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Chennai, Nov 9 (IANS) The cultural and educational exchange program between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), known as Kasi Tamil Sangamam, will return for its fourth edition from December 2 to 15 this year.
Launched in 2022, the initiative aims to rekindle the age-old civilizational and cultural ties between Tamil Nadu and Kashi (Varanasi), two regions with deep spiritual, linguistic and educational ties.
The first edition held in 2022 lasted for about a month and saw enthusiastic participation from scholars, students, artists and pilgrims from both the states.
The third edition, originally scheduled for December 2024, was later postponed and held between February 15 and 24, 2025. Officials have confirmed that the upcoming fourth edition will open in Varanasi on December 2, and the closing ceremony will take place in Rameshwaram, symbolically uniting the sacred northern and southern ends of the Indian subcontinent.
This year’s theme, “Learn Tamil”, focuses on promoting the richness of the Tamil language and its literary heritage among the students of the northern states.
Educational institutions in Varanasi and Tamil Nadu will host interactive sessions, language learning workshops and cultural programs that will explore the classical status of Tamil, its contribution to Indian knowledge systems and its linguistic beauty.
Kasi Tamil Sangamam is part of the larger ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ initiative, envisioned by the Center to strengthen cultural unity and national integration through educational and cultural cooperation among the states.
The program has facilitated student exchanges, traditional art exhibitions, spiritual pilgrimages and research seminars on shared heritage, including links between Shaiva traditions in Kashi and Tamil temples.
Organizers said this year’s edition will also include performances by folk artists, traditional cuisine fairs and temple heritage tours that will immerse participants in the living traditions of Tamil and Kasi cultures.
Officials are expecting strong participation from universities, cultural institutions and government departments of both Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Celebrating the linguistic, spiritual and cultural ties that link the two regions over centuries, the Kasi Tamil Sangamam continues to serve as a living bridge between North and South – reaffirming India’s shared civilizational identity.
–IANS
AL/DPB