The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Kashi Sangamam – a month-long programme being organised in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.The objective of the programme is to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi two of the countrys most important and ancient seats of Learning. More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will be visiting Kashi. During the programme, the Prime Minister also released a book Tirukkural along with its translation into 13 languages. He also witnessed a cultural programme followed by aarti.
Throwing Light on the connection between Kashi and Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said that on one hand, Kashi is the cultural capital of India whereas Tamil Nadu and Tamil culture is the centre of India’s antiquity and pride. Drawing an analogy to the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, the Prime Minister said the Kashi-Tamil Sangam is equally holy which engulfs endless opportunities and strength in itself. The Prime Minister congratulated the Ministry of Education and the Government of Uttar Pradesh for this momentous gathering and thanked central universities like IIT, Madras and BHU for extending their support to the programme. The Prime Minister especially thanked the students and scholars of Kashi and Tamil Nadu.
The Prime Minister underlined that Kashi and Tamil Nadu are timeless centres of our culture and civilisation. He informed that both Sanskrit and Tamil are one of the most ancient languages that existed. The Prime Minister exclaimed, In Kashi, we have Baba Vishwanath, while in Tamil Nadu we have the blessings of Lord Rameshwaram. Both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are immersed in Shiva. Be it music, literature or art, the Prime Minister remarked that Kashi and Tamil Nadu have always been a source of art.