Soft start to Gita Mahotsav
Prez cancels visit after Jayalalithaa’s demise; Solanki, Khattar open festivities
KURUKSHETRA: With President Pranab Mukherjee cancelling his visit to Kurukshetra to inaugurate International Gita Mahotsav in the wake of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's death, Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar jointly opened the five-day festivities here on Tuesday.
The inauguration was a simple affair, with ‘Gita Pujan’ being held at the historical Brahma Sarovar. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of an international seminar, governor Kaptan Singh Solanki said: “India will lead the world in the 21st century and Bhagavad Gita can provide guiding principles for it.”
Religious leaders from other communities too took part in the seminar, titled ‘Bhagavad Gita: Holistic Life Management and World Heritage Tourism ’. Maul anaKok ab Muj tab a, president of Ulema Foundation, called for translating Gita to Urdu and other languages so that it could be read and understood by people from other religions. David Frawley of the American Institute of Vedic Studies and Bhai Satpal Singh of Ram Das Mission in the US also praised the Gita.
K’SHETRA TO BECOME RELIGIOUS TOURISM HUB, SAYS KHATTAR
Earlier, chief minister Khattar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state was committed to develop Kurukshetra as the religious tourism hub of the country.
“Since the Saraswati river is a symbol of faith and belief, the state government has constituted Saraswati Heritage Development Board for rejuvenation, conservation and research on this mythical river,” the CM said.
Khattar said the road map for Krishna Circuit had been prepared to “develop this holy land as a world-class tourist destination”. Under this project, ₹100 crore will be spent on the development and beautification of Sanhit Sarovar, Ameen Kund, Narkatari, Brahma Sarovar and Jyotisar.
Besides, a 3D multimedia show based on different themes of the epic Mahabharata, a grand statue of Lord Krishna and a theme park complex depicting the 48 kos area of Kurukshetra will also be developed.
REPRESENTATIVES OF 574 DISTRICTS JOIN FESTIVITIES
Representatives of 574 districts of the country reached Kurukshetra with 400 gram soil from their areas, which will be used to create a statue of Lord Krishna. Khattar accorded a warm welcome to all of them. Chanting one shloka of Gita, they took part in the festivities in their traditional dresses.
“I have come here to learn teachings of Gita and will take back its message to my native place,” said Abhay Singh, who came from Alwar district of Rajasthan. Samair Vishwas from West Agartala in Tripura said: “We are very happy that Gita is being promoted worldwide. Now I will promote its teachings back home.”
HARYANA GUV ALL PRAISE FOR MODI
Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki was all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Modi is the only PM whose high command is ‘janta’ (people). The entire world listens to him carefully and is praising him,” he said, referring to Modi coming on the top in the readers’ poll for TIME ‘Person of the Year 2016’.