Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam being organized in Gujarat

The Government of Gujarat is organising 'Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam' between April 14 and May 2, 2023. Mulubai Bera, Minister of Tourism and Rushikeshbhai Patel, Minister Health and Family Welfare welcomed Tamilians arrived in Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam train at Somnath Railway station, Gujarat in grand way bringing together the colours of two distrint cultures showcasing the diverity and richness of Gujarat & Tamil Nadu.  The 1st batch of 286 people and approximately 

5000 people from the different districts participated in the Inauguration Ceremony of Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam which was inaugurated by Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister of India on 1st Day (17^th April 2023) of the program. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Ministers and dignitaries were also present in the Inaugural Ceremony. During the 1st Day of the programme, visitors of the 1st batch attended seminar held on the theme of “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat”, witnessed the vibrant Handloom and Handicraft Expo, showcasing the rich culture and diversity of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Batch also had a great time playing recreational sports & games such as beach volleyball, beach handball, and tug of war. Devotees visited Somnath Temple to seek blessings from Lord Shiva and were captivated by stunning architecture & serene atmosphere. Visitors also enjoyed the Cultural performances at Night. The promotion of the idea of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ has been one of the major focus areas of the government guided by the vision of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi Ji. In his speech on 19th Novermber 2022 at Varanasi in Kashi Tamil Sangam he reiterated that “Our resolutions in ‘Amrit Kaal’ will be fulfilled by theunity and collective efforts of the whole country. India is the nation which has lived a natural culture for thousands of years by respecting mantra of “sam vo manasi jaanatham” (understanding each other’s mind). In our country, there is a tradition of remembering 12 Jyotirlingas from “Saurashtra Somanatham to ‘Setubande tu Ramesham’ after waking up in the morning. He recalled that we start our day by remembering the spiritual unity of the country. We recite mantras while taking bath and worshipping – ‘Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari and Kaveri reside in our waters! That is, we feel like bathing in all the rivers of India. We had strengthened this tradition and heritage of thousands of years of independence and make it the unity thread of the country. This will make us realise our duties and being a source of energy to strengthen national unity. He wished the nectar that comes out of this Kashi Tamil Sangamam should be taken forward through research for the youth. These seeds should further become banyan tree of national unity. He said that the mantra ‘Nattu Nalane Namadu Nalan’ (National Interest is our Interest) should become the life mantra of our countrymen. In reality, it was a celebration of India’s might and characteristics, thus made the Kashi Tamil Sangamam unique.