PM to join Somnath Swabhiman Parv on January 11

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the Somnath Swabhiman Parv on January 11 to celebrate the resilience of the Indian civilisation, which rebuilt the temple in Gujarat that was ravaged repeatedly by foreign invaders.

The year-long celebrations are being planned at the Somnath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva on the Arabian Sea coast at Veraval in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region.

Many spiritual and social activities will take place in Somnath from January 8 to 11, the officials said.

In a blogpost to mark 1,000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple, the prime minister hailed the temple as a symbol of the indomitable spirit of Indian civilisation.

“There can be no better example of our civilisation’s indomitable spirit than Somnath, which stands gloriously, overcoming odds and struggle,” he said.

Modi also took a swipe at then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, claiming the opening of the temple in 1951 did not enthuse him.

The prime minister said 2026 marked 1,000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple took place and despite repeated attacks subsequently, the temple stands tall.

“This is because Somnath’s story is about the unbreakable courage of countless children of Bharat Mata who protected our culture and civilisation,” he said.

He said it was the same spirit that was visible in the nation, which has emerged as one of the brightest spots of global growth, having overcome centuries of invasions and colonial loot.

“It is our value systems and the determination of our people that have made India the centre of global attention today. The world is seeing India with hope and optimism. They want to invest in our innovative youngsters,” the prime minister said.

“Our art, culture, music and several festivals are going global. Yoga and Ayurveda are making a worldwide impact, boosting healthy living. Solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges are coming from India,” Modi said.

The prime minister said the aggressors of the past were now “dust in the wind”, their names synonymous with destruction.

“They are footnotes in the annals of history, while Somnath stands bright, radiating far beyond the horizon, reminding us of the eternal spirit that remained undiminished by the attack of 1026,” he said.

“Somnath is a song of hope that tells us that while hate and fanaticism may have the power to destroy for a moment, faith and conviction in the power of goodness have the power to create for eternity,” the prime minister said.

Modi said if the Somnath Temple, which was attacked a thousand years ago and faced continuous attacks thereon, could rise again and again, then “we can surely restore our great nation to the glory it embodied a thousand years ago before the invasions.”

“With the blessings of Shree Somnath Mahadev, we move forward with a renewed resolve to build a Viksit Bharat, where civilisational wisdom guides us to work for the welfare of the whole world,” the prime minister said.

The temple was attacked and plundered many times, including by the Turkish ruler Mahmud Ghazni in 1024 AD.

Modi recalled that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a key role in rebuilding the Somnath Temple after Independence.

“A visit during Diwali time in 1947 moved him so much that he announced that the temple will be rebuilt there. Finally, on May 11th, 1951, a grand Temple in Somnath opened its doors to devotees and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was present there,” he said.

Modi said Sardar Patel was not alive to see the opening of the Somnath Temple on May 11, 1951, but the fulfilment of his dream stood tall before the nation.

“The then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was not too enthused with this development. He did not want the Honourable President as well as Ministers to associate with this special event. He said that this event created a bad impression of India. But Dr. Rajendra Prasad stood firm and the rest is history,” Modi said.