AMN
The month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi concluded on Friday. Addressing the valedictory function in Kashi, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the conclusion of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a new beginning of the union of India’s two towering cultures – Kashi and Tamil Nadu. Describing India as the only geo-cultural nation in the world, the Union Home Minister said that culture is the base of our identity. The Home Minister stated that long years of colonization had mitigated the cultural unity of our country. He added that attempts were not made in the past to re-unite the cultural links.
The Union Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the soul of India’s cultures is re-uniting. The Union Minister described the cultural unity as the base of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. He exuded confidence that the Kashi Tamil Sangamam will prove a successful attempt not only to strengthen the bonds between Kashi and Tamil Nadu but also to re-unite various other cultures of our country.
Union Minister for Education Dr. Dharmendra Pradhan said that the success of Kashi Tamil Sangamam is evident in the large-scale participation of the people in the month-long event. Over two lakh people have visited the campus of Banaras Hindu University during the last one month where events of Sangamam have been organised.
Governor of Tamil Nadu R.N. Ravi said that the month-long Sangamam has energised the relationship between Tamil Nadu and Kashi. He urged the people of Tamil Nadu visiting Kashi to share the good memories of their visit with the local people in their State.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the people of Tamil Nadu visiting Kashi have witnessed the idea of Ek Bharat-Sheshtha Bharat coming alive. He thanked the Union Ministry of Education for organising the month-long event.
The month-long celebration was an initiative of the Union Ministry of Education under the New Education Policy 2020. Two prominent education institutes IIT Madras and BHU Varanasi came together with this idea and the Ministry of Education acted as the nodal agency for the event.
The month-long celebration of India’s two prominent seats of knowledge- Kashi and Tamil Nadu began on 17th of the November with the first Kashi Tamil Sangamam special train leaving Tamil Nadu for Kashi. More than 200 persons were on board the train. Around 25 hundred people in 12 such batches have visited Kashi during the last one month. A number of activities ranging from academic sessions, cultural programmes, exhibitions, sports, films, cuisines etc have further strengthened the people to people connect and thus boosting the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. The train that began to ferry special guests from Tamil Nadu to Kashi for the Kashi Tamil Sangamam will now run permanently. Kashi Tamil Sangamam has played its part in reviving the age-old relationship between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.