Wikipedia

Gita Press

Gita Press is an Indian books publishing company, headquartered in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.[1] It is the world's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts. It was founded in 1923 by Jaya Dayal Goyanka and Ghanshyam Das Jalan for promoting the principles of Hinduism. Hanuman Prasad Poddar better known as "Bhaiji" was the founding and the lifetime editor of its noted magazine who also wrote articles with his pen name Kalyan.[2]

Gita Press
Logo
StatusActive
FoundedMay 3, 1923; 101 years ago (1923-05-03)
FounderJay Dayal Goyanka
Ghanshyam Das Jalan
Country of originIndia
Headquarters locationGorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh
DistributionWorldwide
Publication typesHindu Religious Books and Kalyan Masik
Nonfiction topicsHinduism
No. of employees350
Official websitewww.gitapress.org

It started publishing in 1927, with a circulation of 1,600 copies and at present its print order had reached 250,000 (in 2012). The Gita Press archives contain over 3,500 manuscripts including over 100 interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita.[3]

Seth Jaya Dayal Goyanka, Shri Hanuman Prasad Poddar and Shri Ghanshyam Das Jalan, Gita preachers set up the Gita Press on 29 April 1923, as a unit of Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (presently governed by the West Bengal Societies Act, 1960). Five months later it acquired its first printing machine for Rs 600. Since its establishment, the Gita Press has published more than 140 million copies of the Gita and 100 million copies of the Ramcharitamanas, at subsidized prices.[4] Gita Press completed its hundred years in 2022. Former President Ram Nath Kovind had started its centenary celebrations on 4th May 2022. Prime minister Narendra Modi also congratulated in 2023. [5] On 18 June 2023, Gita Press was conferred with the Gandhi Peace Prize of 2021, by the Government of India.[6]

Gita Press office gate in Gorakhpur

It temporarily shut down in December 2014 over wage issues, [7] but work resumed a few days later.[8]

Publications

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Magazines

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  • Kalyan (in Hindi) is a monthly magazine being published since 1927. It has articles devoted to various religious topics promoting uplifting thought and good deeds. Writings by Indian saints and scholars are regularly published in the magazine.
  • Kalyana-Kalpataru (in English) is also a monthly and has been published since 1934. Its contents are similar to Kalyan.

Neither of these magazines runs any advertisements.

 
Gita Press Gorakhpur outlet at Kanpur Railway Station

Religious texts

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These texts are published in Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, English, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Oriya and other languages of India.

Other publications

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  • Bhakta-Gathas and Bhajans
  • Small books geared towards children

Branches

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Gita Press has the branches and stalls in following locations. Most of the stalls are operated in railway platforms except Churu and Nadiyad. Churu has a stall near Rishikul Brahmacharyashram vedic school and Nadiyad has a stall near Santram Temple.

Branches State Address Stall Operations
Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh 24/2/10, Chowk Ayodhya Road, Sai Nagar, Chowk Ayodhya Road, Sai Nagar, Ayodhya – 224123 NIL
Bengaluru Karnataka 7/3, 2nd Cross, Lalbagh Road, Bangalore – 560027 Bangalore, Yashwantpur, SSPN, Hubli
Coimbatore Tamil Nadu Gita Press Mansion 8/1 M, Racecourse, Coimbatore – 641018 NIL
Bhilwara Rajasthan G-7, Aakar Tower, C Block, Opp. Harsh Palace, Gandhi Nagar, Bhilwara – 311001 NIL
Cuttack Odisha Bharatiya Towers, Badam Badi, Cuttack – 753009 Cuttack, Bhubanshwar
Delhi Delhi 2609, Nayi Sarak, Delhi – 110006 Delhi, Nijamuddin, New Delhi, Bikaner, Churu
Rishikesh Uttarakhand Gita Bhavan, P.O. Swargashram, Rishikesh – 249304 NIL
Haridwar Uttarakhand Sabjimandi, Motibazar, Haridwar – 249401 Haridwar
Hyderabad Telangana 41, 4-4-1, Dilshad Plaza, Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad – 500095 Secunderabad, Vijaywada
Indore Madhya Pradesh G-5, Shree Vardhan, 4 R.N.T. Marg, Indore – 452001 Indore
Jalgaon Maharashtra 7, Bhim Singh Market, Near Railway Station, Jalgaon – 425001 Aurangabad
Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 24/55, Birhana Road, Kanpur – 208001 Kanpur, Lucknow, Kota
Kolkata West Bengal 151, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kolkata – 700007 Kolkata, Sealdah, Howrah, Dhanbad, Kharagpur
Mumbai Maharashtra 282, Samaldas Gandhi Marg (Princess Street), Near Marine Lines Station, Mumbai – 400002 NIL
Nagpur Maharashtra Shriji Kripa Complex, 851, New Etawari Road, Nagpur – 440002 Gondia
Patna Bihar Ashok Rajpath, Opposite Women's Hospital, Patna – 800004 Patna
Pune Maharashtra Shop No. 3, Ruchi Apartment, Near Sai Service Station, Pulachiwadi, JM Road, Pune – 411004 NIL
Raipur Chhattisgarh Mittal Complex, Ganjpara, Telghani Chowk, Raipur – 492009 Raipur
Ranchi Jharkhand Cart Sarai Road, Upper Bazar, First Floor Birla Gaddi, Ranchi – 834001 Ranchi
Surat Gujarat Vaibhav Apartment, Opposite Nutan Niwas, Bhatar Road, Surat – 395001 Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bharuch, Nadiyad
Varanasi Uttar Pradesh 59/9, Nichibag, Varanasi – 221001 Mughal Sarai
Chennai Tamil Nadu Electro House No. 23, Ramnathan Street, Kilpauk, Chennai – 600010 NIL
Gorakhpur Uttar Pradesh Gita Press, P.O. Gita Press, Gorakhpur – 273005 Chapra, Siwan, Muzaffapur, Gorakhpur, Gondia, Jabalpur, Samastipur
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Gita Press outlet, Gita Bhavan, Muni Ki Reti.

The Art Gallery has the lilas (works or plays) of Shri Rama and Shri Krishna portrayed in 684 paintings by famed artists of the past and present. Other paintings, including Mewari style paintings of the Shri Krishna Lila are also on exhibit. The entire 700 verses of the Bhagvad Gita are displayed on marble plaques affixed to the walls.

Affiliated organizations

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The Gita Press is part of the Govind Bhawan Karyalaya, Kolkata.

Other affiliated institutions are:

  • Gita Bhavan (Satsang Bhawan in which tourist can live for free), Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh
  • Rishikul-Brahmacharya Ashram (Vedic school), Churu, Rajasthan
  • Ayurved Sansthan (Producer of Ayurvedic medicines), Rishikesh
  • Gita Press Seva Dal (Philanthropic organization for natural calamities)
  • Hasta Nirmit Vastra Vibhag (quality cloth shop), Gorakhpur, Rishikesh, Kanpur and Kolkata

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica.
  2. ^ Hanuman Prasad Poddar Archived 2010-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Holy word India Today, 20 December 2007.
  4. ^ "Gita Press Runs into Its Next Century – Hinduism Today".
  5. ^ "PM wishes Gita Press on completing 100 years". 3 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 to be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  7. ^ Historic Geeta Press shuts down indefinitely
  8. ^ "Work resumes at Gita Press". The Times of India. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Thulasidas Ramayana". The Hindu. 21 May 2002. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
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