The iconic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata is gearing up to host a grand Bhagavad Gita recital event, likely to be attended by five lakh people along with several spiritual leaders on Sunday, the organisers said.
Organised by the Sanatan Sanakriti Sansad, the event aims to bring together Hindu devotees in a historic collective chanting of the Gita.
The organisers anticipate an unprecedented turnout, and security has been tightened across the Brigade.
According to the organisers, “Baba Ramdev, Dhirendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham, Kartik Maharaj, and several other spiritual leaders are scheduled to attend, this will be the largest collective Bhagavad Gita chanting event not just in Kolkata or Bengal, but in the history of India.”
The chanting will begin at 9 am, preceded by a recitation of sacred vedas.
“This will be the largest collective Gita chanting event in India’s history,” said the organisers, adding that there will be three stages, the main stage is from where Ramdev Baba will begin the chanting.
According to Kartik Maharaj, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has confirmed his attendance as a special guest on the dais.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been invited, but her office has not yet confirmed her presence or responded to the invitation.
Senior BJP leaders, including state president Samik Bhattacharya and Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, are also expected to attend.
The organisers said that they have been gearing up for the event for over three months, with tight security measures in place. These include 25 entry gates, CCTV cameras at key spots, and drones monitoring the proceedings. The participants have been requested to wear all-white attire.
“Bengal has long been a centre of spiritual and cultural heritage. Keeping that legacy in mind, this mega event has been organised with the participation of monasteries, temples, ashrams, social organisations and educational institutions,” Kartik Maharaj, monk of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, said while speaking to media persons on Friday.
“The congregation will be presided over by Swami Gyananandaji Maharaj of the Gita Manishi Mahamandal. Padma Bhushan awardee Sadhvi Rithambara will attend as chief guest, with Baba Ramdev as the guest of honour and Dhirendra Shastri as the special guest,” he added.