Chandigarh – As in previous years, the International Gita Mahotsav will once again be celebrated with grandeur in the sacred city of Kurukshetra, Haryana. The festival will take place from November 28 to December 15, 2024. Since 2016, the Haryana Government has been celebrating the Gita Mahotsav on an international scale, enhancing the state’s reputation both nationally and globally. Each year, the festival is also hosted in a partner country, spreading the message of the Bhagavad Gita worldwide.
Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini, who also serves as the Vice President of the Kurukshetra Development Board, chaired a review meeting today at his residence, Sant Kabir Kutir, to oversee preparations for the event. The meeting was attended by Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goyal and renowned Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand Maharaj.
It was informed in the meeting that Tanzania will be the partner country, and Odisha will serve as the partner state for this year’s International Gita Mahotsav.
The Chief Minister said that special attention must be given to cleanliness throughout the city during the celebrations to ensure that visitors from both India and abroad experience a pleasant and orderly environment. He directed that social and religious institutions, resident welfare associations, and the youth of Kurukshetra district be actively involved in this effort. He said that a special cleanliness campaign, named Divya Kurukshetra, should be launched in the city, and he will personally participate in the initiative to encourage public involvement.
Main events will take place from December 5 to 11, with the grand celebration (Mahaparva) on December 11
In the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed that the grand celebration of Gita Jayanti will take place on December 11, 2024. The main events of the festival will be held from December 5 to 11, while district-level Gita Mahotsav programs will be organized at district headquarters from November 9 to December 11.
An initiative to boost the festival's reach through social media was also discussed. The Department of Information, Public Relations, Languages, and Culture will organize a YouTube competition with the theme 'My Favorite Shlok in Gita.' Participants can submit videos, and the most liked entry will receive a prize of Rs 1 lakh during the festival’s closing ceremony.
The Chief Minister was further informed that a national-level exhibition and live broadcasts will be showcased at four prominent religious sites across India: Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Dwarka in Gujarat, Udupi in Karnataka, and a significant religious site in Odisha.
Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Rajesh Khullar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Amit Agrawal, Commissioner and Secretary of Urban Local Bodies Department, Sh Vikas Gupta, Director General of Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department, Sh K Makrand Pandurang, Deputy Commissioner of Kurukshetra, Sh. Rajesh Jogpal, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Sh Bharat Bhushan Bharti, Chief Executive Officer of Kurukshetra Development Board, Sh. Pankaj, Advisor of Foreign Cooperation Department, Sh Pawan Chaudhary, Honorary Secretary of Kurukshetra Development Board, Sh. Madan Mohan Chhabra and other members of the board were present in the meeting.