Punjab Newsline | Jamnagar
The historic Somnath Temple in Gujarat celebrated 75 years of its reconstruction on Sunday with grand religious ceremonies and cultural events under the “Somnath Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations.
The temple was reconsecrated on May 11, 1951, in independent India after being rebuilt following centuries of destruction and restoration. The anniversary marks a significant chapter in the country’s cultural and spiritual history.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a 2-kilometre roadshow before reaching the temple premises, where he performed Shivabhishek rituals and took part in the ceremonial anointment of the temple’s shikhar (spire).
Amid Vedic chants, the temple shikhar was consecrated with holy water collected from 11 sacred pilgrimage sites. Using a 90-metre-high crane, priests carried out the grand kumbhabhishek ceremony by pouring sanctified water over the temple spire.
Following the rituals, the Indian Air Force’s Suryakiran Aerobatic Team performed a 15-minute air show above the temple complex. Flowers were also showered on the shrine from Chetak helicopters, adding to the celebrations.
The year 2026 also carries historical significance for the temple, as it marks 1,000 years since the 1026 invasion by Mahmud of Ghazni, during which the original Somnath temple was destroyed.
