Tamil culture and people are eternal, global in nature: PM Modi

New Delhi [India], April 13 : Highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Tamil language and community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that Tamil culture and Tamil people are both eternal as well as global in nature.

Prime Minister took part in the Tamil New Year celebrations at the residence of Union Minister L Murugan in Delhi.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, "Tamil culture and people are eternal as well as global. From Chennai to California, from Madurai to Melbourne....you will find Tamil people who have carried with them their culture and traditions. Be it Pongal or Puthandu, they are marked all over the world. Puttandu is a festival of innovation in antiquity."

PM said Tamil is the world's oldest language and every Indian is proud of it. He said Tamil literature is also widely respected. "The Tamil film industry has given us some of the most iconic works to us," he said.

Recalling his tenure as an MLA in Gujarat, PM Modi said, "When I was in Gujarat and MLA, a lot of people of Tamil origin live there. They were my voters and made me MLA and CM. I can never forget the time I spent with them."

He said the contribution of Tamil people to the freedom movement has also been very important.

Prime Minister said that the post-Independence people of Tamil Nadu contributed a lot to the reconstruction of the country and have given a new height to India

The contribution of Tamil people in the field of medicine, law and academics is unparalleled, he said.

"As a country, it was our responsibility to promote our heritage. Now you have given me the opportunity to serve the nation. I remember when I quoted in the Tamil language at the United Nations, people from across the world expressed their pleasure," he said.

Prime Minister said there is so much in Tamil culture that has shaped India as a nation. PM Modi mentioned about Uthiramerur in Tamil Nadu and said the 1100-1200 years old inscriptions there reflect the democratic values.

He said, "India is the mother of democracy. There are several historical references. Of them, one of the most significant references is on Tamil Nadu where a place called Uthiramerur is very special. Several things on India's democratic values are written on an 1100-1200 years old inscription. It is like a local Constitution for the gram sabha of those times...It states how should an Assembly be run, what should be the qualification of members, the process of electing members as well as disqualification of members."

The recently concluded Kashi Tamil Sangamam was very successful. In this programme, the PM said novelty and diversity were celebrated together.

Prime Minister said, "The 'Kashi Tamil Sangamam' has been a resounding success. It is for the very first time that a trustee of Kashi Vishwanath, which is quite old, hails from Tamil Nadu. It reflects the love and strengthens the spirit of 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat'. I believe the life of the people of Kashi is incomplete without the Tamil people. The life of Tamil people is incomplete without Kashi. This affinity is easily visible when one comes to Kashi from Tamil Nadu."

Referring to his Sri Lanka visit, PM Modi said, "I was the first Prime Minister of India to visit Jaffna. For the welfare of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, the people there were waiting for help for a long time. Our government also did many things for them, by building houses for the Tamil people."