PM Modi Inaugurates Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi

What’s in today’s article?

• Kashi-Tamil Sangamam – background, about, why Kashi and Tamil Nadu have been chosen
• News Summary

Why In News?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam at the amphitheatre ground of the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.

Kashi-Tamil Sangamam

Background:

• The National Education Policy 2020 lays emphasis on nurturing a generation that is modern and in sync with the 21st century mindset, while being rooted in the Indian culture and ethos.
• Among other things, the policy recommends research to integrate the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with the more recent body of knowledge.
  • Few examples where fusion of the traditional with the modern have had enriching results:
    • Mainstreaming Yoga, Ayurveda to bolster modern medicine,
    • Use of new technology for producing ancient crafts,
    • integrating ancient vaastushilpa with modern archaeology,
    • innovative renditions of old Raagas, etc.
• Rediscovering ancient knowledge and integrating them with modern thought, philosophy, etc. can help us create a valuable body of knowledge.
• Direct interaction between scholars, experts and practitioners of various trades, crafts and professions can help them exchange their expertise and best practices and learn from each other.
• Keeping this in mind, month long Kashi-Tamil Sangamam has been launched.

About

• Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is an initiative by Government of India as a part of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” and to uphold the Spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat”.
  • Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat initiative portrays unity among the cultural diversity of various states and Union Territories.
• The objective of the programme is to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s ancient seats of learning.
• It aims to provide an opportunity for people from all walks of life including scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists etc. from the two regions to come together, share their knowledge, culture and best practices and learn from each other’s experiences.
• IIT Madras and BHU are the two implementing agencies for the programme.

Why Kashi and Tamil Nadu have been chosen?

• These two regions, though geographically distant, have had deep and vibrant links over centuries. These regions are also hailed as manifestations of Indian Culture by many.
  • Knowledge seekers from near and far used to come to Kashi, and places in and around like Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, which are internally connected as Knowledge Hubs.
  • Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, places like Kanchipuram, Puducherry, Madurai, Thanjavur, Rameshwaram, Srirangam, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tamraparani River have been excellent knowledge centres.
• The ancient connect between the two centres of knowledge is evident in many walks of life like similar themes in literature, presence of the name of Kashi in every village in Tamil Nadu etc.
  • Saint Kumaragurupara from Tamil Nadu has excelled in bargaining with Sultanate of Kashi with audacity and drove a lion to his courtyard to get back the Kedarghat and a place for consecration of Vishweshwara Lingam.
  • He has written “Kashi Kalambakam” a grammatical composition of poems on Kashi.
  • King Adhiveera Rama Pandiyan of Pandya Dynasty dedicated a Shiva Temple at Tenkasi of Tamilnadu after his pilgrimage to Kashi, whose ancestors have established Sivakasi.
  • He wrote “Kashi Kandam” of Skanda Purana in Tamil poetic verses.
• Hence exploring and rediscovering the links between these two centres can lead to the creation of important bodies of knowledge both in the intellectual and practical realms.

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News Summary: Key highlights of PM Modi’s speech

• Preserve the legacy of Tamil
  • PM Modi lamented that despite having one of the world’s oldest living languages, Tamil, we lack in honouring it fully.
  • In this context, he said that it is the responsibility of 130 crore Indians to preserve the legacy of Tamil and ignoring it will be a great disservice to the nation.
  • He stressed on removing linguistic differences and establishing emotional unity.
• Importance of Kashi and Tamil Nadu
  • He hailed Kashi and Tamil Nadu as timeless centres of culture (‘sanskriti’) and civilisation (‘sabhyata’).
  • Both regions are also the centres of the world’s oldest languages like Sanskrit and Tamil.
  • The Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is a celebration of India’s diversity and uniqueness.
  • Kashi-Kanchi have an important place among the ‘Sapta Puris’, the seven pilgrimage centres that, according to Hindu beliefs, lead to salvation.
    • The Sapta Puris are – Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya (Mayapuri or Haridwar), Kashi (Varanasi), Kanchi (Kanchipuram), Avantika (Ujjain) and Dwaravati (Dwaraka).