Image: PTI
The IAF’s Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team performed aerial manoeuvres during the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav at the Somnath Temple on Monday.As part of the celebrations, Narendra Modi participated in the Vishesh Maha Puja, followed by the Kumbhabhishek and Dhvajarohan ceremonies, marking the consecration rituals and the hoisting of the temple flag. PM Modi on Monday offered prayers at the Somnath Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, as part of the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav commemorating 75 years since the inauguration of the restored temple by India’s first President, Rajendra Prasad.Before entering the temple premises, the prime minister paid tribute to the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during a roadshow in Somnath.Earlier in the day, the PM Modi held a roadshow on his way to the temple, drawing large crowds of supporters amid heightened security arrangements across key areas of the city.PM Modi is on a visit to Gujarat to attend the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav and inaugurate Sardar Dham in Vadodara, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi had said on May 9.PM Modi on Friday shared an op-ed ahead of his proposed visit to the Somnath Temple on May 11, reflecting on the temple’s civilisational significance and paying tribute to those who preserved and restored it through the centuries.In a post on X, Modi said, “Wrote an OpEd about my forthcoming visit to Somnath on 11th May and why this day will always be important with respect to Somnath and the greatness of our civilisation. Also paid homage to every person who endured all sorts of challenges yet always protected Somnath and restored its glory.”In the op-ed, the prime minister noted that the visit would mark 75 years since the inauguration of the restored Somnath Temple by India’s first President, Rajendra Prasad. PM Modi also referred to the Somnath Swabhiman Parv held earlier this year to commemorate 1,000 years since the first attack on the temple, describing Somnath’s history as a journey “from ruin to renewal” or “from Vidhvans to Srijan.”
