Somnath Swabhiman Parv: PM Modi to lead Shaurya Yatra, perform darshan and pooja

the Prime Minister will perform darshan and pooja at the Somnath Temple at around 10.15 am.

• PM Modi to join Shaurya Yatra at Somnath Temple during Gujarat visit
• Shaurya Yatra honors warriors who defended Somnath Temple over centuries
• Event marks 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's first attack on the temple

Did our AI summary help?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to participate in the Shaurya Yatra on Sunday, the second day of his Gujarat visit, as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, which marks key milestones in the history of the Somnath Temple.

According to the schedule, the Prime Minister will join the ceremonial procession at around 9.45 am. Earlier, he took part in Omkar mantra chanting and other events held under the Swabhiman Parv.

Early in the day, sharing highlights from the previous day’s programmes on social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, “Somnath stands as a beacon of eternal divinity. Its sacred presence continues to guide people across generations. Here are highlights from yesterday’s programmes, including the Omkar Mantra chanting and drone show.”

Somnath stands as a beacon of eternal divinity. Its sacred presence continues to guide people across generations. Here are highlights from yesterday’s programmes, including the Omkar Mantra chanting and drone show.#SomnathSwabhimanParvpic.twitter.com/lCZxiaauMp

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 11, 2026

The Shaurya Yatra is being organised to honour warriors who laid down their lives defending the Somnath Temple over centuries. The procession will feature a symbolic march of 108 horses, representing valour, bravery and sacrifice.

Following the yatra, the Prime Minister will perform darshan and pooja at the Somnath Temple at around 10.15 am. He is also scheduled to participate in and address a public function in Somnath at approximately 11 am.

Extensive preparations were underway ahead of the Prime Minister’s participation, with artists and performers rehearsing for the procession. Several Sanskrit institutions from across Gujarat are taking part in the event.

Sanjay Brahmbhatt of Brahmarshi Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Kheda, said around 350 students from the institution would participate in the Shaurya Yatra. “We have come from Nadiad in Kheda district. We are from Brahmarshi Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, and around 350 students have come here. Our children will play the conch (shankh) and damru, and we will lead the procession ahead of the horses,” he told ANI.

A representative of Shri Narmada Sanskrit Ved Pathshala in Bharuch also confirmed participation in the procession. “We have come from Bharuch. We are from Shri Narmada Sanskrit Ved Pathshala, and everyone here has come to play the damru and sound the conch. We want to welcome Modi ji with the chanting of mantras,” he said.

The Somnath Swabhiman Parv, being observed from January 8 to January 11, marks the 1,000th anniversary of Mahmud of Ghazni’s first attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026. The temple endured repeated destruction and reconstruction over centuries, remaining a powerful symbol of faith and cultural resilience.

On Kartak Sud 1, Diwali day in November 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited the ruins of Somnath and expressed his resolve to rebuild the temple, viewing its restoration as vital to India’s cultural self-confidence. The reconstruction culminated in the consecration of the present structure on May 11, 1951, in the presence of then-President Rajendra Prasad.

In 2026, the country also marks 75 years since the historic consecration. Revered as the first among the 12 Aadi Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, the Somnath Temple, standing along the Arabian Sea with its 150-foot shikhar, continues to symbolise enduring faith and civilisational pride.