Kolkata Witnesses Massive Gita Recitation as 11,000 People Chant Together

 

 

 

Kolkata: Around 11,000 people gathered at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium on Sunday, September 27, for a mass recitation of the Bhagavad Gita, turning the venue into a major religious congregation in West Bengal.

The programme was organised by Bangur Jagaran Mancha, bringing thousands of participants together to recite the Gita collectively. Several reports put the number of participants at around 11,000.

The event had been announced in advance as an 11,000-voice Bhagavad Gita recitation programme at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, drawing participants from Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal.

Suvendu Adhikari Addresses the Gathering

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari attended the programme and addressed the gathering. In his speech, he urged people to openly recite and distribute the Bhagavad Gita and Hanuman Chalisa and to chant the Hare Krishna mantra without hesitation.

Adhikari said “mausam badal gaya hai”, meaning “the winds have changed,” while describing what he presented as a change in the environment surrounding religious expression in the state.

He also said his government would protect what he described as traditional Hindu cultural practices and warned that those who insult saints, monks and spiritual leaders would face legal action. These remarks reflect Adhikari’s statements at the event.

पश्चिम बंगाल में 11 हजार लोगों ने किया सामूहिक भगवद्गीता पाठ, कार्यक्रम में पहुंचे शुभेंदु अधिकारी

Watch : https://t.co/IdUB1ITdFl#WestBengal #BhagavadGita #SuvenduAdhikari #Bharat24Digital@Dhirendrasays pic.twitter.com/Q2I32yZKKu

— Bharat 24 – Vision Of New India (@Bharat24Liv) September 27, 2026

 

Religious Gathering Takes a Political Turn

Although the main focus of the programme was the collective recitation of the Bhagavad Gita, parts of Adhikari’s speech also touched on contemporary political issues.

He appealed to people to remain united and referred to what he called the “tukde-tukde gang.” He also commented on recent remarks and controversies involving former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and religious preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba.

Adhikari further said that he had attended the programme as a participant in the religious gathering rather than in his official capacity as Chief Minister.

Plans for Larger Gita Recitation Programme

The Kolkata gathering also became a platform for announcing plans for another much larger Gita recitation programme.

Adhikari said a programme involving around 10 lakh people was planned in Kolkata for December 29, and indicated that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat could attend.

He also referred to plans involving Jagadguru Rambhadracharya around Makar Sankranti next year. In addition, he said the West Bengal government would set up a pavilion at the Gita Mahotsav in Kurukshetra.

These are future programmes mentioned by the Chief Minister and would be subject to further confirmation.

The September 27 gathering was notable for its scale, with around 11,000 participants joining the collective recitation of the Bhagavad Gita at a single venue in Kolkata.