New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the Somnath Swabhiman Parv on January 11, marking a major milestone in the year-long observances commemorating the resilience of Indian civilisation that rebuilt the Somnath Temple despite repeated destruction over centuries.

The celebrations are being organised at the historic Somnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and located on the Arabian Sea coast at Veraval in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region. A series of spiritual, cultural and social programmes are scheduled to take place from January 8 to 11, officials said.

In a blog marking 1,000 years since the first attack on the temple, Modi described Somnath as a powerful symbol of India’s unyielding civilisational spirit.

“Somnath stands as one of the finest examples of the indomitable spirit of our civilisation, rising again and again in the face of immense adversity,” the Prime Minister wrote.

The Prime Minister noted that 2026 marks a millennium since the first assault on the temple, adding that despite repeated attacks in the centuries that followed, Somnath continues to stand tall.

“The story of Somnath is the story of the unbreakable resolve of countless sons and daughters of Bharat Mata who safeguarded our culture and values,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with modern India, Modi said the same spirit has enabled the country to overcome centuries of invasions and colonial exploitation and emerge as a major global growth driver.

“Today, the world looks at India with optimism and confidence. Global investors see promise in our young innovators, while India’s art, culture, festivals, yoga and Ayurveda are finding admirers worldwide,” he said, adding that Indian solutions are contributing to global challenges.

The Prime Minister said the aggressors who once sought to destroy Somnath are now remembered only as symbols of devastation.

“They are reduced to footnotes in history, while Somnath continues to shine, reminding us of a spirit that remained unbroken even after the attack of 1026,” he wrote.

“Somnath teaches us that hatred and fanaticism may destroy temporarily, but faith and conviction in goodness have the power to create something eternal,” Modi said.

He asserted that if Somnath could rise repeatedly after being attacked for centuries, India too could reclaim the civilisational glory it embodied before the invasions.

“With the blessings of Shri Somnath Mahadev, we move forward with renewed determination to build a Viksit Bharat, guided by our civilisational wisdom for the welfare of the entire world,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi also recalled the role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the reconstruction of the temple after Independence. He said Patel’s visit to Somnath in 1947 inspired him to announce the rebuilding of the shrine, which was eventually inaugurated on May 11, 1951, in the presence of then President Dr Rajendra Prasad.

Although Patel passed away before the inauguration, Modi said his vision stood realised. He also remarked that the reconstruction did not receive enthusiastic support from the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who had expressed reservations about the President and ministers associating with the event.

“Despite those reservations, Dr Rajendra Prasad stood firm, and history recorded the moment,” Modi wrote.

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The Somnath Temple was attacked and looted several times in history, most notably by Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century, but has remained a defining symbol of faith and continuity for generations of Indians.