‘From Ghazni to Aurangzeb’: PM Modi invokes Somnath's history; hails temple’s resilience

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected Sunday invoked the past of Somnath Temple and however ancestors had "staked their lives for the temple 1,000 years ago", saying "flag hoisting astatine Somnath Mahadev Mandir shows the powerfulness of India and its capabilities to the full world"."From Ghazni to Aurangzeb, each spiritual fundamentalists thought that by their sword they had won Somnath," PM Modi said, adding that successful the rhythm of clip "those fundamentalist invaders are present reduced to pages of history, but Somnath temple inactive stands tall".Addressing a gathering during the "Somnath Swabhiman Parv", PM Modi said: "Those contiguous here, your ancestors, our ancestors, stake their lives for their faith, for their belief, for Mahadev - they sacrificed everything they had"."When I americium interacting with you, the question arises again and again - precisely 1000 years back, astatine the aforesaid place, what would person been the atmosphere? Those contiguous here, your ancestors, our ancestors, stake their lives for their faith, for their belief, for Mahadev - they sacrificed everything they had. A 1000 years back, the invaders thought they had defeated us, but today, adjacent aft 1000 years, the emblem hoisting astatine Somnath Mahadev Mandir shows the powerfulness of India and its capabilities to the full world," PM Modi said.

The onslaught connected the Somnath temple marked the opening of a agelong play during which the temple was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt implicit centuries. Despite this, Somnath ne'er ceased to beryllium successful the corporate consciousness of the people. The rhythm of the temple's devastation and revival is unparalleled successful satellite history. It demonstrated that Somnath was ne'er simply a chromatic structure, but a surviving embodiment of belief, identity, and civilisational pride.'History of hatred was hidden'PM Modi claimed that the "true past of hatred, atrocity and panic was hidden" and, without taking names, attacked the Congress-led authorities for "whitewashing the history" that encapsulates the aggregate attacks by Mughal invaders connected the temple located astatine Gujarat's coast."If Somnath was attacked for wealth, past the archetypal onslaught was enough, but it was attacked repeatedly, and its deity was desecrated," PM Modi said. "The True past of hatred, atrocity and panic was hidden from us; we were taught that the onslaught was effort to loot the Somnath temple. Those progressive successful appeasement knelt earlier specified spiritual extremism," helium said.Somnath Swabhiman ParvThe Somnath Swabhiman Parv, being observed from January 8 to January 11, 2026, commemorates 1,000 years since the archetypal onslaught connected the temple successful 1026. That battle marked the opening of a agelong play during which Somnath was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.Despite these repeated attacks, the temple remained profoundly embedded successful the corporate consciousness of the people. Its rhythm of demolition and revival is often described arsenic unsocial successful satellite history, underscoring Somnath’s lasting spiritual and taste importance.Before his address, PM Modi offered prayers astatine the Somnath Temple aft completing the Shaurya Yatra successful the temple town.

During his visit, the Prime Minister paid floral tributes to the statues of Veer Hamirji Gohil and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Veer Hamirji Gohil is remembered for laying down his beingness successful 1299 AD portion defending the Somnath Temple during an penetration led by Zafar Khan. Earlier successful the day, PM Modi participated successful the Shaurya Yatra arsenic portion of a four-day nationalist observance marking 1,000 years of uninterrupted religion and resilience since the archetypal recorded onslaught connected the Somnath Temple successful January 1026 by Mahmud of Ghazni. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Gujarat main curate Bhupendra Patel and lawman main curate Harsh Sanghavi during the visit. As the procession moved done Somnath, Modi was seen blowing a conch ammunition and acknowledging radical who had gathered on the route. The Shaurya Yatra is simply a ceremonial procession organised arsenic portion of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, an lawsuit that symbolises courage, sacrifice and the enduring tone that helped sphere Somnath done centuries of demolition and rebuilding. Ahead of the yatra, 108 horses from the Gujarat Police Mounted Unit arrived to enactment successful the procession, adding to its ceremonial significance.