FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Celebrating the Birth of Bhagavad Gita in Kurukshetra

Devika Khosla

Last updated: Apr 3, 2017

There are several offbeat festivals in India and the Gita Jayanti Samaroh is one such unique celebration. This festival commemorates the birth of one of India’s most revered holy texts, the Bhagavad Gita. The festival takes place in Kurukshetra, Haryana and is usually held in November or December. It’s an annual event and is celebrated with much fanfare, with both the devotees and the curious descending upon Kurukshetra to be a part of this one-of-a-kind celebration. The festival is jointly organised by Haryana Tourism and the Kurukshetra Development Board. Lately, it is being celebrated as the week-long Kurukshetra Festival of Haryana. This year, the festival commences on December 13^th, 2013.

The holy text of the Bhagavad Gita

Mythological Roots

It is believed that Kurukshetra is the land where the real essence of Hinduism was founded. The area is named after King Kuru, who was the ancestor of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It is also known as Dharmakshetra or the Holy City and this is where the epic battle of Mahabharata is said to have taken place. It’s the place where the Gita was preached, which became the philosophical guide for Arjuna as he battled not just the Kauravas but also his inner demons. The Bhagavad Gita provides answers to all the problems in life and it is the most sacred text of Hinduism. Other ancient texts such as Manusmriti, Rig Veda and Saam Veda are also said to have been composed in Kurukshetra. The Gita Jayanti festival celebrates the religious importance of this region as well as the holy text.

A scene from the Mahabharata | Photo Credit: Arnab Dutta / Wikimedia

The Festival

The festival is characterised by several spiritual activities such as recital of shlokas from the Gita, bhajans and katha readings (reading of stories from the Gita). Other activities include dance, dramatisation of scenes from the Mahabharata and Sufi music. There are book exhibitions and medical camps as well as discussions and talks by Hindu scholars and charity events. Local arts and crafts are also on sale. Devotees usually take a bath in the holy waters of two of the tanks in Kurukshetra – the Brahma Sarovar and the Sannihit Sarovar. The festival is held for a one week, with the Gita Jayanti being celebrated on the 11^th day of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of Margasheersh.

Getting there

Kurukshetra is well-connected by road and rail with major cities in northern India. Delhi is the nearest airport. There are couple of mid-range to budget hotels in the town and you can get great last minute deals on MakeMyTrip.com. Apart from attending the Gita Mahotsav, other places of interest include Jyotisar, a small town 12 kilometres from Kurukshetra, which is said to be the place where Krishna delivered the Gita to Arjuna. There are several temples, ghats and gurudwaras in Kurukshetra as well as the Krishna Museum and the Kalpana Chawla Planetarium. There are several other culturaland religious festivals celebrated in Haryana that may be of interest.

Immerse yourself in this historical festival celebrating the Bhagavad Gita. Book your train or bus tickets to Kurukshetra only on MakemyTrip.com!

Devika Khosla

Devika’s always going ‘somewhere’. Obsessive foodie, spa junkie, animal lover, mountain goat and global citizen. That’s her story.

Comments

iskcondwarka | on 25 June 2018

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