Thread by @MumbaichaDon

VERY LONG THREAD:

PM Modi Ji inaugurated #KashiTamilSangamam on Nov 19.

Question is why the hell is he forced to launch this Programme?

Let me present all facts in this thread.

It's a long thread, but pls read till end!!

PETTY POLITICS AT COST OF NATION!!

1/35

Let me divide thread in 4 parts!
🔸What is #KashiTamilSangamam?
🔸What's the need for this outreach programme?
🔸How is Tamilnadu directly connected with Kashi?
🔸Conclusion

Ready? Shall we go?

2/35

Part 1: What is Kashi-Tamil Sangamam?

Kashi-Tamil Sangamam celebrates many aspects of historical & civilisational connection btwn Bharat’s North & South.
Broader objective is to bring 2 knowledge and cultural traditions (of North & South) closer.

3/35

Aim is to create an understanding of our shared heritage & deepen people-to-people bond btwn the regions.

It's being organized by Ministry of Education in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles,Railways,Tourism,Food Processing,I&B etc and UP State Govt.

4/35

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.

5/35

Part 2: Now Question is WHY? Why the hell is there a need for awakening whereby Hindus from Tamilnadu are to be reminded about their connection with Kashi which is Epic Centre of Hinduism?

Answer is in PETTY politics of CONgress & Regional Parties like DMK & AIDMK etc.

6/35

For this we have to go back to pages of History!

Let me be clear before going ahead. I'm posting Only political motives in the following details. I'm not giving any communal or casteist colour to political facts. So, pls read with almost maturity with political wisdom.

7/35

The North-South divide in Tamilnadu stems from one man and one man only - E V Ramasamy, otherwise known as Periyar who was a Dalit & very strong leader of the CONgress Party.

But what was his purpose to sow the seeds of hatred in Tamilians towards North Bharat?

8/35

CONgress Party at that time was dominated by the father-son duo Motilal and Jawarharlal Nehru who constantly mobilised the upper caste ‘Hindi’ speaking members from North Bharat at cost of South Bharat.

9/35

Periyar was constantly humiliated by Nehrus & this was seen as an opportunity by Mr MK Gandhi to further divide Bharat on regional basis.

Pertinent to note that Nehrus had instructed CONgress Party Offices to make different food for Shudras from South & different for rest.
10/35

These discriminations allowed Periyar to develop deep hatred towards North Bharat. His hatred for Brahmins comes from fact that he belonged to Shudra varna & Nehru SUPPOSED to be Brahmin.

PS: Terms used based on prevailing terms in Those Times & don't intend to hurt anyone
11/35

It was pertinent to note that some sources say Periyar’s greed for power increased after Jinnah’s demand for Pakistan on the basis of religion. So it was like “If Jinnah could have a separate portion of India to be PM, then why couldn’t I ?"

12/35

The MAIN reason why Nehru & Gandhi didn’t let that happen was because of MASSIVE coastline that Periyar would control had Tamilnadu been seperated from Bharat. Also, Periyar tried to impose Tamil on all Southern States...Something the others were not comfortable with.

13/35

This is where the roots of divide between North & South are!! The gap was widened further on Linguistic Basis by DMK & AIDMK!

Who lost?....Bharat!!

All these facts are mentioned in various media outlets.

Few examples👇

clearias.com/north-india-so…

14/35

Part 3: How is Tamilnadu directly connected with Kashi?

Are South & North Bharat having different roots of culture, religion and customs?

Absolutely No! And it is absolutely clear with the cultural & religious ties between both.

Let me give some examples from History!

15/35

Cultural Significance:

King Parakrama Pandya, who ruled over the region around Madurai in the 15th century, wanted to build a temple of Lord Shiva, and he travelled to Kashi (Uttar Pradesh) to bring back a lingam.

16/35

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 Lord’s wish & installed the lingam there,a place that came to be known as Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu.

17/35

For devotees who couldn't visit Kashi, Pandyas built Kasi Viswanathar Temple in Tenkasi in southwestern Tamil Nadu, close to State border with Kerala.

Tamil Nadu and Kashi are interconnected through the
Jjyotirlingas from Rameshwaram and Lord Adi Vishweshwar in Kashi.

18/35

Both these Jyotirlingas are central to the relationship between Kashi and Tamil Nadu.

Adi Shankaracharya took forward this relationship established through Lord Shriram and Lord Shiva by setting up holy paths in all four corners of Bharat.

