TORONTO: A gala festival ‘International Gita Mahotsav’ was held last week – from September 16 to 19 – in Ottawa, Mississauga and Toronto, ending with a grand finale parade (Shobhayatra) at Yonge and Dundas Square in the Toronto.
The parade represented the Yagna theme with Sri Rudram & Durga Saptashati chants.
The event was held under the aegis of Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand ji Maharaj, GIEO Gita Canada & Kurukshetra development board with support of GTA temples and cultural organizations. The festival began with the consecration and ennobling of the Gita in the Parliament in Ottawa, which was attended by several political leaders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent a video message. This was followed by a seminar on Shri Bhagvad Gita at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga and a dance performance – ‘Shree Krishna Leela’. The Mississauga event was also attended by Rudy Cuzzeto, MPP for MississaugaLakeshore, Mayor Bonnie Crombie , Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown. Mississauga Councillor Deepika Damerla and others.
Swami Gyanandaji in the presence of Mayor Patrick Brown announced the first ever Srimad Bhagvad Gita Park anywhere outside India. Mayor Brown has committed to rename an existing park & also that a statue of Krishna with chariot will be installed.
