PM Modi to attend grand event honouring Chola dynasty in Tamil Nadu

India Today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the grand celebrations at the historic Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple to mark 1,000 years of Emperor Rajendra Chola’s maritime expedition. He will also release a commemorative coin honouring Emperor Rajendra Chola I during the ceremony, celebrating the legacy of the Chola king’s Southeast Asian naval expedition and the temple’s millennial anniversary.

Transcript

00:00After inaugurating the new terminal building of Tamil Nadu's Tutikorin Airport

00:04and dedicating multiple development projects worth over Rs 4,900 crore to the nation,

00:09Prime Minister Modi arrived at the Tiruchirapalli Airport

00:12where he was welcomed by E. Palani Swami and other NDA leaders as well.

00:17Now, the Prime Minister is set to honour the Chola dynasty today.

00:20Prime Minister Modi will take part in a special event marking 1,000 years

00:24since Rajendra Chola's first maritime expedition to Southeast Asia.

00:28He will also attend the Adi Thiruvathirai festival celebrations at the Gangai Konda Cholapuram Temple.

00:35Not just that, he will also release a commemorative coin honouring Rajendra Chola first.

00:40Now, remember, by highlighting leaders like Rajendra Chola who built Hindu temples and also expanded sea trade,

00:46Prime Minister Modi is trying to promote a version of Indian history

00:50that is strong, grand and also rooted in pre-Islamic times.

00:54Today's visit of Honourable Prime Minister is a fantastic visit

01:01because he is conveying a very deep cultural message to the whole of Bharat

01:05that our past matters.

01:07We look back at our past so that we look forward to our future.

01:11And PM coming here is also a celebration of Rajendra Chola,

01:15this 23rd of July, English calendar, Tamil calendar.

01:17He was born in Tamil month, Adi Thiruvathirai.

01:20And PM is also commemorating that by a coin released by the government of India.

01:23Among the Tamil Nadu development indicators,

01:26Ariyalur has got one of the lowest HDI, Human Development Index.

01:29We hope with PM coming here, the whole things will change

01:32and Ariyalur will try to regain its last glory.

01:34And my colleague Anagha is now joining us from Tiruchirapalli

01:39where the Prime Minister is slated to visit.

01:41Anagha, give us the latest details.

01:43Tell us about the preparations and also what all is on the agenda.

01:50Well, in fact, like Mr. Annamalai mentioned,

01:54the Prime Minister is going to be releasing a coin

01:56to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of this grand old Chola Temple.

02:02A big monumental day indeed for Tamil Nadu and for Tamilians.

02:06That you can see there is a folk dance that's going on,

02:10a folk music drumming up ahead of Prime Minister Modi's arrival.

02:15In fact, public have already started gathering.

02:18In fact, it's a very tiny village here,

02:20Dangai Konda Chola Puram,

02:22with a very tiny population.

02:24But the entire village, it looks like they've come here

02:27to take a look at Prime Minister Modi.

02:29That you can see is the arrangement that's made for the public's arrival.

02:33People have already started coming in.

02:35We're expecting the Prime Minister to come here

02:37in about two hours from Tutukudi.

02:39He's going to be coming here to Tiruchirapalli's tiny village

02:43in Ariyalur district.

02:45In fact, he's also slated to pay his offerings

02:50to the Gangai Konda Chola Puram temple.

02:51It is a Lord Shiva temple over here.

02:54Remember, it's a thousand years old.

02:56That's the kind of heritage and civilization

02:59that we are talking about.

03:00One of the oldest temples in India,

03:03the Prime Minister is going to be here

03:05to commemorate and honor the Tamil civilization,

03:08Tamil Nadu civilization,

03:10the kind of history that it has

03:12and the kind of ancient roots that it goes back to.

03:15The Prime Minister is going to be here

03:17on the center's behalf

03:18to commemorate that,

03:20to celebrate that

03:21and to honor the rich culture,

03:24tradition and history of Tamil Nadu.

03:27In fact, there's also politics that has broken out

03:30of this matter.

03:32The DMK leaders calling the Prime Minister's visit

03:35as double speak.

03:36The DMK leaders are saying,

03:38while the Prime Minister is here

03:40to commemorate Tamil Nadu's civilization and culture,

03:43why is it that 3rd day report,

03:45which is also a towering testament

03:47to Tamil civilization,

03:48is being rejected.

03:49So isn't this double speak?

03:51It's what the DMK leaders are asking.

03:54The Prime Minister is going to be here

03:55in just two hours from now,

03:57where he's also slated to deliver

03:58a public speech just ahead of elections,

04:01where we can expect some sharp barbs

04:04that will be exchanged

04:05between the center and the state.

04:07He's going to be here

04:08to pay a visit

04:10and to commemorate

04:11the millinery anniversary

04:12of the Ganga Kondal Chodapura Rukapur.

04:15A big, big monumental day indeed

04:17for Tamil Nadu, Tamilians

04:18and India as a whole.

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