Date: 12/01/2023

Relevance: GS-1: Indian Culture - Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Key Phrases: India’s cultural renaissance, Kashi Tamil Sangamam, Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, Kashi Vishwanath corridor, Banarasi silk saris, One District One Product, textiles conclave, 5F formula.

Why in News?

• The month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam, which showcased Tamil culture, 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.
• It gave a rich cultural context to India’s mission to become a developed country by 2047. The event carried forward our tradition of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Ancient links:

• Kashi, one of the oldest living cities in 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 arts, music, craftsmanship, philosophy, spirituality, and literary traditions.
• Since ancient times, higher education in Southern India was not considered complete without a visit by the scholar to Kashi.
• People from Rameswaram would take a dip in the Koti teertha (in the temple) before visiting Kashi for darshan, and they would bring back (Ganga) water from Kashi for abhiseka at the temple in Rameswaram.
• The government’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.

Significance of the Sangamam:

• Integrating Heritage:
  • 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.
• Facilitation through government policies:
  • The Sangamam was in step with the entire spectrum of this government’s policies.
  • These policies accord top priority to accelerating development with a focus on the welfare of the poorest of the poor, love for Indian culture, and promoting local industries and handicrafts.
• One District One Product:
  • The government is strongly promoting the One District One Product scheme that will take Indian products to the world market.
  • The PM is a brand ambassador for these products and gifts them to world leaders.
  • Apart from saris, the textile conclave also dwelled on wooden toys. Traditional wooden toys of Varanasi are getting more export inquiries and are being showcased in international business exhibitions.
• Traditional products:
  • Traditional products will also get a big boost from other government initiatives such as the Open Network for Digital Commerce and the Government e-Marketplace.

The focus on textiles:

• Textiles Conclave:
  • The government organized a ‘textiles conclave’ during the Sangamam. 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.
• Potential of the textile sector:
  • The textile sector, which has great job-creating potential, is a key part of our mission to become a developed country by 2047.
  • India’s textiles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12-13% to nearly $2 trillion by 2047, while exports from the sector are expected to grow at double digits.
• 5F formula:
  • 5F formula (farm, fibre, fabric, fashion, foreign) will accelerate growth in the sector and transform the lives of farmers and weavers. Kashi and Tamil Nadu have a key role to play to achieve this vision.
• Technical textile:
  • The government is also encouraging technical textiles, which have phenomenal potential.
  • These products include functional textiles that are used in vehicles, protective clothing, bulletproof vests, and construction.
  • Man-made fibre, also an area of focus, has great potential for growth and exports.

Conclusion:

• About 2 lakh people visited the campus of the Banaras Hindu University which hosted cultural shows and a popular exhibition that highlighted Tamil products and cuisine.
• The Sangamam has ignited a new cultural zeal in India and whetted the country’s appetite for more.
• 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.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. “The Kashi-Tamil Sangamam marks the beginning of a cultural renaissance in India that extends beyond the union of Tamil Nadu and Kashi.” Discuss.