Varanasi: All elements of Indian culture are equally preserved in Kashi and Tamil Nadu and the Kashi Tamil Sangamam is making us witness centuries-old bond of knowledge and ancient civilisational linkage between the North and the South, stated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event on Saturday.
PM Modi, who formally inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at the Amphitheater Ground, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), shared the stage with CM Adityanath who welcomed and felicitated the Tamil guests and other dignitaries. Beginning his address in the Tamil language, the Chief Minister welcomed all the guests by saying “Ungalai Kashiil Varaveri Kirom” (Welcome to Kashi).
The Chief Minister said that the event is strengthening the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ as the country is celebrating Azadi’s Amrit year.
In the ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’, 12 groups of students, teachers and craftsmen, and litterateurs from Tamil Nadu, including different sectors such as spirituality, industry, heritage, innovation, business, temple system, rural background and culture, will visit Varanasi and interact with the subject experts. The visitors will also go to Prayagraj and Ayodhya.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister said, “The holy Jyotirlinga established by Lord Shri Ram at Shri Rameshwaram and Lord Adi Vishweshwar installed in Kashi are worshipped as holy Jyotirlinga. Both these Jyotirlingas are central to the relationship between Kashi and Tamil Nadu. Adi Shankaracharya took forward this relationship established through Lord Shriram and Lord Shiva by setting up Holy Peeths in all four corners of India, today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking forward this ‘Mahayagya’ with full force.”
Adityanath further said that there is an ancient temple of Lord Vishwanath in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu. Tenkasi means Kashi of the South.
“Due to the religious importance of Kashi, people from all parts of the country have been coming here for centuries,” he said.
“Kashi remains the center of religion, culture and spiritual consciousness of India. Similarly, Tamil Nadu has been the center of knowledge, art and culture since ancient times, which was expanded by kings like Pandya, Chola, Pallava, among others. All elements of Indian culture are equally preserved in Kashi and Tamil Nadu,” said the Chief Minister.
He went on to say that it is believed that among the two languages that emerged from the mouth of Lord Shiva, Tamil and Sanskrit are equally known for their rich literature.
Speaking about the cultural diversity of India, Adityanath said, “By organizing the Kashi Tamil Sangamam, our guests from Tamil Nadu will not only get acquainted with the rich cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh including Kashi, but will also contribute to strengthening our cultural unity from the confluence of North and South.”
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of State for Education L Murugan, MP Ilayaraja, Former Union Minister P Radhakrishnan, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, IIT Chennai Director Prof B Kamakoli, BHU Vice Chancellor Sudhir Jain and others from Tamil Nadu at the inauguration ceremony of Kashi Tamil Sangamam were present at the event.
