A month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam was held to celebrate the bond between Kashi (the ancient name of Varanasi) and Tamil Nadu under the framework of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” which seeks to enhance interactions between people of different states and union territories in India. Kashi Tamil Sangamam was organised by the Ministry of Education, as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Know more about the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in this article for the UPSC exam current affairs, and art & culture segments.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam December 2023
Phase 2 of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam begins on December 17, the first day of the holy Tamil Margali month, to December 30 2023.
- Around 1400 people from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will travel by train to Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya for an 8-day immersive tour.
- Seven groups of about 200 people each (each group named after a sacred river – Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu, Narmada, Godavari and Kaveri) comprises students, teachers, farmers & artisans, traders & businessmen, religious writers and professionals.
- The delegates will visit historical, religious and tourist places.
- The second phase of the Sangamam will focus on awareness generation & outreach, people-to-people connections and cultural immersion.
Tamil Sangamams at Saurashtra & Kedarnath
Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam
- Following the success of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, the government is set to organize the Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam in Gujarat from April 17 to 26. The event will showcase the cultural links between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu and will feature poetry recitals, classical music performances, and dance shows.
- The event is aimed at promoting cultural unity and highlighting the shared heritage and traditions of the two regions. The event is expected to receive widespread support from the people of both regions.
Kedarnath Tamil Sangamam
- The government is also planning to organize the Kedarnath-Tamil Sangamam to celebrate the civilisational links between people from the southern part of the country and the sacred shrines of Uttarakhand in the north.
- Kedarnath, one of the four sacred shrines of Shiva, is a popular pilgrimage site for people from Tamil Nadu and other southern states.
- The event is expected to showcase the shared traditions and cultural ties between the people of Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand. The event will feature poetry recitals, classical music performances, and dance shows.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam
The Kashi Tamil Sangamam was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in November 2022 at Varanasi and he referred to Kashi as the “cultural capital of India whereas Tamil Nadu and Tamil culture are at the centre of India’s antiquity and glory”.
- The Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is the confluence of Kashi and Tamil Nadu, which are timeless centres of Indian civilisation. It is an effort to strengthen the bond between the North and South, make people aware of the cultural proximity of the two centres and bring the young generation closer to great Indian traditions, arts, culture and religion.
- It is in tune with the New Education Policy (NEP 2020) which talks about a holistic approach towards education and creating a sync between modern and traditional knowledge.
- The Tenkasi and Sivakasi temples in Tamil Nadu are said to be inspired by Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple after the Pandya King, Adhiveera Rama Pandiyan went on a pilgrimage to Varanasi. In Tamil texts like Kalittokai and Thiruppugazh, there are references to Kashi.
- The month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam concluded on December 16, 2022.
Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS)
- The Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS) came up with a proposal to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil culture and Kashi that have existed for centuries.
- The Ministry of Education, in November 2021, constituted a high-powered committee, the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, for the promotion of Indian languages.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam Details
Around 2500 people in 12 batches visited Kashi during the one-month-long celebration of India’s two prominent seats of knowledge – Kashi and Tamil Nadu. It included students, teachers, literary persons (authors, poets, publishers), cultural experts, professionals (practising arts, music, dance, drama, folk art, yoga, Ayurveda), entrepreneurs, (SMEs, start-ups) business people, (community business groups, hoteliers,) artisans, heritage-related experts (archaeologists, tour guides, bloggers, etc.) spiritual, rural, and sampradaya organisations. These people participated in the academic programs, interacted with people of Varanasi associated with the same field, and visited places of interest in and around Varanasi.
- 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 boosted 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.
- Char Dham is a set of four sacred pilgrimage sites in India that are considered holy by Hindus. These sites are located in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand in northern India.
- The Char Dham consists of the following four temples:
- Badrinath Temple – located in the town of Badrinath in the Chamoli district, it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
- Kedarnath Temple – located in the town of Kedarnath in the Rudraprayag district, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- Gangotri Temple – located in the town of Gangotri in the Uttarkashi district, it is dedicated to Goddess Ganga.
- Yamunotri Temple – located in the town of Yamunotri in the Uttarkashi district, it is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna.
- The Char Dham Yatra or pilgrimage is considered to be one of the most important pilgrimage journeys in India. It is believed that undertaking this journey will cleanse a person of all sins and help them achieve Moksha or liberation.
Image source: Pinterest
- Panch Prayag refers to the five confluences of rivers in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. These five rivers are considered sacred by Hindus and are believed to be the five sisters who were married to the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata.
- The five confluences are:
- Devprayag – where the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet to form the Ganges.
- Rudraprayag – where the rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini meet.
- Karnaprayag – where the rivers Alaknanda and Pindar meet.
- Nandprayag – where the rivers Alaknanda and Nandakini meet.
- Vishnuprayag – where the rivers Alaknanda and Dhauliganga meet.
- Panch Prayag is an important pilgrimage destination for Hindus, and many people undertake a journey to visit all five confluences during the Char Dham Yatra.
- These locations are also popular tourist destinations because of their scenic beauty and the opportunity to indulge in adventure activities like trekking and rafting.
Impact on Cultural Nationalism:
- The Kashi-Tamil Sangamam and other similar events organized by the government are aimed at promoting cultural nationalism and strengthening the cultural unity of the country.
- These events are a way of celebrating the rich diversity of the country and highlighting the shared heritage and traditions of its people.
Conclusion:
- These events are a way of showcasing the shared heritage and traditions of its people and promoting cultural nationalism.
- The upcoming Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam and Kedarnath-Tamil Sangamam are expected to receive widespread support and contribute to strengthening cultural unity in the country.
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