The Sangamam has ignited a new cultural zeal in India

(MainsGS1:Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.)

Context:

• The month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam heralded a new era where ancient Indian traditions intermingle with one another and are revitalized with the help of modern practices so that they contribute to cultural and economic growth.

Old traditions:

• Kashi, one of the oldest living cities of the world, and Tamil Nadu, where people proudly speak the world’s oldest language, are towering pillars of ancient Indian civilization. 
• Both have rich, old traditions of arts, music, craftsmanship, philosophy, spirituality and literature. 
• Yet, for decades after independence, few people in north India knew about the Tamil saints who lived in Kashi and intensified its spiritual aura, or the tradition of taking holy Ganga jal (water) to the Rameshwaram temple, or the Kashi Yatra ritual in some Tamil weddings.
• Likewise, many in Tamil Nadu were not fully familiar with the ancient links between the two cultures.

Knowledge and innovations:

• The event saw people from all walks of life from Tamil Nadu visiting Kashi and they experienced the city’s traditions and its iconic landmarks such as the Kashi Vishwanath temple. 
• The Prime Minister’s initiative to build the landmark Kashi Vishwanath corridor, which connects the Jyotirling with the Ganga, embellishes traditions with a touch of modernity for the benefit of residents and visitors. 
• Similarly, the Sangamam created a unique platform to rediscover and integrate our heritage and ancient knowledge with modern thought, philosophy, technology and craftsmanship. 
• This creates a new body of knowledge and fosters innovations that will help our artisans, weavers, entrepreneurs and traders. For instance, Varanasi is well known for Banarasi silk saris, and Kancheepuram, for its shimmering silk saris. 
• Weavers and entrepreneurs from both regions have a lot to gain from interacting with each other and from their exposure to modern practices of branding, quality control, marketing, product consistency, the use of modern machinery and value addition.

Job-creating potential:

• The government organised a ‘textiles conclave’ during the Sangamam where several eminent personalities of different segments of the textile industry from Tamil Nadu and Kashi shared their experiences and exchanged ideas at a session on Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. 
• They were excited and confident about the government’s vision of raising textiles exports to $100 billion by 2030 and creating new opportunities in the sector.
• The textiles sector, which has great job-creating potential, is a key part of our mission to become a developed country by 2047.
• Mr. Modi’s 5F formula (farm, fibre, fabric, fashion, foreign) will accelerate growth in the sector and transform the lives of farmers and weavers.

Conclusion:

• The Sangamam has ignited a new cultural zeal in India and whetted the country’s appetite for more.
• More importantly, as Home Minister Amit Shah said, the Sangamam is the beginning of India’s cultural renaissance that is not limited to the bonding of Tamil Nadu and Kashi. It will extend to all cultures of this great country.