President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the ‘International Gita Mahotsav’, organised by the Haryana government in Kurukshetra, on November 25, state’s chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar said on Tuesday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat among others were expected to take part in the festival which will conclude on December 3, Khattar said in a press conference in New Delhi.
Kovind will also participate in ‘Gita Yajna’ and ‘Gita Poojan’ ceremonies at Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra, Khattar said.
This year the Mauritius is the partner country and Uttar Pradesh is the partner state at the mahotsav (festival).
About 25-30 lakh people from 35 countries across the world were expected to participate in the Gita mahotsav. The state government has also invited scholars from other religions to deliberate upon the teachings of the Gita, Khattar said.
“With a view to spread 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 November 30, from 12 noon to 12.15 pm,” the chief minister said.
The festival will also feature a grand craft mela and Saras mela on the banks of Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra in which artists and artisans from India and abroad would participate. Besides exhibitions by different cultural, spiritual, educational and social organizations at Brahma Sarovar, 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 Chief Minister said.
Grand theatrical performances by renowned artists from India and abroad from November 25 to 30, 2017 will prove to be a major attraction at the festival. On November 30, famous dancer and actress Hema Malini will perform ‘Radha Raas Bihari’, the world renowned dance ballet, at the main stage of the cultural programme near Sadachar Sthal. Such one-day programme on Gita Jayanti would also be held in Karnal.
The Chief Minister also released two coffee table books titled ‘Incredible Kurukshetra’ in English and ‘Atulya Kurukshetra’ in Hindi.