Kamal Nath to hold 'Hanumna Chalisa jaap' in Bhopal to mark Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary 

The entire program, which will be live-streamed, on a spiritual channel will coincide with Mehta’s disciples spread in 56 countries chanting Hanuman Chalisa in their respective nations simultaneously.
Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath (File Photo| PTI)
Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath (File Photo| PTI)

BHOPAL: To mark the 72nd death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Hanuman Chalisa will be chanted in Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal. 

The spiritual program marking the occasion will see famous international lifestyle management guru Vijay Shankar Mehta, who will be leading the Hanuman Chalisa chanting at the Minto Hall-Old Vidhan Sabha building in Bhopal on Thursday evening.

The entire program, which will be live-streamed on a spiritual channel, will coincide with Mehta’s disciples spread in 56 countries chanting Hanuman Chalisa in their respective nations simultaneously.

'Entire program marking Mahatma Gandhi’s Mahanirvan Diwas (death anniversary) will be held under the Hamare Hanuman Sanskritik Manch, Bhopal under the leadership of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, whose devotion towards Lord Hanuman is well known,' said MP’s spirituality department minister PC Sharma.

'While Mahatma Gandhi was a patriot, Lord Hanuman too was a Desh bhakti, Ram Bhakt and Sita Bhakt.  Entire program is the brainchild of the CM Kamal Nath, whose Hanuman Bhakti is accentuated best by a grand Hanuman Temple constructed by him in Chhindwara that also houses a giant 101 ft Hanuman idol. A total of 1.25 crore Hanuman Chalisa would be done by the lifestyle management guru’s disciples across the world, while the spiritual guru hailing from Ujjain will perform the chants at the Minto Hall in Bhopal,' said Sharma.

The unique program takes place just a few days after CM Kamal Nath constituted a high powered committee for paving the passage of construction of Sita Temple in Sri Lanka – an idea mooted by then CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2010.

'The government has already announced the plan and earmarked initial funds for Ram Van Gaman Path, spanning from Chitrakoot to Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh for developing a major religious tourism circuit on the route undertaken by Ram-Sita-Lakshman during their 14 year exile period. The Sita Temple in Sri Lanka will be ideal culmination of the Ram Van Gaman Path, as it’s the place where Lord Hanuman found Goddess Sita confined by Ravana,' said Sharma.

These initiatives are being seen as ruling Congress' soft Hindutva reply to BJP’s Hindutva brand politics. Prior to it, the Kamal Nath government had announced constructing 3000 gaushalas (cowsheds) by 2020 to ensure that no cattle remained homeless. Also, the government has decided to fund the construction of permanent Ramlila stages in all 300-plus urban local bodies.

Reacting to 1.25 crore Hanuman Chalisa chants to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary in Bhopal, state BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said 'Chanting of Hanuman Chalisa to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary is welcome. But the timing of the program is also apt as it comes amid the Congress party’s attempts to appease a particular section through opposition to Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The Congress and the CM fully know the negative fallout of the appeasing one section at the cost of another section, which is why they are trying to make amends.'

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