Varanasi : The fourth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 4.0), an initiative highlighting the civilisational ties between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, will be held from 2 to 15 December 2025 in Varanasi.
The first train of KTS 4.0 departed from Kanyakumari today, carrying 45 delegates. The group will be joined by 86 delegates from Tiruchirappalli and 87 delegates from Chennai, bringing the total of this first batch to 216 participants. The delegation comprises 50 Tamil literary experts, 54 cultural scholars, along with students, teachers, artisans, classical singers, and instructors and learners of spiritual texts. The delegates were seen off at Kanyakumari Railway Station by local MLA Shri M.R. Gandhi and members of the public.
The official inauguration of KTS 4.0 will take place on 2 December at NaMo Ghat, Varanasi. This year’s edition coincides with Karthigai Deepam on 4 December, one of Tamil Nadu’s most auspicious festivals. More than 1,500 delegates are expected to participate in knowledge-sharing sessions designed to foster a deeper understanding of India’s diverse cultural traditions. Over the eight-day tour, participants will explore Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya, visiting historically and religiously significant sites including Kashi Vishwanath Temple, NaMo Ghat, Hanuman Ghat, Banaras Hindu University, Sarnath, and Ayodhya Temple.
Under the theme “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,” four major allied events will complement KTS 4.0. The theme of this year, “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam,” promotes the message that all Indian languages are interconnected, encouraging the dissemination of ancient Tamil texts across the country.
A highlight of this year’s Sangamam is the Sage Agasthya Vehicle Expedition from Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu, to Kashi, starting on 2 December and concluding on 12 December in Varanasi. The rally commemorates Adi Veera Parakrama Pandiyan, the historic Pandya ruler who promoted cultural unity through his journey to Kashi, establishing a temple and naming Tenkasi as Dakshin Kashi. The expedition will showcase educational materials on the historical links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi fostered by the Chera, Chola, Pandya, Pallava, and Chalukya dynasties.
Another key initiative, “Teaching Tamil to Students in Uttar Pradesh”, will be launched under the campaign “Let Us Learn Tamil – Karpom Tamil.” Ten batches of 30 college students each from Uttar Pradesh will visit Tamil Nadu, where faculty from the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), Chennai, will train local teaching staff to impart Tamil language education to these students.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam, a visionary initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, continues as an annual event dedicated to strengthening the enduring cultural and people-to-people connections between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, reflecting growing enthusiasm for participation in this Government programme.