The President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the International Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra on 25 November. He will also participate in Gita Yajna and Gita Poojan ceremonies at Brahma Sarovar. The Mahotsav which will conclude on 3 December, will have Mauritius as a partner country and Uttar Pradesh as a partner state.
While disclosing this at a Press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, the chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, said the President would also inaugurate the International Seminar on Gita on Kurukshetra University campus the same day. About 25-30 lakh people are likely to participate in the Mahotsav this year as against the arrival of 20 lakh last year. Replying to a question, he said that people from 35 countries participated in Gita Mahotsav in 2016 at Kurukshetra and in 2017 we are expecting more than these.
The valedictory session of the three-day seminar would be held at Brahma Sarovar as ‘Sant Sammelan’ on 27 November in which many renowned saints and seers from all over the world would participate. The gracious presence of saints and seers in Kurukshetra on this occasion would be a befitting tribute to the spiritual text of Gita.
CM said the state government had selected Mauritius as a partner country, and UP as a partner state for the festival. This would definitely enhance the dimensions of the festival. Participation by many countries in the craft fair and cultural activities would lend an added attraction to the festival.
With a view to spreading the eternal message of Gita to the world, Vaishvik Path of Bhagvad Gita would be held at Brahma Sarovar and Jyotisar, the birthplace of Bhagvad Gita, on 30 November, from 12 noon to 12.15 p.m.
The CM said, Gita Shloka Recital, Gita Quiz Competition and other educational programmes would also be organised for the school students. The rendering of Astadash Shloki Gita by 11,000 school students at Brahma Sarovar on the occasion of the festival would be one of the major events of the festival. The grand Maha Arati and Deepdaan ceremonies on the day of Gita Jayanti would be organised at Brahma Sarovar on 30 November.
In a first, the International Gita Mahotsav will witness two coffee table books titled ‘Incredible Kurukshetra’ in English and ‘Atulya Kurukshetra’ in Hindi, which are being published. The festival will also feature a grand craft mela and Saras mela on the banks of Brahma Sarovar in Kuruksehtra in which artists and artisans from India and abroad would participate. Besides exhibitions by different cultural, spiritual, educational and social organisations at Brahma Sarover, rangoli, painting and photography competitions, ‘Book fair on Gita’ (Gita Pustak Mela), exhibitions showcasing the development and progress of Haryana, and a marathon race will be the star attractions for the visitors, the CM said.