Schoolchildren to learn recitation of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita in schools from next session: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

SGT Times Reporter

Kurukshetra, December 12

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that now students will study lessons on Gita even in their schools.  From the next academic session, students will be taught how to recite the shlokas of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita in schools across the state.  After this, books related to Gita will be taught in Class V and VII. The Chief Minister made this announcement on Saturday at the International Gita Mahotsava organized in Kurukshetra. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was also present on the occasion.

In the presence of the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Chief Minister first inaugurated the GIEO Gita Auditorium after reaching the Gita Gyan Sansthanam.  After this, he addressed the 6th International Seminar organized at Gita Gyan Sansthanam and Kurukshetra University.  The Chief Minister said that before 2014, Gita Jayanti was being celebrated like a normal festival, but in 2014, with the inspiration of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, it was decided to give a grander shape to the Gita Jayanti festival.  Today Geeta Jayanti festival is being celebrated not only in the country but also abroad.

The Chief Minister said that the youth should imbibe the essence of Gita in their lives.  The message of Gita was given not for only Arjuna but for all of us.

Gita Jayanti committee should be constituted to organize programs for Gita Jayanti

Khattar said that in order to enhance the scale of International Gita Mahotsav, a Gita Jayanti committee should be constituted from next year.  Institutions and other organizations related to society should be included in this committee. With this, the followers associated with different organizations will also become participants in this program and the scale of the festival will be bigger.

Connectivity to various pilgrimage sites to be enhanced with buses

The CM said that the pilgrimages of 48 Kos of Kurukshetra are being developed for religious tourism.  Buses will be deployed with the help of Tourism Department to connect them.  People from India and abroad will come here to learn the history of the Kurukshetra.

Museum being built in Jyotisar at a cost of more than Rs. 200 crores

The Chief Minister said that a Mahabharata-theme Museum is being constructed at Geetasthali Jyotisar on 2 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 205 crores.  In this building, Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Saraswati River, and Vedic civilization will be depicted through a multimedia system. The Chief Minister said that along with the State Government, the Central Government is also cooperating for the development of Kurukshetra.  Kurukshetra has been included in Krishna Circuit for the development of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.  An amount of about Rs 98 crore has been released by the government for the development of the pilgrimages of Kurukshetra.

Krishna Utsav will be celebrated from next year

The Chief Minister said that on the lines of Ramlila, Krishna Utsav would also be organized during the International Gita Mahotsava from next year.  In this festival, which lasts from 5 to 6 days, different incidents related to the life of Lord Shri Krishna will be depicted through tableaux. There will be a light and sound show as well.

No shortage of budget

The Chief Minister said that till now there were 134 pilgrimage places in the 48 Kos land of Kurukshetra, some places of pilgrimage were left out earlier, this time 30 more pilgrimages have been added to it, after which the total number of pilgrimages has gone up to 164.  The Chief Minister said that the State Government has decided to get the development done in places related to Mahabharata. The budget is being given through the Kurukshetra Development Board.  Development work is going on at 75 out of 134 places.  The demand for the remaining places has been sent, committees have been formed for those as well.  The government will not lag behind in completing the work of lakes, toilets, and other facilities at these places, and there will be no shortage of budget.

Programs will be organized in other countries as well after COVID

The Chief Minister said that International Gita Mahotsava is being celebrated in foreign countries as well.  Earlier the festival was celebrated in Mauritius and UK, however, it was not celebrated elsewhere due to the COVID pandemic.  However, this year people are definitely connecting with the festival through virtual media.

The role of Gita was important in the freedom struggle

Sh. Manohar Lal said that Shrimad Bhagvad Gita has also been an inspiration for the freedom fighters who were martyred for the freedom of the country.  Martyr Bhagat Singh and freedom fighter Madan Lal Dhingra also followed the holy book, Gita.  Honouring 75 freedom fighters and their families on completion of 75 years of independence is commendable, he added.

On this occasion Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Sandeep Singh, Kurukshetra MP Naib Singh Saini, Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria, Rohtak MP Arvind Sharma, Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal, Thanesar MLA  Subhash Sudha, Satish Kumar of Swadeshi Jagran Manch and BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and many senior officers were present.