Page 25 - NIS English 16-31 December, 2025

Redevelopment of India’s oldest Jyotirlinga Temple

Shri Somnath Temple Deoghar
(Baba Baidyanath Dham)
The circumstances under which the n Ancient Somnath Temple: Air connectivity
Somnath Temple was destroyed, after which The Maratha queen Mato Shri achieved
its restoration, facilitated by the efforts of Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, hold a profound established the ancient Somnath n In July 2022, PM inaugurated
message for the nation. Places of faith and Temple in 1783. It was here and laid the foundation stone
culture like Somnath are crucial centers for that Somnath Mahadev was for development projects
the nation’s learning from the past... worshipped during the period worth over r16,800 crore in
of attacks on Somnath. The old
n Nearly 10 million devotees from Deoghar.
different states, across the country, temple complex, with its sacred n Modern facilities are being
and around the world visit the worship area and inaccessible expanded at Baba Baidyanath
Somnath Temple every year. entrance, has been renovated Dham in Deoghar,
to include a total area of 1,800
n Circuit House: A new Circuit square meters. The temple’s Jharkhand, under the Prasad
House was inaugurated in entrance has been streamlined. Scheme.
Somnath, Gujarat, on January 21, n Inauguration of Deoghar
2022. From every room in the n Shri Parvati Temple: Prime Airport to provide air
Circuit House, visitors can view Minister Narendra Modi laid the connectivity to Baba
the sea and the peak of Somnath. foundation stone for this temple Baidyanath Dham at a cost
n Samudra Darshan Path: in August 2021. The trust is of r400 crore.
Keeping in mind the natural carrying forward its commitment n Construction of two large
beauty of Somnath, the Samudra to construct the temple in the Tirtha Mandali Bhavans and
Darshan Path was built under the Sompura Salat style, developing the Shivganga Pond, each
Central Government’s ‘Prashad’ the sanctum sanctorum and with a capacity of 2,000
scheme. This 1.5-kilometer-long the Nritya Mandap at a cost of pilgrims.
Samudra Darshan Path is built approximately r30 crore. n Laying the foundation stone
along the seashore. n Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Deoghar AIIMS in March
n Somnath Exhibition Gallery: chaired a meeting of the Somnath 2018 to provide better and
This gallery is themed on temple Trust on October 30, 2023. modern treatment to patients
architecture. The fragmented The Trust’s environmentally from Deoghar and across
remains of the Somnath Temple friendly measures and how the Jharkhand.
are preserved here. The temple’s temple complex can leverage the n PM Modi inaugurated the
architecture, significance, and other latest technology to make the In-Patient Department (IPD)
information are provided in Hindi pilgrimage experience even more and Operation Theatre
and English, as well as in Braille. memorable were reviewed. facilities at AIIMS.