PM Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at the Somnath temple after concluding the Shaurya Yatra.
Somnath: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the Somnath temple and offered prayers to Lord Shiva after concluding the Shaurya Yatra. Before visiting the temple, he paid floral tributes to the statues of Veer Hamirji Gohil and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Gohil was the man who sacrificed his life while defending the Somnath Temple from the army of Zafar Khan in 1299 AD.
#WATCH | Gujarat | PM Narendra Modi offers prayers at Somnath Temple.
Source: DD pic.twitter.com/lkFvl7zuar
— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2026
Before visiting the Somnath Temple, the Prime Minister took part in the Shaurya Yatra as part of the commemoration marking 1,000 years of unbroken faith since the first recorded attack on the Somnath Temple in the year 1026. Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the temple.
During his visit, the Prime Minister was joined by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
During the procession, the Prime Minister played the conch and acknowledged the greetings of the gathered crowd.
The ‘Shaurya Yatra’ is a symbolic procession organised as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. It represents courage, sacrifice and the indomitable spirit that preserved Somnath through centuries of adversity.
Ahead of the yatra, 108 horses from the Gujarat Police Mounted Unit arrived to take part in the event.
Somnath Swabhiman Parv, held from January 8 to January 11, 2026, marks 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s first attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026.
The attack marked the start of a long period during which the temple was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. Despite this, Somnath remained deeply rooted in the collective memory of the people. The repeated destruction and revival of the temple is seen as unique in world history, reflecting its continued spiritual and cultural significance.
On Kartak Sud 1, Diwali day, November 12, 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited the ruins of Somnath and expressed his resolve to rebuild the temple, calling its restoration vital for restoring India’s cultural confidence. The reconstruction, carried out with public support, was completed with the consecration of the present temple on May 11, 1951, in the presence of then President Rajendra Prasad.
It is to be noted that India marks 75 years since the historic consecration ceremony. Known as the first Aadi Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva among 12 Jyotirlinga, the Somnath Temple is located along the Arabian Sea with 150-foot Shikhar.
(with ANI inputs)
