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On Monday, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kurukshetra on 25 November to take part in the state-level event marking the 350th Shahidi Diwas of Guru Tegh Bahadur, also known as Hind Ki Chadar.
On the same day, the Prime Minister will attend the 10th edition of the International Gita Mahotsav, held in Kurukshetra from 15 November to 5 December.
This year, the celebration will extend over 21 days for the first time.
Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Saini said the Gita Mahotsav would serve as a confluence of culture, wisdom, and spirituality.
He further added that the sacred region of Dharmakshetra–Kurukshetra, covering a 48-km radius, is home to numerous pilgrimage sites, 182 of which have been identified by the Kurukshetra Development Board.
Highlighting the event’s international reach, Saini said the festival has already been celebrated in Mauritius, London, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
The number of devotees visiting Kurukshetra, the birthplace of the Bhagavad Gita, has grown steadily each year, prompting large-scale preparations.
This year, Madhya Pradesh will participate as the partner state, bringing its distinct cultural and spiritual heritage to the event.
A special pavilion representing Madhya Pradesh showcases the state’s artistic and traditional diversity at Purushottam Pura Bagh near Brahma Sarovar.
Major Highlights and International Participation
The Chief Minister said the Mahotsav would begin formally on 24 November with a Gita Yagna and worship ceremony at the banks of the Brahma Sarovar.
A three-day International Gita Seminar will also open at Kurukshetra University, featuring 25 scholars from 16 countries with the support of the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
Through the same ministry, Gita Mahotsav events will also take place in 51 countries, and the ministry will broadcast the programmes live.
Twenty priests from Fiji and Trinidad and Tobago will visit Kurukshetra to take part in the ceremonies.
CM Saini added that the Information and Public Relations Department will run a dedicated YouTube channel during the festival, encouraging devotees to share their reflections and favourite verses from the Bhagavad Gita.
The most viewed video will receive a cash award of Rs 1 lakh during the closing ceremony.
A grand Gita Maha Aarti will take place daily at the Brahma Sarovar from 15 November to 5 December, alongside cultural performances at various pilgrimage sites across the 48-Kos region between 25 November and 1 December.
On 1 December, a Gita Yagya, Gita Path, and Bhagwat Katha will take place at Jyotisar Tiratha.
On the same day, millions of devotees worldwide will join a global Gita recitation involving 18,000 students at the Theme Park.
The Chief Minister also announced a 48 Kos Tirtha Sammelan at Kurukshetra University’s auditorium, where representatives from all 182 Tirtha Samitis will participate.
A grand Deepotsav will light up all 182 pilgrimage sites on 1 December, accompanied by a Gita Shobha Yatra.
As in previous years, a Gita Book Fair will run from 24 November to 1 December at Brahma Sarovar, along with a public welfare exhibition, craft fair, fun fair, and the traditional Balram Kushti Dangal.
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