Kolkata’s Brigade Grounds Host Massive “Gita Path” as Lakhs Recite Sacred Verses Together

On Sunday, the historic Brigade Parade Ground transformed into a vast congregation of faith as a massive assembly of devotees gathered for the “Panch Lakkho Konthe Gita Path” — a collective recitation of the Bhagavad Gita by five lakh voices in unison. Organised by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, the event drew sadhus, sadhvis, families and devotees from across West Bengal and neighbouring states in what is being billed as one of the largest spiritual gatherings the region has ever witnessed.

From early Sunday morning, participants — many clad in saffron robes, others holding flags and copies of the Gita — began streaming into the venue. As chants rose from the main stage, saffron and white garments merged into a sea of devotion under the open sky. According to the organisers, the recital, beginning around 9 a.m., would include shlokas from key chapters of the Gita, accompanied by Vedic invocations at the start.

The event was orchestrated across multiple large platforms, with extensive crowd and security arrangements: organisers reportedly installed 25 entry gates, deployed CCTV cameras, and even used drones to monitor proceedings. Such precautions, they said, were necessary in view of the unprecedented turnout and large-scale participation.

Leading the spiritual proceedings was Swami Gyananandaji Maharaj of the Geeta Manishi Mahamandal. The guest list included prominent figures such as yoga guru Baba Ramdev, along with other respected monks and spiritual leaders — adding visibility to what the organisers described as a display of Bengal’s deep-rooted spiritual heritage.

For many of those gathered, the “Gita Path” was more than a religious recital: it was a call for communal harmony and a demonstration of collective faith. One sadhvi, while speaking before the chanting began, described it as an effort to revive spiritual values and foster unity among participants, cutting across caste and regional divides. Organisers insisted the event was apolitical in nature, aimed purely at promoting peace, unity, and cultural legacy.

Despite that, in the charged atmosphere of pre-election Bengal, critics and observers have pointed out the potential political undertones of the gathering, given the scale of turnout and involvement of high-profile personalities. Nonetheless, the sheer magnitude of the assembly — with organisers estimating up to five lakh participants — underscores the continuing resonance of religious and spiritual identity among large sections of the population.

As the chants subsided and the crowd dispersed, many participants called the experience a “spiritual awakening.” For a day, Brigade saw the convergence of faith, culture and mass spirituality — a powerful picture of devotion in contemporary Bengal.