Gita Press: From tiny space in Kolkata to world's largest Hindu books publisher

The Government of India on Sunday conferred the prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 on Gita Press, Gorakhpur - one of the world's largest publishers of religious texts. The government lauded the publishing house for its unparalleled contribution to the collective upliftment of humanity.

Read on below to understand the significance of Gita Press in promoting Hindu religious philosophy and how it has become the world's largest publisher of Hindu sacred texts:

Gita Press: World's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts

Gita Press, located in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, is a renowned publishing house that has played a significant role in promoting Hindu philosophy and spreading the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and other Hindu religious texts. 

Founded in 1923 by prominent businessman and philanthropist Jayadayal Goyandka under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (presently governed by the West Bengal Societies Act, 1960), Gita Press initially operated from a small rented space in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and focused on publishing sacred books like the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana.

Goyandka envisioned an institution that would disseminate Hindu scriptures and other religious literature among the masses.

Shortly afterwards, Gita Press shifted its operations to Gorakhpur, from where it has operated ever since.

It particularly gained prominence after roping in independence activist and philanthropist Hanuman Prasad Poddar, who founded one of Gita Press' most popular publications - 'Kalyan'.

'Make Hindu scriptures accessible to people'

Through its publications, Gita Press played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the cultural and spiritual heritage of India. It published books on a wide range of topics, including philosophy, mythology, yoga, and the lives of saints and spiritual leaders.

What set Gita Press apart was its commitment to affordable pricing. The organisation always endeavoured to make religious literature accessible to all sections of society by keeping the prices of its publications low. By providing "neutral" translations, abridgements, and commentaries in various vernacular languages, Gita Press made the teachings of Hinduism simpler to understand for a wide range of readers.

The publishing house currently offers books at prices as low as Rs 5, making them accessible to millions of households, spiritual seekers, and devotees, shaping their understanding of Hindu philosophy and spirituality.

The publishing house sells its publications at prices that are lower than the actual production costs. "The deficit is met by the surplus from other departments of the society which render services at a reasonable cost, in accordance with the objects of the society," the publishing house says on its website.

Over the years, Gita Press has expanded its activities to translating Hindu scriptures into multiple languages, including Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Tamil, Marathi, and others, to make them accessible to people of different linguistic backgrounds.

The Gita Press portal claims that its archives contain over 3,500 manuscripts, including over 100 interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita. It has published over 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, which include the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (16.21 crore), famous works by Tulsidas, and epics such as the Ramayana (11.73 crore), the Puranas and the Upanishads (2.68 crore).

About 41.5% of books are available in Hindi, Telugu (9.3%), Gujarati (8.6%), Bangla (7.5%), Marathi (6.5%), English (5%) and Tamil (4.4%). 

Today, Gita Press stands as one of the largest and most respected publishers of Hindu religious literature in the world. Its vast collection of books, periodicals, and other materials continues to enlighten and inspire millions of readers worldwide.

The recognition of the Gandhi Peace Prize reinforces the significant role played by Gita Press in promoting Hindu scriptures.