The Army held Thai Pongal festivities in the Thirumurukkandi Hindu temple in Kilinochchi on Friday as local residents had gathered to pray.
Dressed in civilian clothes, troops from the 57th Division and the commander in Kilinochchi, Major General K A D A Karunasekara conducted the ceremony, giving food to local residents and residents at an elderly home.
The 57th division of the Army, then headed by Major General Shavendra Silva, played a key role in the final phase of war against the LTTE.
Military sources said the Army's Thaipongal celebration came as a measure to strengthen goodwill between soldiers and Tamil civilians in the North. (With inputs from Tamil Guardian)
