VARANASI: For the 250-odd families living in Hanuman, Kedar and Harishchandra Ghats of Varanasi known as mini Tamil Nadu the just-concluded Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) rekindled the ancient connection between Kashi and Kachi.
The bond between this cultural city in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is centuries-old, as the several mutts and temples some even having Dravidian architectural designs have been attracting thousands of Tamil pilgrims not only from India but abroad – mainly to perform the after-life rituals that the deceased families conduct for their dear ones.
“The ties between Kashi and Tamil Nadu are centuries-old as it is the abode of Lord Shiva. We are delighted that this first-of-its-kind initiative was taken to revive and further strengthen our connection,” K Venkat Ramana Ghanapati, a Vedic pandit and the first person of Tamil origin, who has been made Trustee at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust by the Uttar Pradesh government, told this Daily.
The announcement was made during KTS.
“The Kashi Tamil Sangamam not only brought to limelight the flourishing Tamil culture and traditions, which is so much part of this temple-town but also helped in highlighting the many contributions of our ancestors and saints in the areas of arts, culture and education,” added Ghanapati, who is a fifth-generation priest and lives in a 100-year-old house near Harishchandra Ghat.
Ghanapati, whose great-grandfather was the one who had come to Varanasi, and chose to settle down here, said it was indeed a “proud feeling” when he met and interacted with the 2,500 delegates, including priests, farmers and students from all across Tamil Nadu for the month-long KTS, which ended on December 16.
As one enters his house nestled in the labyrinth of lanes and bylanes, it is easy to spot boys and young men, clad in white dhoti, with their foreheads smeared with horizontal tilak, speaking in Tamil. Even some signages are in Tamil and hotels and cafes such as ‘New Madras Café, ‘New Madras Tour Travels’ and ‘Hotel Tamil Nadu’ can be seen.
“I feel honoured and proud that I am the first Tamilian to be made the trustee of the Kashi Vishwanath temple,” said Ghanapati, who feeds over 100 to 150 people visiting him with delicious staple south Indian food daily.
Just a few metres from Ghanapati’s place is the house where renowned Tamil writer, poet and freedom fighter late C Subramania Bharati lived. A small portion of the house, which was renovated into a museum, was virtually inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on December 11.