Page 74 - NIS English 1-15 June, 2026

NATION | PM Modi in Gujarat

75 Years of the Restoration of the Somnath Temple

Somnath Amrit Mahotsav

A Celebration of India’s Unwavering Spirit

Somnath is not merely a temple; it symbolises the immortal flame of the Sanatan faith. Its
journey, from ruins to reconstruction, reflects India’s invincible heritage and its indomitable
resolve. Prior to participating in the Somnath Amrit Mahotsav, an event organised to mark the
completion of 75 years since the restoration of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi penned an editorial article. In it, he discussed the enduring significance of May
11th in the context of Somnath, as well as the greatness of India’s civilization. Additionally,
during his visit to Gujarat, he also inaugurated the Sardardham Hostel in Vadodara...

ur ancient scriptures state: प्रभाासंं च परि�क्रम्य time was giving me a delightful experience. It was only
ं
पृथि�वीीक्रमसंभावीम्। This means that performing a a few months ago that I last visited this site; at that time,
OParikrama of the divine Prabhas (Somnath) is we were celebrating the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. The
equivalent to performing a Parikrama of the entire Earth! pride of Somnath being indestructible even 1000 years
When devotees come here for Darshan, they also expe- after the first destruction, and today, 75 years after the
rience the marvellous continuity of a civilisation whose Pran Pratishtha of this modern form, we have got the
flame has never been extinguished. Many empires rose opportunity to experience the immortal journey of a
and fell, times changed, and history witnessed countless thousand years.
vicissitudes; yet, Somnath has always remained en- Seventy-five years ago, on May 11th, the consecration
shrined in the hearts of the nation’s citizens. of the Somnath Temple was no ordinary occasion. If
Addressing a grand gathering held within the India became independent in 1947, then in 1951, the
Somnath Temple complex on the occasion of the 75th Pran Pratishtha of Somnath proclaimed the independent
anniversary of its restoration, Prime Minister Naren- consciousness of India. At the time of independence,
dra Modi remarked: “As an ardent devotee of Dada Sardar Sahib forged the modern contours of a unified
Somnath. I have bowed before Him countless times, but India by integrating over 500 princely states. When the
today, when I was coming here, this journey through nation freed itself from foreign shackles, Somnath’s res-

Scan the QR code to watch the
Prime Minister’s full schedule

Scan the QR code to watch the
Prime Minister’s full schedule
72 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || June 1-15, 2026