Foster unity amid diversity, says TN Governor
Nearly 1250 artistes of 86 troupes from 24 states performed in the ten-day festival which concluded on Monday.
THANJAVUR: The launch of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “celebrate the unity in diversity of our nation has helped to foster the spirit of national integration through a deep and structured engagement among all Indian states,” said Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Tamil Nadu and Chairman of South Zone Cultural Centre here on Monday.
Delivering the valedictory address at the "Salangai Natham"-a national cultural and crafts festival at the South Zone Cultural Centre here, Purohit said that under the "Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat" scheme, Tami Nadu is paired with Jammu and Kashmir.
Recently men and women from Jammu and Kashmir performed a cultural programme at Raj Bhavan at Chennai in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind, he noted.
"Music and dance knows no barriers of caste, language and religion and they appeal to the mind and body. They calm the senses and harmonize the functioning of our body," said the Governor, adding, "there is a branch of medicine which attempts to heal diseases through music."
Stating that meaning of 'Salangai Natham' is the "music of the anklets", Mr. Purohit referred to the celestial dance of Lord Nataraja at Chidamabaram and references in Silapathikaram of Poompuhar, where one anklet of Kannagi, symbol of chastity rang aloud to proclaim to the world the greatness of Tamil culture, tradition and nobility of women in this sacred land."
Appreciating the services of the South Zone Cultural Centre (SZCC) in organising 'Salangai Natham' every year, he said it will acquire special place in the cultural landscape of India.
Earlier, he witnessed the folk dance programmes from troupes from various states of the country. Nearly 1250 artistes of 86 troupes from 24 states performed in the ten-day festival which concluded on Monday.
R.Duraikannu, state agriculture minister, K.Pandiarajan, state minister for Tamil culture and Tamil official language, K.Parasuraman MP, A.Annadurai, Thanjavur district collector and E.N. Sajith, director, SZCC, participated in the valedictory.