New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) The connection between Kashi Vishwanath and Rameswaram reflects the cultural unity and national integration that have existed in our country for thousands of years, Tamil Nadu Governor Thiru Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said on Wednesday.

    The governor was speaking at the curtain-raiser event for the fifth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 5.0) organised at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.

    The fifth edition of the cultural and educational exchange programme will be held from November 28 to December 12. The theme for the event is 'Thirukkural Payilvom - Thirukkural Abhyas Karen' (Let Us Learn Thirukkural).

    Thirukkural, the celebrated Tamil classical work by poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, comprises 1,330 couplets organised under "Aram" (Virtue), "Porul" (Wealth) and "Inbam" (Love). It delves into topics such as ethical conduct, governance, human relationships and righteous living.

    "Kashi and Tamil Nadu have always been connected culturally, traditionally and historically. Our ancestors not only had deep devotion towards their deities but also possessed knowledge of science and technology. The connections between Kashi Vishwanath and Rameswaram reflect the cultural unity and national integration that have existed in our country for thousands of years," Arlekar said.

    Approximately 1,400 delegates from Tamil Nadu are expected to participate in KTS 5.0. They will be travelling in seven batches of around 200 participants each. Each batch will undertake an eight-day tour, including cultural, academic and heritage engagements.

    The first edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam was held in 2022, and over the last four editions, it facilitated meaningful exchanges of knowledge, language, traditions and lived experiences between the two regions.

    The event is organised by the Ministry of Higher Education in collaboration with IIT Madras; Banaras Hindu University; Central Institute of Classical Tamil, Chennai; Uttar Pradesh government and ministries of Culture, Railways, School Education, Tourism, Textiles, Food Processing Industries, Information & Broadcasting, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, etc.

    KTS 5.0 seeks to bring the timeless ethical and moral wisdom of Thirukkural closer to the youth and learners across the country.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
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