Linguistic differences must be shed for emotional, spiritual unity: PM Modi

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 19 : Noting that Kashi is the cultural capital of India and Tamil Nadu and Tamil culture are the centre of its antiquity and pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India is a nation which has lived a natural cultural unity for thousands of years.
The Prime Minister, who inaugurated 'Kashi Tamil Sangamam' here on Saturday, said people should strive to remove linguistic differences and foster emotional unity in the country.
He released the translated versions of 'Thirukkural', originally written in Tamil and also interacted with students from Tamil Nadu who had come to Varanasi.
PM Modi honoured the 'aadhinams' (religious leaders) of Tamil Nadu's various religious places and monasteries.
The Prime Minister greeted the guests, saying 'Har Har Mahadev', 'Vanakkam Kashi', 'Vanakkam Tamil Nadu'.
"Our nation has the magnificent glory of 'confluence', be it the confluence of rivers, ideology, science or knowledge. Every confluence of culture and tradition is celebrated and revered in India. In reality, it is a celebration of India's might and characteristics, making the Kashi-Tamil Sangam unique," he said.
"Our nation's cultural hub today is Kashi, which encompasses the entirety of India. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu and the Tamil culture are the foundation of India's antiquity and pride. This confluence is as sacred as the Ganga and the Yamuna. Like Ganga and Yamuna, it is a source of limitless potential and power," he added.
He said Kashi and Tamil Nadu are both timeless centres of culture and civilization.
"Both regions are the centres of the oldest languages, Sanskrit and Tamil. In Kashi, we have Baba Vishwanath, while in Tamil Nadu, we have the blessings of Lord Rameshwaram. Both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are 'Shivmay' and 'Shaktimay'."
He said both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are fantastic sources of literature, music and art.
While tannumai is played in Tamil Nadu, tabla is used in Kashi. Banarasi sarees are made in Kashi, while Kanjeevaram silk from Tamil Nadu is well-known worldwide. Both are the birthplace and workplace of the greatest masters of Indian spirituality. Tamil Nadu is the home of Saint Thiruvalluvar's devotion, while Kashi is the home of Bhakta Tulsi. One can see the energy of Kashi and Tamil Nadu in every walk of life, he said.
Referring to Tamil, hee said despite having one of the world's oldest living languages, "we lack in honouring it fully".
"This is the responsibility of 130 crore Indians to preserve the legacy of Tamil and enrich it. If we ignore Tamil, we do a great disservice to the nation, and if we keep Tamil confined in restrictions, we will do great harm to it. We have to remember to remove linguistic differences and establish emotional unity," the Prime Minister said.
He threw light on the rich culture of Kashi and Tamil Nadu. Even today, the relevance of Kashi Yatra comes up during the traditional Tamil marriage procession.
He underlined that unending love for Kashi from Tamil Nadu signifies the feeling of 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' "which was the way of life of our ancestors".
The Prime Minister said that Tamil Nadu played key role in the development of Kashi.
India's first Vice President Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who was born in Tamil Nadu, was the Vice Chancellor of BHU, he recalled. He also mentioned the Vedic scholar Rajeshwar Shastri, who lived in Kashi even though he had his roots in Tamil Nadu. He said that the people of Kashi also miss Pattaviram Shastri who lived on Hanuman Ghat in Kashi.
"If you visit Kashi, you will see the Kashi Kaam Koteshwar Panchayatan Mandir, which is a Tamilian temple on the banks of Harishchandra Ghat, and the two-hundred-year-old Kumarswamy Matt and Markande Ashram on Kedar Ghat."
He stated that many people from Tamil Nadu have been living near the banks of Kedar Ghat and Hanuman Ghat, and have made immense contributions towards Kashi for several generations.
The Prime Minister also mentioned the great poet and revolutionary, Subramania Bharathi who hailed from Tamil Nadu but lived in Kashi for many years.
"The Kashi-Tamil Sangam is taking place during the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal." He said India is a nation that has embodied natural cultural unity for thousands of years.
Throwing light on the tradition of remembering 12 Jyotirlingas after waking up in the morning, the Prime Minister said "we start our day by remembering the spiritual unity of the country".
The Prime Minister noted that the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam would serve as a forum to foster cultural unity "while making us realise our duties" and becoming a source of energy to strengthen national unity.
The Prime Minister also remembered the role of the Ramayana and Mahabharata written by C Rajagopalachari in connecting the North and the South.
"This is my experience that without understanding scholars from South India like Ramanujacharya, Shankaracharya, Rajaji to Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, we simply cannot understand Indian philosophy," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister made reference to "Panch Pran" and emphasised that a nation with a rich history should be proud of its legacy.
The Prime Minister said that the Sangamam is a unique experience and expressed the hope that people of Kashi will leave no stone unturned in providing memorable hospitality.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were also present on the occassion.