R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MAR 19
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat to give a new dimension to the concept of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and said that the forthcoming Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam, an initiative of Union Government and Gujarat Government, would be the very first ‘largest and holistic reunion’ of the two States after several centuries.
Beginning his speech in Tamil, Mandaviya said the bond between Tamil Nadu and Gujarat was ‘centuries old’ and that there was a ‘special connection’ lies between the two States. ”Friends, Tamil Nadu is the same land which gave shelter to our ancestors centuries ago. This land gave the very opportunity to move forward. They (ancestors) earned a name in the field of art, education, literature, culture,” he said after inaugurating the curtain raiser of the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam conference here.
The #STSangamam celebrates an ancient bond between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Centuries ago people from Gujarat made Tamil Nadu their home and embraced the local culture. The Tamil people also welcomed them with open arms. This Sangamam celebrates ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.’ https://t.co/9oimjbLFLs
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2023
- The 10-day programme will be held from April 17 to April 26 at Somnath, Dwarka, Rajkot in Saurashtra region and Statue of Unity at Kevadia in Gujarat
- Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam to be conducted in Gujarat under Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat Initiative
- The Sangamam will promote the rich cultural heritage, harmony and cultural root between TN & Gujarat
- This is the Sangamam of culture, sangamam of art, sangamam of tradition, sangamam of language, music, dance: Mandaviya
Tamil Nadu has made an ‘unprecedented’ contribution to the lives of Saurashtrians, he said. ”You (Saurashtrians living in Tamil Nadu) have not been forgotten there in Saurashtra (Gujarat), and the soil and water in Saurashtra, which you left centuries ago, are calling you … Let’s give a new dimension to our tradition of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat which our forefathers lived by,” he said, speaking about the devotion people feel towards Rameshwaram and Somnath temples. Maintaining that the event itself was an opportunity to carry forward the glory of Gujaratis and Tamils, he said, ”With the support of brothers and sisters in Tamil Nadu, the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam will become a platform to enrich our heritage and emotional unity.”
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”It will be the very first largest and holistic reunion after a gap of several centuries and will also make an important milestone in the history of the two States.” ”People of Gujarat will leave no stone unturned in their hospitality. This is the sangamam of art, culture, tradition, language…” the Minister said.
To mark the inauguration of Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam, the Dr Mandaviya unveiled the official logo of the meet, theme song and also the launched the online portal https://saurashtra.nitt.edu/ for registration of participants.
“This would be the greatest meetup after several centuries,” said Mansukh Mandaviya. “This is the Sangamam of culture, sangamam of art, sangamam of tradition, sangamam of language, music, dance, etc. We welcome everyone to the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam and hope it will strengthen the cultural bonds between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu.”
Union Minister Anurag Thakur expressed his admiration for the progress of the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ initiative during his visit to Kashi.
Thakur lauded the efforts of Kashi Tamil Sangamam in connecting the dots and taking the initiative to the next level. Thakur stated that he was “awestruck” by the overwhelming reception received for the Kashi Tamil Sangamam, which facilitated cultural exchange between Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. He remarked that this exchange was a testament to the unity in diversity that India represents.
Furthermore, Thakur announced that a new chapter of the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat initiative would soon commence with the start of the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam. He expressed his excitement at the prospect of further cultural exchange between the Saurashtra and Tamil communities. Thakur’s comments signify the growing momentum of the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat initiative, which aims to promote unity and cultural exchange between different states and regions of India.
Gujarat Minister of State for Cooperation and Micro and Medium Industries Jagdish Vishwakarma said, ”The Saurashtra community in Tamil Nadu has a rich history and culture unique to the region,” adding, ”This programme honours the contributions and preserves the rich heritage of Saurashtrians who share so much in common with both Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. After today’s roadshow in Chennai, similar events will be held in Madurai, Dindigul, Paramakudi, Salem and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.
In his address Dr L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying during the launch of SaurashtraTamil Sangamam event, expressed his delight at the occasion and called it a historic day for the Tamil community. He praised the efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for organizing the Kashi Tamil Sangamam and emphasized the significance of such events in promoting the cultural unity of India. He further announced that the Prime Minister would organize the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam in a similar way and thanked the Government of Gujarat and the Prime Minister for their support in this regard.
Union Minister Dr L. Murugan highlighted the contributions of the Saurashtra community in the economy of Tamil Nadu and recalled TM Soundararajan, a famous playback singer, from the community. He also drew attention to the historical and spiritual connection between Somnath and Rameswaram, and stressed the importance of promoting unity among all regions and communities of India. He also called up the Tamil community to come together and contribute towards the development of the country in line with the vision of Prime Minister Modi’s flagship quote ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ campaign.
Gujarat minister Kunvarji Bavaliya, BJP State president Annamalai also spoke.
Representatives of Gujarati Samaj, Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra community leaders from across the state took part in the event.
Dr V R Rajendran, President, All India Saurashtra Madhya Sabha welcomed the gathering.