindu Dhamma School students will be organized.

Events to make Hindu children understand the glory of the Maha Shivarathri fast in the Hindu temples and devotional art festivals of Hindu religious school students will be organized.

The Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs, through the Divisional Secretariats, will provide financial assistance to selected Hindu temples on the instructions of the Prime Minister to hold these Hindu religious practices.