18,000 school students recite 18 shlokas from Gita to set new world record
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar addressing the students
Over 18,000 school students recited 18 shlokas from 18 chapters of the Gita together at the Gitamaya Yuva Chetna programme in Haryana on Wednesday as a part of the ongoing International Gita Mahotsav.
“Today’s programme is unique as 18,473 school students together recited 18 shlokas from 18 chapters of Gita and thus created a world record. Gita is the combination of Karam Yog, Gyan Yog and Bhakti Yog and we can draw inspiration by following these in our lives,” Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said.
Khattar also congratulated the students on this achievement and announced an award of Rs 5 lakh for them.
Highlighting the significance of the shlokas, Khattar recalled that how a common man like him had become the Chief Minister of Haryana by adopting a Gita shloka.
“In my early days I had come in contact with a great personality and learnt half of one Gita Shloka with its significance ‘Karam Karo Fal Ki Chinta Mat Karo’ and since then, I have been following this principle in my life,” he said.
“Recitation of Gita shlokas generate waves in the atmosphere and help in spreading high values in the society,” he said.
After the ‘Ashtashloki Gita Path’, the students performed ‘Surya Namaskar’.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister exhorted the people not to confine themselves to reading Gita but also adopt the holy book in their lives and contribute to the development of society and the country.
Various programmes would be organized to mark the five-day International Gita Mahotsav, which began on December 6.
According to one report, Lord Krishna had recited 574 Gita shlokas out of the total 700 shlokas and youths in equal number from 574 districts of the country have reached Kurukshetra to showcase one shloka each.
The students have also brought soil from their respective districts, which would be utilised to make an idol of Lord Krishna at Kurukshetra to symbolise unity and integrity of the country, Khattar said.
A global chanting of Srimad Bhagvad Gita would also be held on Gita Jayanti Day on December 10 in 25 countries simultaneously at the same time from 6 to 6:15 pm, he added.
