He said the event, centred around the country’s first Jyotirlinga, will celebrate “the unwavering faith and self-respect of Indian culture”.
Vaghani said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, the entire state machinery has been mobilised to ensure the success of the festival.
The minister noted that the festival coincides with two major milestones — 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s 1026 attack on the Somnath temple, and 75 years since Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel initiated the temple’s reconstruction. Calling it a “double coincidence”, Vaghani said the celebrations aim to remind the nation of the temple’s “history of bravery and resistance”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Somnath on January 10 at 5:30 p.m. and will offer prayers at the temple the following morning. He will also pay homage at the statue of Sardar Patel outside the shrine. PM Modi will then participate in a grand Shaurya Yatra and roadshow, and address a public gathering, where he is expected to deliver a message of cultural unity, Vaghani said.
A major attraction of the festival will be a drone show featuring 3,000 drones, billed as one of the largest ever, depicting the history and architectural grandeur of Somnath.
The Shaurya Yatra, dedicated to those who defended the temple across centuries, will feature 108 horses and travel from Shankh Circle to Hamirji Gohil Circle. Vaghani announced that four special trains will run daily from Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara on January 8, 9 and 10 to facilitate the movement of devotees. Inside the temple complex, 2,500 sages will conduct 72 hours of continuous Om chanting, while 1,000 artists will perform conch-blowing rituals.
The area will feature 20 stages for devotional music, folk dance and cultural performances. The local administration has arranged accommodation, food and darshan facilities for visiting pilgrims.
The minister added that the Somnath Corridor, approved under the guidance of PM Modi, has boosted tourism and economic activity in the region. “Like Ayodhya, Kashi and Dwarka, Somnath is emerging as a global spiritual landmark,” he said, inviting citizens across the country to join the celebrations.
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