MP's Grand Geeta Jayanti: Statewide Celebration of Bhagavad Gita Wisdom

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has directed every district, block and village to observe the occasion as a festival of universal wisdom and humanity.

Announcing the decision after the cabinet meeting, state Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said, the government emphasised that the Bhagavad Gita transcends religious boundaries.

"The Gita is not the scripture of any one faith; it is the eternal guide for entire humanity," the minister stated, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's practice of gifting copies of the sacred text to world leaders during foreign visits.

As part of the week-long spiritual celebrations, approximately three lakh devotees across all 313 development blocks in Madhya Pradesh's 55 districts and 10 divisions will simultaneously recite verses from the 15th chapter (Purushottama Yoga) of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.

Renowned Acharyas from the Shri Krishna tradition will lead the mass recitation programmes, which will be organised at block headquarters, temples and public grounds.

A grand state-level event is planned in the holy city of Ujjain, in which Chief Minister Yadav is expected to participate.

Ujjain, home to the revered Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, will host discourses, bhajans and cultural performances centred on the Gita's timeless teachings.

The state government is also coordinating with Haryana to ensure strong representation from Madhya Pradesh at the International Gita Mahotsav being held in Kurukshetra from November 24 to December 1, the minister said.

Delegations of scholars, artists and devotees from the state are likely to showcase Madhya Pradesh's rich Vaishnava heritage and Sanatan traditions at the global festival, which attracts participants from over 30 countries every year.

Schoolchildren, college students and government employees will be encouraged to read and reflect on the Gita during the week.

Several districts have already announced essay competitions, quizzes and Gita-path events in educational institutions.

With this initiative, Madhya Pradesh joins a growing list of states promoting the Bhagavad Gita as a universal philosophy of life.

"Lord Krishna's message of duty, righteousness and surrender to the divine is the need of the hour for a peaceful and progressive society," the minister said.

The statewide celebration is expected to strengthen cultural pride and spiritual consciousness among millions of citizens.

- IANS