PM Modi to visit Somnath on Jan 10-11 for Swabhiman Parv marking 1,000 years of Mahmud Ghazni’s invasion
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "PM Modi to visit Somnath on Jan 10-11 for Swabhiman Parv marking 1,000 years of Mahmud Ghazni’s invasion")
An image shared on X shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, visiting the Somnath temple Photograph: (X@narendramodi)
Somnath Swabhiman Parv marks 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's invasion of the Somnath Temple in 1026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (Jan 09) said that he will visit Somnath in Gujarat on 10-11 January to participate in Somnath Swabhiman Parv, which is being held to mark 1000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s invasion of the Somnath Temple in the year 1026. The event will celebrate the historic temple and its enduring legacy of resilience despite repeated attempts at its destruction over centuries. Somnath's journey also symbolises faith and national pride, owing to the collective resolve and efforts to restore it to its glory.
Sharing details of his visit through X, the Prime Minister said, "The Somnath Swabhiman Parv is a powerful symbol of our spiritual tradition, which is being celebrated across the country with complete devotion, faith, and enthusiasm. In the same vein, tomorrow night around 8 PM, I will have the good fortune to participate in the divine chanting of the Omkar Mantra at the Somnath Temple."
He added that on "The next morning, around 9:45 AM, after joining the Shaurya Yatra dedicated to the countless heroic progeny of Mother India, I will visit the temple for darshan and worship. Following that, I will also have the opportunity to participate in a public program here."
The Somnath Swabhiman Parv, being held from 8 to 11 January 2026, is being organised to remember the countless citizens of India whose sacrifice to defend the Temple continues to inspire the cultural consciousness of future generations.
Multiple Indian icons across the centuries led the effort to rebuild the Somanath, including Ahilyabai Holkar, the ruler of Indore and a devout Hindu queen, who funded and oversaw the rebuilding of a new Somnath temple.
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After independence, the effort for the restoration of the Temple was undertaken by Sardar Patel. One of the most important milestones in this journey of revival was achieved in 1951, when the restored Somnath Temple was formally opened to devotees in the presence of the then President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad. The completion of 75 years of this historic restoration in 2026 adds special significance to the Somnath Swabhiman Parv.