19/35

Kashi remains the Centre of religion,culture & spiritual consciousness of Bharat. Similarly, Tamil Nadu has been the Centre of knowledge,art & culture since ancient times, which was expanded by kings like Pandya,Chola & Pallava,among others.

20/35

Tamil & Sanskrit -believed to be 2 of languages to have emerged from Lord Shiva’s mouth,are equally known for their rich literature.

Later,another king,Adhivir Ram Pandyan,after returning from pilgrimage to Kashi,constructed another Shiva temple in Tenkasi in 19th century.
21/35

Sant Kumara Gurupara from Thoothukudi district had negotiated with the princely state of Kashi to get a place for the consecration of Kedarghat and Vishvesvaralingam in Varanasi. He also composed Kashi Kalambagam, a collection of grammar poems on Kashi.

22/35

Since ancient times, higher education in Southern Bharat was not considered complete without a visit by the scholar to Kashi.

Connection between 2 centres of knowledge (Kashi and Kanchi) is evident in similar themes in literature.

23/35

Why to speak much...isn't the presence of the name Kashi in nearly every village in Tamil Nadu enough to explain Deep Connect?

Besides Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi, there are 100s of Shiva temples in TN that bear name of Kashi,around 18 of them around Chennai alone.

24/35

People from Rameswaram would take dip in Koti teertha before visiting Kashi for darshan & would bring back Ganga water from Kashi for Abhisek at Rameswaram Temple. Only this would complete their pilgrimage at a time when it took 6 months to travel btwn Kashi & Rameswaram

25/35

Spiritual literature including by Arunagirinathar,a 15th-century saint from TN & Saint Sivavakyar refers to the glory of Varanasi and connect btwn Kashi-Rameswaram. Kalithogai, a classical Tamil poetic work in Sangam literature, refers to the importance of Varanasi.

26/35

The Periya Puranam (the great epic) compiled by 12th-century poet Sekkizhar also mentions Varanasi while expounding the history of saint Thirunavukkarasar.

We can also recall the pilgrimage of Maratha King Serfoji, who ruled Thanjavur in the 18th century, to Varanasi.

27/35

He brought from Varanasi many palm-leaf manuscripts on various subjects and preserved them here. Now,part of the Thanjavur Saraswathi Mahal library. He took a skilled painter who captured scenic beauty of ghats on banks of Holy Ganga in Varanasi. Now,preserved in library.

28/35

Tamil saint Kumara Gurubarar, born in southernmost part of TN, established his mutt on the banks of Holy Ganga and authored the book Kasikalambakam, which explains the glory of Varanasi. The mutt established by this saint still serves the pilgrims in the holy town.

29/35

Varanasi played key role in life of poet Subramania Bharathi. He lived there for 5 years from age of 16. Varanasi changed course of his life. In one of his poems, he says: “Let’s make equipment to listen to words of wisdom from poets of Kashi at Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu”

30/35

It's not only about Religious Ties, it's also about rich trade between two regions which is proved by historical connection between the traders dealing in silk saris and textiles from Bananas and Kanchipuram, and architectural, culinary, and other kinds of connections.

31/35

I would have given Clean Chit to Periyar,DMK & AIDMK for their malafide agenda saying there is No Connection btwn Kashi & TN...if I had not seen those Tamil inscriptions on Temples at Kashi while on a blessed tour to Kashi with Honorable FM @nsitharaman Ji.

32/35

I would have believed Periyar incited Malafide Agenda of DMK & AIDMK if I wasn't enlightened with FACT that ONLY Tamil Brahmins perform pooja in गर्भागृह of काशी विश्वनाथ Temple! It was immense pleasure for me to witness it personally.

33/35

Part 4: Conclusion!

I think this is enough to give glimpse of close ties between two great Centres of Religion, Culture and Trade viz Kashi and Tamilnadu.

Let's not fall in the trap of Regional Parties who want to create divide between the two!

34/35

Bharat is a Nation which stands Undivided & United with deep COMMON ROOTS in North & South.

Let's make every citizen aware of these facts so that “India" regains glory of “Bharat"!

#KashiTamilSangamam aims only at one thing..

एक धर्म, एक सभ्यता, एक भारत, श्रेष्ठ भारत।

35/35

@MODIfiedVikas @MandarSawant184 @MeSavarkar @pallavict @marathikedar @mgnayak5 @WellSaidGuru @EkVishwa @ragiing_bull @onlyonenetra @sowmiyasid @montyyrana @Kesarr6 @SaffronSwamy