The International Gita Jayanti Mahotsav and seminar 2016 on Bhagwad Gita began today on a lower note in Kurukshetra in view of the death of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. President Pranab Mukherjee, who was to attend the Mahotsav cancelled his visit last time as he left for Chennai to pay tributes to Amma. Many of the planned cultural and celebratory events were also cancelled.
Later, the event was inaugurated by Haryana Governer Kaptan Singh Solanki, who also inspected the foundation stone of Krishna Circuit which is touted to be developed at a cost of Rs 97.35 cr under the ‘Swadesh Darshan Yojna’. Over 18,000students recited Gita Shlokas at the Mahotsav, setting a new record today.
The Mahotsav commenced amid chanting of hymns and ‘Gita Pujan’ performed by Solanki and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar. The two dignitaries also inaugurated the Saraswati project, which includes 93 villages sites to be developed as pilgrimage and tourist spots.
Khattar also announced Kurukshetra and Sirsa (both rural and urban) as open defecation free districts. Commenting on the same, the CM later said that the state government had plans to build Krishna corridor to develop places of historical and cultural significance around Kurukshetra for which a fund of Rs 100 crore has been allotted.
The Mahotsav has been organised to honour Gita Jayanti from starting from December 6 to 10. President Mukherjee was to inaugurate the International Gita Mahotsav-2016 at Brahma Sarovar and the international seminar on Gita at Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta Auditorium at Kurukshetra University.
While doing the inauguration of the holistic life management and world heritage tourism seminar in Kurukshetra University, Solanki said that India is passing through a process of reawakening.
Bhagwad Gita can be a guiding principle for the same and to achieve success in life, the messages and teachings of Bhagwad Gita need to be imbibed in thought, words and action, he added further.
