PM Modi to inaugurate Kashi-Tamil Samagam in Varanasi on Nov 19

Strengthening the vision of 'Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the month-long Kashi-Tamil Samagam in Varanasi on Saturday. The event will pave the way for rediscovering centuries-old bond of knowledge and ancient civilisational linkage between the North and the South.

The Yogi Adityanath government in the state has swung into action to organise the 'Kashi-Tamil Samagam' in the holy city of Varanasi on a grand note and to give a glimpse of the Dravidian culture as well as the culture, cuisine and music of Tamil Nadu to the people of Uttar Pradesh. About 75 stalls showcasing the cultural diversity of Tamil Nadu are taking shape at the Amphitheatre Ground of BHU in Varanasi.

The stalls will display the products, handicrafts and handlooms of Tamil Nadu. Apart from this, an exhibition depicting the struggle of freedom fighters will also be organised. An exhibition by the National Book Trust, another by the Central Institute of Languages and a public conversation will also be organised. As many as 51 cultural programmes will be held during the 30-day Kashi Tamil Samagam, a release said. Cultural programmes showcasing the culture of Tamil Nadu mainly include Meenakshi Chittaranjan's Bharatanatyam, folk music of Tamil Nadu, Irula and other tribal dances and Villupatta, an ancient musical story-telling. It also features mythological historical drama, puppet shows based on the Shiva Purana, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

On November 19, after the formal inauguration of the event by the Prime Minister, around 2500 to 3000 people in 12 different groups from Tamil Nadu are expected to reach Varanasi. The journey of each group will be of eight days, including 2 days of travel from Tamil Nadu to Varanasi. The team will stay in Varanasi for two days and visit Hanuman Ghat famous for Ganga Snan, Subrahmanya Bharti's residence, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Sarnath Archaeological Site & Museum, Ganga Aarti and also take a boat tour of the 84 ghats and take part in the cultural programme at BHU in the evening. After Varanasi, a trip to Prayagraj and Ayodhya is also proposed.

For this, additional three special coaches will be attached to three trains from Rameshwaram, Chennai and Coimbatore. The nodal ministry for the programme is the Ministry of Education. IIT Chennai and Banaras Hindu University have been appointed as the nodal institutes for the programme. The stay of the different groups in Varanasi have been scheduled. Students will stay on November 19 and 20, the handicraftsmen's group on November 22 and 23, the litterateurs on November 23 and 24, people associated with spirituality on November 26 and 27 ,businessmen on November 30 and December 1, people associated with the field of education from December 2 and 3, people associated with heritage on December 4 and 5, new entrepreneurs on December 7 and 8 and professionals on December 8 and 9.

Besides, a team of temple priests and mahants will join the Kashi Tamil Samagam on December 10 and 11 to be followed by rural-farmers on December 13 and 14 and cultural workers on December 15 and 16. On the second day of the tour, these sub-groups will have three-hour theme-related programmes, out of which seven programmes will be organized at BHU, two programmes at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple and three programmes at Trade Facilitation Centre.