Tourists start arriving for International Gita festival

The Brahma Sarovar here, the venue of International Gita Mahotsav-2016 to be held from December 6 and 10, has already come alive with tourists and folk artistes from different countries arriving to participate in the grand event.
President Pranab Mukherjee, will inaugurate the Mahotsav on December 6, an official spokesman said.
The early arrivals include international boxer, Manoj Kumar, who went around the venue today and got a tattoo symbolising the festival painted on his hand.
He described the tattoo as not only a warm invitation to participate in the celebrations, but also as a symbol of the cultural heritage of the State.

The venue is already choc-o-bloc with tourists, folk artistes, artists and people from different walks of life.
The International Gita Mahotsav, being celebrated by the Haryana Government, will also set a world record with the recitation of 'Ashtadash Shaloki Gita' by as many as 18,000 students at one go.

Besides, it is for the first time that it will be simultaneously chanted by hundreds of people in many countries of the world, said an official spokesman.
During Mahotsav, youths from 574 districts of the country would reach Kurukshetra, showcasing one Shloka each scripted on their traditional dresses.
They would also bring along sand from their respective districts which would be utilised to make an idol of Lord Krishna to symbolise unity and integrity of the country, he said.

To spread eternal message of Gita to the world community, global chanting of Srimadbhagvad Gita would also be held on Gita Jayanti Day before the final 'deepdan' ceremony at Brahamsarovar in Kurukshetra.
Eighteen selected verses of Gita from as many chapters would be recited on this occasion.
Deputy Commissioner, Sumedha Kataria said that the mega event would mark the birth anniversary of Bhagvad Gita, and that too, at the sacred place where Lord Krishna delivered the celestial message of Gita to a wavering Arjuna.
A seminar would be inaugurated by the President Pranab Mukherjee at Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta Auditorium on December 6.

The same day, he would lay the foundation stone of Krishna Circuit. The urban and rural areas of Kurukshetra district would be declared Open Defecation Free, the same day.
Deputy Commissioner said that out of the 700 shlokas of Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, 574 were recited by Lord Krishna himself.
Therefore, one youth each from the 574 districts of the country has been chosen to represent a Shloka.