Omkar and Drone Recast Hindu Pride ::: Namo-led Somnath Swabhiman Parv ::: Historic Temple again reminds Bharat of who it has been—and who it is becoming ....

Government initiatives—ranging from ₹111 crore infrastructure investments to tax exemptions for donors notified in April 2022—have transformed the region into an engine of heritage-driven development. Local livelihoods have flourished. Tour operators speak of Gujarat offering a “bouquet of civilisation—forests, faith, sea, and history.” 

Vendors and workers proudly describe themselves as brand ambassadors of India’s civilisation, echoing Modi’s own words.

For many devotees present, including those who serve tourists daily, Modi’s presence carried emotional weight. His message was clear: heritage and development are not opposites—they are partners. Somnath, he said, represents both India’s spiritual roots and its modern aspirations.

In the 21st century, Somnath’s legend has acquired a new dimension. The temple is no longer just a monument of survival—it is a living assertion of Hindu faith, cultural continuity, and national self-confidence. Under a starlit sky lit by drones and devotion alike, Somnath once again reminded India of who it has been—and who it is becoming.

                               Modi's mentor L K Advani launched Rath Yatra from Somnath in 1990

From repeated destruction to 21st-century resurgence, Somnath Temple rises as a symbol of faith, resilience, and India’s cultural revival under Narendra Modi. 

At Somnath, history does not merely rest in stone—it breathes, chants, and ascends into the night sky. The celebration of Somnath Swabhiman Parv, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was not just a religious event. 

It was a powerful civilisational statement—where Omkar chanting, devotion, and cutting-edge drone technology merged to tell a thousand-year-old story of resilience.

The defining moment was a spectacular drone show, illuminating the skies of Prabhas Kshetra with divine and historical imagery tracing Somnath’s Swabhiman Yatra—its long journey of destruction, revival, and rebirth. Hundreds of drones choreographed visuals that left devotees spellbound, immersing the sacred township in devotion and a renewed sense of national pride.

The symbolism was unmistakable. Somnath, the first Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva, has once again risen—like a phoenix from its ashes. The temple has endured repeated assaults on faith and identity, from the invasions of the medieval period to long decades of neglect. 

Yet, time and again, it has returned, rebuilt by believers who refused to let history end in rubble.

Destroyed after 1290 by Alauddin Khilji, restored by the Chudasama ruler Mahipala, desecrated again under subsequent regimes, and finally ordered to be destroyed “beyond the possibility of repair” by Aurangzeb in 1701, Somnath’s story mirrors the endurance of Hindu civilisation itself. As chronicled by K.M. Munshi, Somnath was never merely a temple—it was a test of cultural survival.

That survival gained new momentum in independent India under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whose personal supervision ensured the temple’s reconstruction. Later, leaders like Dr Rajendra Prasad and Morarji Desai nurtured its revival. In the 21st century, that legacy has found continuity under Prime Minister Modi—now also the Chairman of the Shree Somnath Trust, a role he assumed unanimously in January 2021.

Somnath today stands tall on the shores of the Arabian Sea, its 150-foot Shikhar crowned by a 10-ton Kalash, its Dhwajdand soaring 27 feet high. Beyond faith, it has emerged as a major spiritual tourism hub, drawing lakhs of pilgrims and tourists from India and across the world.

(courtesy - The Raisina Hills)

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