In Varanasi, PM push for preserving Tamil legacy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the inauguration of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, in Varanasi. (PTI Photo)

“It is the responsibility of 130 crore countrymen to preserve the legacy of Tamil and enrich it.

If we forget Tamil, that will cause loss to the nation and it will cause great harm to it also if we will keep Tamil confined in restrictions…we have to remember that we remove linguistic differences (bhasha bhed) and establish an emotional unity,” PM said.

The ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ is being organised to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi (Varanasi). During the inaugural programme, the PM also released a book, ‘Tirukkural’, along with its translation into 13 languages.

In his address, the PM also spoke about the importance of sangamams in the country, be it the confluence of rivers, ideology, science or knowledge, and said that that every confluence of culture and traditions is celebrated and revered in India. He remarked that in reality, it is a celebration of India’s might and characteristics, thus making the Kashi-Tamil Sangam unique.

Elaborating on the connection between Kashi and Tamil Nadu, the PM 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, PM said the Kashi-Tamil Sangam is equally holy, which engulfs endless opportunities and strength in itself.

The Prime Minister said Kashi and Tamil Nadu are “timeless centres of our culture and civilisation.” He added that both Sanskrit and Tamil are among the most ancient languages that exist. 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.”

The PM added that both these places are marked as the birthplace and workplace of India’s finest acharyas. He underlined that one can experience similar energies in Kashi and Tamil Nadu. “Even today, the relevance of Kashi Yatra comes up during the traditional Tamil marriage procession,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister highlighted Tamil Nadu’s contribution to the development of Kashi and recalled that Tamil Nadu-born Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was the Vice Chancellor of BHU. He also mentioned the Vedic scholar Rajeshwar Shastri, who lived in Kashi although he had his roots in Tamil Nadu. He said that the people of Kashi also miss Pattaviram Shastri who lived on Hanuman Ghat in Kashi. The PM mentioned the Kashi Kaam Koteshwar Panchayatan Mandir which is a temple on the banks of Harishchandra Ghat, and the two-hundred-year-old Kumarswamy Matt and Markande Ashram on Kedar Ghat. The PM said many people from Tamil Nadu have been living near the banks of Kedar Ghat and Hanuman Ghat, and have made immense contributions towards Kashi for several generations.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the Kashi-Tamil Sangam was taking place during the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal. On the tradition of remembering 12 Jyotirlingas after waking up in the morning, the PM said that we start our day by remembering the spiritual unity of the country. PM also lamented the lack of efforts to strengthen that tradition and heritage of thousands of years. “Kashi-Tamil Sangamam will become a platform for this resolution today while realising us our these duties, and being a source of energy to strengthen national unity,” PM said.

The Prime Minister also remembered the role of Ramayana and Mahabharata written by Raja ji in connecting the North and the South. “This is my experience that without understanding scholars from South India such as Ramanujacharya, Shankaracharya, Raja Ji to Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, we simply cannot understand Indian philosophy”, PM said.

The Prime Minister said that the Sangamam is a matter of experiencing more than the words and expressed the hope that the people of Kashi would leave no stone unturned in providing memorable hospitality. PM expressed the wish that such events are organised in Tamil Nadu and other Southern states and youngsters from other parts of the county visit and absorb the culture there. The gains of this sangamam need to be taken forward through research and this seed should become a giant tree of national unity, the PM said and concluded with, “Rashtra hitt hi hamara hitt hai. (national interest is our interest.)”

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Ministers L Murugan, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Member of Parliament Ilaiyaraaja and BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai were those present on the occasion, among others.

During ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’, more than 2,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will be visiting Kashi. They will also visit Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

In his address earlier, UP CM Adityanath said that all elements of Indian culture were equally preserved in Kashi and Tamil Nadu.

“Kashi remains the centre of religion, culture and spiritual consciousness of India. Similarly, Tamil Nadu has been the centre of knowledge, art and culture since ancient times, which was expanded by kings like Pandya, Chola, Pallava, among others. All elements of Indian culture are equally preserved in Kashi and Tamil Nadu,” the CM said.