Gita Jayanti is a celebration of the gift of the Bhagavad Gita by Lord Krishna to the people of the world. It is celebrated on the Ekadashi or 11th day of the bright half of the lunar month in December/January every year.  This year, Gita Jayanti falls on 14th December. The occasion is celebrated with special readings of the Bhagavad Gita in temples and hindu organizations across the world. Some organizations also distribute copies of the Gita for free to promote the message of this holy scripture.

The Universal Message of the Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is considered by many Hindus to be the holiest of all the scriptures in Hinduism. It is one of the most often quoted Hindu scriptures within Indian (and perhaps even Western) literature. The Gita is a central treatise of the expansive epic, the Mahabharata. It is often referred to as the jewel in the crown of hindu philosophy and religious thought. The Gita consists of 18 Chapters and 700 verses that formed the discourse given to Prince Arjuna of the Pandava dynasty by Lord Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

While the Bhagavad Gita is considered by some to be the Bible of Hinduism, “the teachings of the Gita are broad, sublime and universal. They do not belong to any particular cult, sect, creed, age, place or country. They are meant for all. They are within the reach of all. The Gita has a message for the solace, peace, freedom, salvation and perfection of all human beings.”

The four Yogas explained in the Gita

Prince Arjuna was overcome by doubt and fear as he faced the prospect of doing battle with his half-brothers, gurus and friends. Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, removed his doubts by teaching him about the four-fold yogas of karma (action), bhakti (devotion), gyana (devotion) and prema (love).

International Gita Mahotsav

The festival is celebrated mainly in Kurukshetra, Haryana. The venue of the festival adds to the sacredness of the event. Kurukshetra is the land where celestial song ‘Bhagwad Gita’ is believed to have been delivered by Lord Krishna to Arjuna. The place also holds significance as the famous sage Manu wrote Manusmriti here. The Rig Veda and the Sama Veda were also composed here. Apart from Lord Krishna, the land was visited by divine personalities like Gautama Buddha and eminent Sikh Gurus.

Srimad Bhagwad Gita has since its inception, been the philosophical guide and spiritual teacher for Hindus. In Gita, Lord Krishna has taught numerous lessons to Arjuna, which are considered to be ideal means of living one’s life. The holy scripture of Hindu mythology provides all the solutions for any problem of life.

During the Gita Jayanti Samaroh devotees and pilgrims from all over India gather at Kurukshetra. A ritual observed to be followed by everyone is to take bath in holy water of the sacred tanks – Sannihit Sarovar and Brahma Sarovar. The whole environment becomes divine and spiritual with numerous activities being organised.

The weeklong festival is celebrated with major attractions like shloka recital, dance performances, Bhagwad Katha reading, Bhajans, Dramas, Book Exhibitions and free Medical check-up camps. The Samaroh is organised by Kurukshetra Development Board, Haryana Tourism, District Administration, North Zone Cultural Centre Patiala and Information and Public Relations Department Haryana.

Jyotisar – The Birthplace of Gita

Jyotisar is the place where the sacred Jyotisar, the birth place of Gita, is the most venerated tirtha of Kurukshetra. It is believed that Mahabharata battle started from Jyotisar, where on the eve of the battle deluded Arjuna received the eternal message of Gita from its propounder Lord Krishna. It is said that Adi Sankaracharya has identified the place during his sojourn to Himalaya in the 9th centenary of Christian era. In 1850 A.D. King of Kashmir constructed one Shiva temple at the tirtha. Again in 1924, King of Darbhanga raised a stone platform around the holy banyan tree, which according to devouts is the evidence of the song celestial i.e Gita. In 1967 Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kama Koti Peetha. Installed the Chariot showing Gita Updesha on the platform facing east. The tirtha in the past might be comprising the ancient temple, but they could not sustain because of the fury of the invaders in medieval times. Architectural member of one such temple of 9th-10th century is placed on the main platform of the temple.

Mahabharta museum

The project includes the hi-tech digital and virtual reality Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharta theme museum at Jyotisar, with a 100,000 sq feet new constructed area which will cater for 10,000 pilgrims expected every day.

Marble Chariot at Jyotisar

In 2021, a 40 feet tall statue of Lord Krishna, made of ashtadhatu (eight metals) in viratswaroop (universal form), was installed at the cost of INR10 crore (INR100 million or US130,000 at 2021 prices) at Jyotisar where Lord Krishna revealed Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. The structure is of 50 ft as the 40 ft statue stands on a 10 ft plinth.  This statue weighs 33 tons, has 20 feet deep underground pillars below the plinth, will be situation in front of light and sound with statue’s face towards southeast. The statue has nine heads, including Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Narsimha avatara of Lord Vishnu, Sugriva, Lord Hanumana, Lord Parshurama, and Agni Deva (fire god), which will be covered with a canopy in the form of Sheshnaga. below the torso are nine feet tall two feet, underneath those is a sacred lotus flower and Shehnaga’s tail.

Abhimanyu Chakravyuha statue at Abhimanyupur

A 18-ft tall statue of Abhimanyu at Abhimanyupur, with a chariot wheel carried in both hands above his head depicting his stance during the Chakravy?ha battle of Mahabharata war, is installed at Abhimanyupur at the place where he was killed.