Chandigarh, November 3 - Haryana Chief Minister Shri Naib Singh Saini said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will also attend the state-level program to be held on November 25 in Kurukshetra on the 350th martyrdom day of Hind Di Chadar Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Apart from this, the Prime Minister will also participate in the International Gita Mahotsav. The 10th International Gita Mahotsav, which will start from November 15 in Dharamkheta-Kurukshetra, will continue till December 5. For the first time, this Mahotsav will continue for 21 days.
The Chief Minister was addressing a press conference organized at Haryana Niwas, Chhengigarh on Monday. During this, he said that a unique confluence of culture, knowledge and spirituality will be seen in the International Gita Mahotsav. The Chief Minister said that Dharmakhetra-Kurukshetra is spread over an area of ??48 kos. There are many pilgrimages in this area. 182 pilgrimages have been identified by the Kurukshetra Development Board. He said that today the Gita Mahotsav has gained international recognition. Gita Mahotsav has been organized in Mauritius, London, UK, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Every year in the International Gita Mahotsav in Dharmakhetra-Kurukshetra, the birthplace of the Gita, the number of devotees coming from the country and abroad is continuously increasing. Therefore, arrangements are also made on a large scale every year. He said that Madhya Pradesh will be the supporting state in this time's International Gita Mahotsav. Madhya Pradesh is famous for its rich religious and spiritual culture. The state with such great cultural traditions becoming a partner state in the International Gita Mahotsav has increased the prestige and prestige of this Mahotsav many times over. Madhya Pradesh is constructing a cultural pavilion in Purushottam Pura Bagh located on Brahmasarovar. Where one will get an opportunity to know the culture of Madhya Pradesh.
He said that the International Gita Mahotsav will be formally inaugurated on November 24 with Gita Yagya and Poojan at Brahmasarovar and three-day International Gita Seminars will be started at Kurukshetra University. Along with this, 25 scholars from 16 countries will be present in the International Gita Seminar through the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India.
He said that Gita Mahotsav programs will also be organized in 51 countries through the Ministry of External Affairs, which will be broadcast live. 20 Pandits from Fiji and Trinidad and Tobago are coming to Kurukshetra for 2 days, who will participate in various programs organized during the Mahotsav.
The Chief Minister said that from November 26 to November 30, a Katha will be organized under the patronage of Jio Gita by Padma Vibhushan awardee Rambhadracharya at Purushottampura Bagh.
Also, a Sant Sammelan will be organized at Purushottampura Bagh on November 29, in which renowned saints of the country will come together to discuss the Gita and its chapters. On November 30, an Akhil Bharatiya Devasthanam Sammelan will be organized at the Senate Hall of Kurukshetra University. Heads of various institutions from all over India will be present in this symposium.
The Chief Minister said that a YouTube channel will be run by the Information and Public Relations Department, Haryana during the Mahotsav. In this, various devotees will share their favorite verse from Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and their experience on the change in their lives with that verse. The most viewed video clip will be awarded a prize of Rs. 1 lakh in the closing ceremony of the festival.
Apart from this, a grand Gita Maha Aarti will be organized on the holy banks of Brahma Sarovar from November 15 to December 5. Also, cultural programs will be organized at 48 Kos pilgrimage sites of Kurukshetra land from November 25 to December 1. On December 1, Gita Yag, Gita Path and Bhagwat Katha will be organized at Jyotisar pilgrimage site. On the same day, 18 thousand students will perform the world reading of Gita in Theme Park, Kurukshetra. Lakhs of Gita lovers and devotees from India and abroad will also join this online.
He said that there will be a 48th Kos Tirtha Sammelan in the auditorium of Kurukshetra University. Representatives of 182 Tirtha Committees of Kurukshetra Bhoomi will participate in this. On December 1st, a Jirgavari will be organized at all 182 Tirthas of Kurukshetra Bhoomi and a Gita Shobhayatra will be taken out. Along with this, like every year, this year too, a Gita Book Fair will be organized at Brahma Sarovar from November 24 to December 1. During the festival, an exhibition of welfare schemes, a craft fair, a fun fair and a Balram Kushti Dangal will also be organized.
Gita Mahotsav programs in all districts of Haryana from November 28
The Chief Minister said that the programs of the International Gita Mahotsav will start from November 28 at all district headquarters and on December 1, Gita Shobhayatra will be organized in all district headquarters. Along with this, 1800 students will recite the Gita globally and the village panchayats will celebrate the evening time with Deep Utsav at their pilgrimages.
Kurukshetra has become the center of devotion of the world - Swami Gyananand Maharaj
Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand Maharaj said in his address that after the organization of the International Gita Mahotsav, there has been a unique change in the form of Kurukshetra. Today, Kurukshetra has acquired a special identity in the whole world. He said that Kurukshetra holds a very important place among the holy pilgrimages of our country. With the efforts of the Haryana Government, the Gita Jayanti Mahotsav has now assumed an international form. As a result of this, lakhs of tourists from the country and abroad have started coming to Kurukshetra.
Swami Gyananand said that now the number of devotees and tourists is continuously increasing in the holy land of Dharamkhetra-Kurukshetra throughout the year. Various seminars, management and stories are organized here and many famous storytellers are also eager to recite stories here.
He further said that the International Gita Mahotsav has given a new identity to the message of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita on the world stage. The honour received by Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the program organized in Bali recently is a proof of this. The Governor there also proposed that if the Haryana government is willing, an Indian Cultural Center can be established here to strengthen mutual relations.
On this occasion, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Rajesh Khullar, Commissioner and Secretary of the Information, Public Relations and Language Department Dr. Amit Kumar, Agarwal, Director General of the Department Shri K Makrand Pandurang, Chief Minister's Media Secretary Shri Praveen Atre and many officials of the Kurukshetra Development Board were present.