Varanasi, 19 November: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’. During this, the PM released the translated versions of the book ?Thirukkural?, originally written in the Tamil language, and also interacted with students from Tamil Nadu who had come to Kashi.
PM Modi honoured the ‘aadhinams’ (religious leaders) of Tamil Nadu’s various religious places and monasteries. He was accompanied by UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
During his address, the Prime Minister greeted the guests by saying ?Har Har Mahadev?, ?Vanakkam Kashi?, ?Vanakkam Tamil Nadu?. He said: “Our nation has the magnificent glory of ‘confluence’, be it the confluence of rivers, ideology, science or knowledge. Every confluence of culture and tradition is celebrated and revered in India. In reality, it is a celebration of India?s might and characteristics, thus making the Kashi-Tamil Sangam unique.?
Our nation’s cultural hub today is Kashi, which encompasses the entirety of India. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu and the Tamil culture are the foundation of India’s antiquity and pride. This confluence is as sacred as the Ganga and the Yamuna. Like Ganga and Yamuna, it is a source of limitless potential and power,” he added.
Stating that Kashi and Tamil Nadu are both timeless centres of culture and civilization, the PM said, ?Both regions are the centres of the oldest languages, Sanskrit and Tamil. In Kashi, we have Baba Vishwanath, while in Tamil Nadu, we have the blessings of Lord Rameshwaram. Both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are ‘Shivmay’ and ‘Shaktimay’.?
The PM went on to say that both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are fantastic sources of literature, music, and art. While Tannumai is played in Tamil Nadu, Tabla is used in Kashi. Banarasi sarees are made in Kashi, while Kanjeevaram silk from Tamil Nadu is well-known worldwide. Both are the birthplace and workplace of the greatest masters of Indian spirituality. Tamil Nadu is the home of Saint Thiruvalluvar’s devotion, while Kashi is the home of Bhakta Tulsi. One can see the energy of Kashi and Tamil Nadu in every walk of life.
Throwing light on the rich culture of both Kashi and Tamil Nadu, he said, ?Even today, the relevance of Kashi Yatra comes up during the traditional Tamil marriage procession.? He underlined that unending love for Kashi from Tamil Nadu signifies the feeling of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ which was the way of life of our ancestors.
The Prime Minister said that Tamil Nadu played key role in the construction and development of Kashi. Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who was born in Tamil Nadu, was the Vice Chancellor of BHU, he recalled. He also mentioned the Vedic scholar Rajeshwar Shastri, who lived in Kashi even though he had his roots in Tamil Nadu. He said that the people of Kashi also miss Pattaviram Shastri who lived on Hanuman Ghat in Kashi.
?If you visit Kashi, you will see the Kashi Kaam Koteshwar Panchayatan Mandir, which is a Tamilian temple on the banks of Harishchandra Ghat, and the two-hundred-year-old Kumarswamy Matt and Markande Ashram on Kedar Ghat.? He also stated that many people from Tamil Nadu have been living near the banks of Kedar Ghat and Hanuman Ghat, and have made immense contributions towards Kashi for several generations.
The Prime Minister also mentioned the great poet and revolutionary, Subramania Bharathi who hailed from Tamil Nadu but lived in Kashi for many years.
“The Kashi-Tamil Sangam is taking place during the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal,” the Prime Minister continued. ?Our goals in Amrit Kaal will be achieved through national unification.? He stated that India is a nation that has lived a natural cultural unity for thousands of years.
The Prime Minister explained the tradition of remembering the 12 Jyotirlingas as soon as one wakes up in the morning, saying that doing so helps us to begin the day with an awareness of the nation’s spiritual unity.
Additionally, PM Modi also lamented lack of efforts to strengthen this tradition and heritage of thousands of years. He continued by saying that the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam would serve as a forum for this resolution today, while making us realise our duties, and being a source of energy to strengthen national unity.
The Prime Minister also remembered the role of the Ramayana and Mahabharata written by Raja ji in connecting the North and the South. ?This is my experience that without understanding scholars from South India like Ramanujacharya, Shankaracharya, Raja Ji to Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, we simply can not understand Indian philosophy?, PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister made reference to “Panch Pran” when he emphasised that a nation with a rich history should be proud of its legacy. He said despite having one of the world?s oldest living languages, i.e. Tamil, we lack in honouring it fully. ?This is the responsibility of 130 crore Indians to preserve the legacy of Tamil and enrich it. If we ignore Tamil, we do a great disservice to the nation, and if we keep Tamil confined in restrictions, we will do great harm to it. “We have to remember to remove linguistic differences and establish emotional unity?, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said that the Sangamam is a matter of experiencing more than the words and expressed the hope that people of Kashi will leave no stone unturned in providing memorable hospitality.
