Narendra Modi boards Delhi Metro to attend Gita Aradhana event at ISKCON, unveils 800-kilogramme Bhagavad Gita

Hours after convening a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in Delhi in the wake of the Indian Air Force's strike in Pakistan's Balakot and a public rally in Rajasthan's Churu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday boarded the Delhi Metro from Khan Market metro station to attend the Gita Aradhana event at ISKCON-Glory of India Cultural Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ANI

Amid IAF cheer, the prime minister was seen interacting with some of the commuters who posed with them for pictures inside the coach.

The prime minister deboarded at Nehru Place metro station to reach the ISKCON Temple and Cultural Centre in East of Kailash area where he inaugurated an 800-kilogramme-heavy Bhagavad Gita that runs into 670 pages.

Tight security arrangements were made in and around the venue of the event.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) had earlier dubbed the book as the "Astounding Bhagavad Gita" that measures 2.8 metres by 2 metres. The religious body had also said that it is the "largest principle sacred text ever to be printed".

The sacred text has been printed in Milan, Italy, and on YUPO synthetic paper so as to make it "untearable and waterproof", ISKCON had further said in the statement, adding that the book also has 18 exquisite paintings.

#WATCH Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the largest Bhagavad Gita of the world, at ISKCON temple. pic.twitter.com/zOnmLQJiRx — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019

Known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON is a worldwide confederation of over 400 temples and runs around 100 vegetarian restaurants as well as community-serving projects.

With inputs from PTI