Kolkata | Lakhs of devotees, including sadhus and sadhvis from across West Bengal and neighbouring states, took part in a mega Bhagavad Gita recital in Kolkata's iconic Brigade Parade Ground, organisers said.
The monks, clad in saffron robes, read shlokas from copies of the Gita in unison at the venue.
Senior BJP leaders, including former state chief Sukanta Majumdar, ex-MP Locket Chatterjee and MLA Agnimitra Paul, and prominent religious figures, including Swami Pradiptananda Maharaj, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj, and Dhirendra Shastri, took part in the event.
Christened 'Panch Lakkho Konthe Gita Path' (Gita chanting by five lakh voices), the programme is being organised by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, a collective of monks and spiritual leaders drawn from various monasteries and Hindu religious institutions.
Paul said, "The Gita is not for Hindus alone, it is for all 140 crore people of India."
Organisers said the programme seeks to invoke West Bengal's spiritual heritage and promote social harmony through scripture. It is being projected as the largest collective recital of the Gita ever attempted in the state and possibly in the country.
"In a climate of division, spiritual practice can restore calm and direction," said Kartik Maharaj, adding that thousands of people from across the state have already pledged participation.
Elaborate arrangements have been put in place for crowd regulation, security and emergency medical services as organisers have projected a participation of five lakh people. Three large stages have been erected at the sprawling venue, and security has been intensified across central Kolkata.
The spiritual lead is being taken by Swami Gyananandaji Maharaj of the Geeta Manishi Mahamandal, while yoga guru Baba Ramdev and several prominent monks have been invited for the programme.
The event comes a day after the politically charged foundation-laying of a 'Babri Masjid-style' mosque in Murshidabad by suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir, underlining how questions of faith and identity are rapidly converging in West Bengal's public space ahead of the assembly elections due early next year.
The gathering comes exactly two years after a similar 'one lakh voices' Gita chanting event was held at Brigade in December 2023 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The event had triggered a political slugfest, with the ruling TMC accusing the BJP of using religion as a tool for polarisation.
