Omkar Mantra reverberates in Somnath
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took part in the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, as the historic temple town came alive with celebrations. Somnath has been beautifully decorated, with a series of events scheduled from January 7 to 11 as part of the festivities. During the programme, the Prime Minister joined the chanting of the Omkar Mantra and witnessed a spectacular drone show at the Somnath Temple.
The Somnath Swabhiman Parv has been organised to honour the countless Indians whose sacrifices in defending the Somnath Temple continue to inspire the nation’s cultural consciousness across generations. The event also commemorates 1,000 years since the invasion of the Somnath Temple by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026. Despite repeated attempts to destroy it over the centuries, the Somnath Temple stands today as a powerful symbol of resilience, faith, and national pride-restored to its ancient glory through collective resolve and enduring devotion.
At around 8 pm, Modi participated in a high-energy roadshow and was greeted by enthusiastic supporters, devotees waving flags as the entire route was lined with floral decorations. Huge banners have been put up in the city with the message ‘Akhand Somnath, Akhand Bharat'’.
The main road leading to the Somnath temple, from the Shankh Circle to the Veer Hamirji Gohil Circle, which bears a statue of Veer Hamirji Gohil, a 16th-century Rajput warrior known for his sacrifice defending the Somnath temple against invaders, has been decked up with hoardings, banners and posters commemorating the occasion.
A mega drone show featuring several planned thematic formations, including huge images of Lord Shiva and a ‘shivling’, and a 3D depiction of the Somnath temple, enthralled the spiritual ambience near the ancient shrine in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district. Modi witnessed the show and was often seen chanting mantras and Om.
Later on Sunday, the Prime Minister will reach Rajkot to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference for the Kutch and Saurashtra Region. He will inaugurate the Trade Show at the Conference and Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference for Kutch and Saurashtra Region at Marwadi University.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also announce the development of 14 greenfield smart Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation Limited (GIDC) estates and inaugurate the medical device park of GIDC at Rajkot.
Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference is being held from January 11-12, catering to 12 districts across the Kutch and Saurashtra regions. Dedicated exclusively to these regions, the conference aims to usher in fresh momentum for investment and industrial growth in western Gujarat. The focus sectors of the conference include Ceramics, Engineering, Ports and Logistics, Fisheries, Petrochemicals, Agro and Food Processing, Minerals, Green Energy Ecosystem, Skill Development, Startups, MSMEs, Tourism and Culture, among others. Japan, South Korea, Rwanda and Ukraine will be the partner countries for the Conference.
To further expand the reach and impact of the successful model of Vibrant Gujarat, four Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences are being held across the State. The first edition of the Regional Conference for the North Gujarat region was held at Mehsana in October, and the current edition is being held for the Kutch and Saurashtra region. The Regional Conferences for South and Central Gujarat will subsequently be organised in Surat and Vadodara, respectively, in April and June.
“The Regional Conferences will not only serve as a platform for showcasing regional achievements and announcing new initiatives but also as instruments for co-creating Gujarat's growth story by empowering regional economies, promoting innovation and facilitating strategic investments in every part of the State. The achievements of Regional Conferences will be showcased during the next edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit to be held in January 2027,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
