New Delhi, May 11
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday led a historic ceremony at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, marking 75 years since its reconstruction and restoration.
The "Somnath Amrut Mahotsav" commemorates the 1951 reconsecration of the shrine by India's first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, and reflects on a thousand years since the temple's first recorded invasion in 1026 CE.
The Somnath Temple, revered as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva, has long stood as a symbol of resilience.
Once ravaged by repeated assaults beginning in the 11th century, its story is one of destruction and renewal, with figures like King Kumarapala and Ahilyabai Holkar leading earlier reconstructions.
The modern structure was envisioned by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as a beacon of national resurgence, and today it rises proudly at Prabhas Patan with its 150-foot shikhar and 27-foot flag mast.
Somnath, meaning "Lord of the Soma" or "moon", has roots stretching back to the Indus Valley Civilisation between 2000 and 1200 BCE.
After being abandoned, the site was reoccupied around 400 BCE and continued into the historical era.
Known also as Prabhasa, or "place of splendour", it is listed in several Hindu texts as one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites of Lord Shiva.
The Shiva Purana's Jnanasamhita places Somnath at the top of the twelve Jyotirlingas, with other references found in the Skanda Purana and Shatarudra Samhita.
Its turbulent history includes the 1026 CE raid by Mahmud of Ghazni, as documented by the Persian historian Al-Biruni, who recorded the invasions during his time in India.
In January 2026, the "Somnath Swabhiman Parv" marked 1,000 years since the first attack, transforming remembrance into a celebration of civilisational endurance.
PM Modi's address reframed the temple's history, not as a tale of ruin, but as a millennium-long journey of reconstruction, linking Somnath's survival to India's indomitable spirit.
His leadership as Chairman of the Shri Somnath Trust has also modernised the region, with improved connectivity through the Vande Bharat Express and the reopening of Keshod Airport, fuelling a surge in spiritual tourism.
Digital engagement mirrored this resurgence, with Google searches for "Somnath" reaching a two-decade high and social media impressions crossing 1.37 billion by 2025.
The temple now draws nearly 10 million pilgrims annually, while initiatives under the "Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi" approach blend heritage with community welfare, ranging from vocational training and mobile computer education to environmental projects such as a Miyawaki forest.
Women, making up nearly 30 per cent of the workforce, play a vital role in its administration.
With the Somnath celebrations, PM Modi has reaffirmed a powerful narrative: invaders have faded into history, but Somnath endures as a living emblem of victory, of memory over erasure, of faith over fanaticism.
Today, it stands not only as a sacred shrine but also as a confident symbol of India's spiritual continuity and civilisational pride.
- IANS
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