Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 12 : Haryana's Cabinet Minister Arvind Sharma said Kurukshetra, the land of the Bhagavad Gita, will play a key role in deepening India-Indonesia ties. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, the state is promoting the timeless message of Lord Krishna.
According to the release, Minister Sharma emphasised that in the 21st century, the teachings of the Gita remain highly relevant in resolving global conflicts and promoting peace.
Speaking at the inauguration of the three-day International Geeta Mahotsav in Bali, Sharma said that India is making every possible effort to sensitise the global community about the message of the Gita, and the festival in Bali would serve as a beacon in this direction. The event, being jointly organised by Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) and Jio Geeta, began on Friday.
Leading the Indian delegation as the representative of Chief Minister Saini, Sharma was welcomed along with Geeta Manishi, Swami Gyananand Maharaj and KDB honorary secretary Upendra Singhal by members of the Provincial Legislature at the historic Regional House of Representatives in Bali. During the session, the sacred text of the Gita was formally presented in the house.
Addressing the gathering, Sharma recalled that the tradition of celebrating the Gita at an international level was initiated in 2016 by then Chief Minister Manohar Lal, and is now being carried forward under CM Saini's leadership with the guidance of Swami Gyananand Maharaj and Geeta Gyananam Sansthanam. He stated that despite being separated by 90 nautical miles, India and Indonesia share centuries-old cultural and religious ties, as reflected in the influence of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as the use of Sanskrit in Indonesia.
He noted that if the world truly embraced the teachings of the Gita, all conflicts would end and humanity would unite as one family. Describing it as a scripture that empowers the weak, strengthens the helpless, and instils courage in the defeated, he said intellectuals worldwide acknowledge that the solutions to modern challenges lie in the Bhagavad Gita. He also highlighted the state government's efforts to develop Kurukshetra as a mega tourist destination under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.
As per the release, Minister Sharma said, Rs 175 crore is being invested to develop 134 sites associated with the Mahabharata war as part of the Krishna Circuit, while the Mahabharata Experience Centre in Kurukshetra is nearly 90 per cent complete, where visitors will be able to experience the epic in an immersive manner.
Swami Gyananand Maharaj, in his address, said that the Gita is a complete scripture containing the eternal words of Lord Krishna, and acts like a lighthouse guiding humanity through darkness and adversity with hope, patience, and positivity.
In a significant development, Bali's provincial legislature proposed that land in Kurukshetra be allocated to people of Indonesian origin so that they may establish a direct and permanent connection with the sacred land. Sharma assured that he would discuss this sentiment with Chief Minister Saini and take appropriate steps.
The event was attended by the Secretary (South) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Nina Malhotra, Consul General of India in Bali, Shashank Vikram, KDB CEO, Pankaj Setia, Chairman of the 48 Kos Tirth Monitoring Committe,e Madan Mohan Chhabra, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Anju Ranjan, KDB member, M.K. Mudigyl, Vice Chairman of Bali State Assembly, Nova Sewiputra, Head of Commission, Nyoman Budiutama, Med Surpatha, Karnal Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, Sombir, and other dignitaries.