Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the second edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam and said the programme strengthens the spirit of "Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat".

He also flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express between Varanasi and Kanyakumari on the occasion. The sangamam, which will be held from December 17-31, will see the participation of 1,400 dignitaries, including students, teachers, farmers, writers and spiritual leaders, from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam strengthens the spirit of "Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat", Modi said while addressing a gathering at the Namo Ghat here.

The sangamam aims at rediscovering, reaffirming and celebrating the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, two of the country's most important and ancient seats of learning. The first edition was a month-long event organised last year.

"The Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a continuous flow, which continuously strengthens the feeling of 'Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat'," the prime minister said, while crediting Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and other ancient philosophers with creating the idea of India as a nation.

Mentioning the Sengol, a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu installed in the Lok Sabha chamber of the new Parliament building, Modi said, "Under the guidance of Adheenam seers, this Sengol had become the symbol of transfer of power in 1947." "Saints such as Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya united India. They awakened the feeling of national consciousness of India through their yatras," Prime Minister Modi said.

The Adheenams -- a Shaivite sect -- from Tamil Nadu, he said, have also been touring places such as Kashi which are associated with Lord Shiva.

Referring to the spiritual connect between Kashi and Tamil Nadu, he said, "Coming from Tamil Nadu to Kashi means coming from one home of Mahadev to his other home." "Coming from Tamil Nadu to Kashi means coming from the place of Madurai Meenakshi to Kashi Vishalakshi's place," he said in his speech in Hindi which was translated to Tamil in realtime by an artificial intelligence-based application 'Bhashini'.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and L Murugan were among those present at the launch of the sangamam.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam programme will encompass lectures covering literature, ancient texts, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance, drama, yoga and ayurveda. In addition, seminars are planned on innovation, trade, knowledge exchange, edutech and next-gen technology.

Those attending the programme are scheduled to visit Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya during the sangamam, according to an official statement.

The first batch comprising a group of students from various parts of Tamil Nadu named 'Ganga' reached Varanasi on Sunday.

Six more groups comprising teachers (Yamuna), professionals (Godavari), spiritual leaders (Saraswati), farmers and artisans (Narmada), writers (Sindhu) and traders and businessmen (Kaveri) will be reaching the city later to participate in the event.

In addition to the cultural exchange, an exhibition showcasing the rich tapestry of art, music, handloom, handicrafts, cuisines and other distinctive products from both Tamil Nadu and Kashi is also on the agenda, the statement said.

The programme will also feature cultural events highlighting the unique traditions of Kashi and Tamil Nadu with the aim to strengthen the ties between the people of these two regions, it said.

The Union Ministry of Education is the nodal agency for the event with participation from the ministries of culture, tourism, railways, textiles, food processing, MSME, information and broadcasting, skill development and entrepreneurship, IRCTC and related departments of the Uttar Pradesh government.

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