Government to organize Tamil Sangamam in Saurashtra and Uttarakhand

Subject :History

Section: Art and Culture

Concept :

The central government has announced “Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam” on the lines of the Kashi Sangamam to be held in Saurashtra from 17th April 2023 onwards.
The program will rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the over 1,000-year-old emigration and contribution of Saurashtrian Tamils.
At the press conference organized in the city, the dignitaries launched an iconic logo, theme song, and a registration portal for participants.
Over 3,000 participants will be offered a once-in-a-life glimpse into the life of Saurashtrian Tamils, history, art, and the economic activities in and around Saurashtra.
Kedarnath-Tamil Sangamam
The third will be the Kedarnath-Tamil Sangamam, which will celebrate the civilisational links between people from the southern part of the country and the sacred shrines of Uttarakhand in the north.

Kashi Tamil Sangamam

Kashi Tamil Sangamam celebrates many aspects of the historical and civilisational connection between India’s North and South.
The broader objective is to bring the two knowledge and cultural traditions (of the North and South) closer, create an understanding of our shared heritage and deepen the people-to-people bond between the regions.
It is being organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, Information & Broadcasting etc. and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
The endeavour is in sync with National Education Policy (NEP), 2020’s emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with modern systems of knowledge.
IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) are the two implementing agencies for the programme.

Cultural Significance:

King Parakrama Pandya, who ruled over the region around Madurai in the 15th century, wanted to build a temple to Lord Shiva, and he travelled to Kashi (Uttar Pradesh) to bring back a lingam.
While returning, he stopped to rest under a tree — but when he tried to continue his journey, the cow carrying the lingam refused to move.
Parakrama Pandya understood this to be the Lord’s wish, and installed the lingam there, a place that came to be known as Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.
For devotees who could not visit Kashi, the Pandyas had built the Kasi Viswanathar Temple in what is today Tenkasi in southwestern Tamil Nadu, close to the state’s border with Kerala.