Kolkata, Dec 7 (PTI) Lakhs of devotees, including sadhus and sadhvis from across West Bengal and neighbouring states, took part in a mega Bhagavad Gita recital at the iconic Brigade Parade Ground here on Sunday noon, organisers said.
The monks, clad in saffron robes, read shlokas from copies of the Gita in unison at the venue, as saffron flags bearing images of Bajrangbali and Lord Ram fluttered across the venue.
According to organisers, around one lakh people joined the collective chanting of the first, ninth and eighteenth chapters of the scripture.
Among the participants was Debraj Roy, a youth from Memari in Purba Bardhaman, who arrived with four friends, all wearing tilak and saffron turbans, one of them carrying a flag.
Several national tricolours were also waved by the crowd, which repeatedly chanted “Hare Krishna Hare Hare, Gita path ghare ghare”.
Asked about claims that the event was organised with an eye on the Hindu vote bank ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls, Roy told PTI, “We are not associated with any political party. But we think Hindus should be united cutting across political beliefs and should be respectful towards their spiritual heritage, faith and culture. We believe in living in harmony with people of different faiths and religions.” Another youth, Samrat Sarkar from Birahi in South 24 Parganas, who is associated with the VHP, said he attended alone “to be part of the charged atmosphere of lakhs of people joining the recital exercise of the shlokas in an orderly manner”.
He added that the event should not be used for political purposes.
Senior BJP leaders, including Union minister and former state president Sukanta Majumdar, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, former MP Locket Chatterjee and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were present.
Prominent religious leaders such as Swami Pradiptananda Maharaj, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj, and Dhirendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham, along with senior monks from various maths and Hindu religious orders, also attended.
Christened ‘Panch Lakkho Konthe Gita Path’ (Gita chanting by five lakh voices), the programme was organised by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, a collective of monks and spiritual leaders from various monasteries and religious institutions.
“The Gita is not for Hindus alone, it is for all 140 crore people of India,” Paul said.
Organisers said the event aims to invoke West Bengal’s spiritual heritage and promote social harmony, claiming it to be the largest such collective recital attempted in the state and possibly the country.
“In a climate of division, spiritual practice can restore calm and direction,” Kartik Maharaj said, adding that thousands had pledged their participation.
Stalls run by various Hindu monastic orders sold miniature editions of the Gita, religious books and items of worship.
Long queues formed at several stalls distributing ‘bhog’ and ‘prasadam’ after the recital.
Elaborate arrangements were made for crowd management, security and emergency medical services, with an expected turnout of 5 lakh people.
Three large stages were erected and security was intensified across central Kolkata.
The spiritual lead was taken by Swami Gyananandaji Maharaj of the Geeta Manishi Mahamandal.
The event came a day after suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir laid the foundation of a ‘Babri Masjid-style’ mosque in Murshidabad, underscoring how questions of faith and identity are increasingly shaping West Bengal’s public space ahead of the assembly elections next year.
Sunday’s gathering also coincided with the second anniversary of a similar ‘one lakh voices’ Gita chanting event held at Brigade in December 2023 ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, which had triggered a political slugfest, with the ruling TMC accusing the BJP of using religion for polarisation. PTI SUS BSM AMR MNB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.