UP govt has included Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu in its vocational education: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that the state government has included languages such as Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali in its vocational education.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 in Varanasi, Adityanath said, "Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Uttar Pradesh government has included languages like Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali in its vocational education. Students will choose one of these languages according to their interest, and the government will bear the cost," he added.

Adityanath described the Kashi Tamil Sangamam as a step that strengthens and enlivens the resolve of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Emphasising that a large number of devotees from Uttar Pradesh visit Rameshwaram, Madurai, and Kanyakumari every year, the chief minister announced that the tourism department will organise special travel programmes that will provide pilgrims with access to these holy sites at discounted rates.

Noting that the programme is akin to investing in India's future, Adityanath said that under the prime minister's guidance, the Kashi Tamil Sangamam has become a symbol of India's cultural renaissance.

He said that Lord Shiva is at the centre of the ancient relationship between Kashi and the Tamil tradition, and this connection was furthered by Adi Shankaracharya by establishing holy Peethas in all four corners of India.

The chief minister said that this visit to Uttar Pradesh will provide the unique spiritual privilege of experiencing the divine darshan of Lord Ram after witnessing the Shiva devotion of Kashi, the Sangam (confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) in Prayagraj, and the hoisting of the Dharmadhwaja in Ayodhya.

"This event is strengthening the cultural, educational, economic, and spiritual partnership between North and South India, opening new doors to India's bright future," he said.

Adityanath also described the car rally, which began from Tenkasi (Tamil Nadu) this year, as a major attraction of the event. He said that this 2,000-kilometre journey reminds one of the deep connection with Kashi. Referring to Adiveera Parakrama Pandian, the great ruler of the Pandya dynasty, he said that this journey is a remembrance of his ancient route towards the north.

Referring to the Aditya Hridaya Stotra composed by Maharishi Agastya, Adityanath said that this is the same hymn which Maharishi Agastya recited to Lord Ram before the battle with Ravan.

He said that great personalities like Maharishi Agastya, Adi Guru Shankaracharya, Saint Thiruvalluvar, Jagadguru Ramanujacharya, and Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan originated from South India and spread the light of knowledge throughout the country. Shaiva and Vaishnava devotional traditions demonstrate the spiritual richness of Tamil civilisation.

He explained that the Chettiar community has been providing worship materials for the Kashi Vishwanath Temple for the past 200 years. The tradition of anointing Sri Ramanathaswamy of Rameshwaram with water from the Triveni Sangam and Kashi Vishwanath with water from Koditheertham is now continuing every month.

Referring to Kashi's Kedar Ghat, Hanuman Ghat, and Harishchandra Ghat, he said that Tamil culture is still vibrant here.

He described the joint educational projects of IIT Madras and BHU as an inspiring step towards national unity.

Mentioning that visitors will also visit Prayagraj and Ayodhya during their stay, Adityanath said that a temple dedicated to Maharishi Agastya has been built in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya, and his statue has been installed.

The entrance to the Ram temple is named after Jagadguru Shankaracharya and Jagadguru Ramanujacharya, and statues of South Indian saints Tyagaraja, Purandara Dasa, and Arunachala Kavi are also installed in Ayodhya's Brihaspati Kund, Adityanath said.

He also said that the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham under the leadership of the prime minister has reinvigorated the country's cultural and spiritual energies.

Over 26 crore devotees have visited the temple in the last four years, with the largest number coming from Tamil Nadu, he said.