Mandaviya says bond between Gujarat and TN is centuries old : Inaugurates Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam in Chennai

કરીએ છીએ સૌનું સ્વાગત
આ છે સૌરાષ્ટ્ર તમિલ સંગમમ 🤝

அனைவரையும் வரவேற்கிறோம்!!
இது சௌராஷ்டிரா தமிழ் சங்கம்! 🤝#STSangamam pic.twitter.com/W7HDscFCUr

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) March 19, 2023

Mandaviya also unveiled the logo of the STM and also launched the STM portal in the presence of his cabinet colleague L Muruguan and Kunvarji Bavaliya and Jagdish Panchal, respectively Gujarat’s Ministers for Water Resources and Protocol.

STM is the second exchange programme facilitated by the Central government under its “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” initiative to promote unity among different regions of the county.

Kashi Tamil Sangamam, the month-long event organised in Varansi in Uttar Pradesh in November last year, was the first such event under this initiative.

STM is being jointly organised by the Central government and the Gujarat government in collaboration with the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirappalli, Saurashtra University, Rajkot and others.

Addressing the ceremony, Mandaviya, “Connection and bonding of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat is centuries old. This is the same land which gave shelter to our ancestors centuries ago,” the Union Minister said, adding, “Tamil Nadu has made an unprecedented contributions to the lives of our Saurasthrian brothers and sisters. This land and its people gave space to their brothers and sisters in their huge hearts. They were embraced with warmth, love and respect. I bow to this land and the socio-culture of this region.

Incidentally, Mandaviya and Bavaliya respectively hail from Rajkot and Bhavnagar districts of Saurashtra region.

Mandaviya stated that people of Saurashtra have not forgotten those who left that region decades ago.

“We belong to the region, Indian culture, where relationships are built from house to house and have always had a great importance in our lives. You also have a house in Saurashtra,” said the Union Minister.

As part of the STM, 3,000 delegates from TN will visit Saurashtra and the Statue of Unity (SoU) as part of sponsored tours between April 17 and 26. They will include students, businessmen, artisans, craftsmen, artists, authors, poets, etc.

“Mostly, they will be Tamils of Gujarati origin but also those who are native Tamils. The delegates will be selected with the help of local bodies in Tamil Nadu,” Panchal told The Indian Express.

The delegates from TN will depart from Madurai on a special train and arrive at Somnath temple in Gir Somnath district after a two-day-long train journey. After spending two days in Somnath, they will go to Dwarka via road.

On the seventh day morning, they will arrive in Vadodara via train and leave for Ektanagar for visiting the SoU. On the eighth day of the tour, they will return to Vadodara to board a special train for their return journey to TN.”

One train with around 300 delegates will depart from Madurai every day between April 17 and 26, organisers said.

“But these visits will certainly not be a holiday trip. Rather, it is planned to facilitate socio-cultural exchange through various meetings among artists, students, businessmen etc of the two states,” Panchal said, adding “Approximately, 25 lakh people of Gujarat origin are presently living in Tami Nadu.”

Mandaviya said that STM provides an opportunity to highlight cultural unity of the country.

“This upcoming Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam is once again an opportunity to carry forward its glory, introduce each other to our culture and society,” Mandaviy said.