Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Odisha will be a partner state for the next International Gita Mahotsav-2024, which will take place in Kurukshetra from November 28 to December 15 and coincide with the Sarasa and Shilpa Fairs. The announcement was made on his X account by Suryabanshi Suraj, the Minister of State for Languages, Literature, and Culture.
“I am delighted to announce that Odisha will be the partner state for the upcoming International Gita Mahotsav-2024….The festival will officially commence with the Gita Yajna and worship at Brahmasarovar on December 5. A highlight of the celebration will be on Gita Jayanti, December 11, when 18,000 students will come together for a grand recitation of the Bhagavad Gita at the sacred site of Jyotisar,” he wrote.
Earlier during a press conference, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced that the United Republic of Tanzania will be the partner country for the mahotsav, while Odisha would be the partner state. The International Gita Mahotsav this year will provide a stunning blend of spirituality, culture, and art. “During the grand event, the timeless message of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita will be shared with all of humanity,” he said.
Canada, Australia, and Sri Lanka celebrated the first International Gita Mahotsav in September 2022, April 2023, and 2024, respectively, while Mauritius and London hosted the event in 2019. For the past eight years from 2016, the mahotsav has had great success. Thousands of people from India and other nations attend the Mahotsav. Last year, 45–50 lakh people took part.
On December 5, in conjunction with Gita Yajna and “Pujan” at Brahma Sarovar, Kurukshetra University will host a three-day “International Gita Seminar.” Purushottampura Bagh will host a saint sammelan on December 9 and an All-India Devasthanam Conference on December 10 at the same site. “A Gita Yajna and Bhagwat Katha will be held at Jyotisar Tirtha on Gita Jayanti (December 11), with 18,000 students reciting the Gita globally,” he said.
