Inauguration Of The Second Phase Of Kashi Tamil Sangamam In Varanasi

Kasi Tamil Sangamam 2023 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 December 2023 at Namo Ghat, Varanasi.

• The Government of India started this program as part of "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" to promote the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
• The second phase of Kasi Tamil Sangamam will be held from December 17 to 30, 2023.
• Around 1400 people (7 groups of 200 persons each) representing different sectors from different parts of Tamil Nadu are expected to participate in this event.
• These 7 groups are named after the seven sacred rivers of India.
• Students (Ganga), teachers (Yamuna), professionals (Godavari), spiritual people (Saraswati), farmers and artisans (Narmada), writers (Sindhu) and traders and businessmen (Kaveri).

Kashi Tamil Sangamam

Introduction:

• The Ministry of Education, Government of India will be the nodal agency for this event.
• The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, Railways, Textiles, Food Processing (ODOP), MSME, Information & Broadcasting, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, IRCTC and related departments of Uttar Pradesh Government will also participate in it.
• IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will act as the implementing agency.
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a celebration of the many aspects of historical and civilizational ties between the North and South of India.
• The main goal is to bring knowledge and cultural traditions of the North and the South closer together. This will help us understand our common heritage and strengthen bonds between the people of these regions. 

Cultural importance:

• King Parakrama Pandya ruled the area around Madurai in the 15th century. He wanted to build a temple for Lord Shiva. To do this, he travelled to Kashi in Uttar Pradesh. His purpose was to bring back a Shivalinga. 
• He was returning from there. He stopped to rest under a tree on the way. When he tried to continue his journey, the cow carrying the Shivling refused to move ahead. 
• Parakram Pandya considered this to be God's wish and installed the Shivalinga there, which later came to be known as Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.
• For devotees who could not go to Kashi, the Pandyas built the Kashi Vishwanath temple, today known as Tenkasi, in south-western Tamil Nadu, close to the state's border with Kerala.

First phase of Kashi Tamil Sangamam:

• The first phase of Kashi Tamil Sangamam was organized in Varanasi (Kashi) from 16 November to 19 December 2022.