International Gita Mahotsav 2024 Inaugurated in Kurukshetra, Haryana
Festival
4 min read
The Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the International Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra, Haryana, on 5 December 2024. The Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Lt. General (Retd.) Gurmit Singh, Governor of Uttarakhand, Arif Muhammad Khan, Governor of Kerala and Ms Tabia, Minister for Information, Youth and Culture, Zanzibar, were also present.
The 2024 International Gita Mahotsav is being held in Kurukshetra, Haryana, from 28th November -15 December 2024.
The International Gita Mahotsav commemorates the birth of ‘Srimad Bhagwat Gita’, the sacred scripture containing advice of Lord Krishna that he gave to Arjuna in Kurukshetra on the first day of the famous 18-day battle in the Mahabharata.
Organiser and Partner State/Country of the International Gita Mahotsav 2024
The annual International Gita Mahotsav is organised by the Kurukshetra Development Board of Haryana Tourism in collaboration with the Government of Haryana.
This year, Tanzania, an African country, is the foreign partner country, and Odisha is the State partner.
About the History of the Gita Mahotsav
The Haryana government started the Gita Mahotsav in 1989 as a state-wide cultural and religious event. Gradually, it became popular, attracting thousands of people from all parts of India.
In 2016, the Haryana Government rebranded the event as International Gita Mahotsav, which attracted more than 20 lakh people.
To popularise the event, a state is chosen as the partner state for the Mahotsav every year. In 2023, Uttarakhand was the partner state.
Feature of the International Gita Mahotsav
- During the Gita Mahotsav, various cultural and religious functions, such as yajnas, Gita readings, bhajans, aartis, dance, and dramas, take place.
- Eminent scholars and priests participate in discussions and seminars to illuminate the holy book's various facets and its perennial influence on humankind for generations.
- Stage plays and Gita chanting competitions are held for kids to encourage their interest in reading Gita.
- A crafts fair is organised during the Mahotsav.
About Srimad Bhagwat Gita
Srimad Bhagwat Gita (Song of God) is considered one of the important religious texts of Hinduism, along with the Vedas and the Upanishads.
The Gita contains the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Pandavas Arjuna on the first day of the Mahabharat battle fought in Kurukshetra. Lord Krishna, the Avatara of Lord Vishnu, was Arjuna's charioteer during the war.
The Gita's message has inspired the Bhakti movement and influenced the development of Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism in the country.
