NEWS: The Union Education Minister launched the registration portal for the 5th edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS), themed around Thirukkural.

ABOUT KTS

• Launched: 2022 by Ministry of Education (MoE).
• Objective: Strengthen North–South civilisational ties under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
• Organisers: MoE + IIT Madras + BHU + Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) + Uttar Pradesh Government.

THIRUKKURAL

• Author: Thiruvalluvar.
• Structure: 1,330 couplets + 133 chapters (10 couplets each).
• Classification: Part of Pathinenkilkanakku, a collection of 18 Tamil works.
• Three Parts:
  • Aram: Virtue (38 chapters).
  • Porul: Wealth + polity (70 chapters).
  • Inbam: Love (25 chapters).
• Significance: Secular ethical text on governance, justice + social values.

HISTORICAL NORTH–SOUTH LINKS

• Tenkasi: Pandya king Parakrama Pandya built the Kasi Viswanathar Temple, known as “Kashi of the South.”
• Kumaraguruparar: 17th-century Saivite saint associated with Kumaraswamy Mutt in Kashi.
• Silk Trade: Historical links between Banarasi silk sarees of Kashi + Kanchipuram silk sarees of Tamil Nadu.