The Deepotsav at Brahma Sarovar is a magnificent and defining event, primarily celebrated as the grand finale of the annual International Gita Mahotsav (IGM). It transforms the colossal Sarovar into a sea of light, reflecting the spiritual wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the Deepotsav:

1. The Core Event and Timing

• Deepotsav (Festival of Lamps): The name itself means ‘Festival of Lights’ and is the culmination of the IGM festivities. It is marked by the mass lighting of earthen lamps (diyas) and a massive Deep Daan (offering of lamps).

   
   

• When it Occurs: It is held on the day of Gita Jayanti, which is the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi (11th day of the waxing moon) of the Margashirsha month (as per the Hindu lunar calendar). This usually falls in late November or early December each year.

   

• Scale of Celebration: On this single evening, hundreds of thousands (often aiming for 3 to 5 lakh, or 300,000 to 500,000) of diyas are lit simultaneously around the entire periphery of the Sarovar, as well as at other key pilgrimage sites (Tirthas) in the surrounding 48-kos (84-mile) region of Kurukshetra.

2. Integration with International Gita Mahotsav (IGM)

The Deepotsav is not a standalone festival but the most spectacular component of the International Gita Mahotsav, which is a 15- to 21-day event celebrating the birth of the Bhagavad Gita on the same sacred soil where Lord Krishna delivered his sermon.

• Venue: The central and most prominent Deepotsav ceremony is held at the Purushotam Pura Bhag (the Western Bank of Brahma Sarovar), immediately following the Maha-Aarti.

   

• Official Program: The Deepotsav day is marked by several significant spiritual events:

   

  • Gita Maha Aarti and Deep Daan: The grand evening prayer followed by the symbolic floating of the lit diyas in the Sarovar.

     

  • Global Gita Path: A large-scale event where thousands of students and devotees recite the verses of the Bhagavad Gita together.

     

  • Gita Shobha Yatra: A grand procession related to the Gita.

     

3. The Visual Spectacle

• The Light: The Deepotsav creates an ethereal atmosphere. The sheer volume of lamps placed along the wide ghats (steps) of the colossal water tank, combined with the ones floating on the water’s surface, makes the Brahma Sarovar glow intensely.

• Reflection: The light from the diyas reflecting on the calm, dark waters of the Sarovar is the signature view of the festival, symbolically representing the spread of knowledge and light (the wisdom of the Gita) overcoming darkness (ignorance).