Gir Somnath, May 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the Somnath Temple as a symbol of India’s “indestructible spirit” and “civilisational consciousness” while addressing the ‘Somnath Amrut Mahotsav’ celebrations in Gujarat’s Prabhas Patan.

Speaking after participating in various religious ceremonies at the Somnath Temple, PM Modi said the temple represented the country’s ability to rise repeatedly despite destruction and invasions over centuries.

“Today, the region of Prabhas Patan has been filled with a special thrill,” the Prime Minister said while opening his address with chants of “Jai Somnath” and “Har Har Mahadev”.

He further added, “This divine presence of Mahadev, this beauty, the showering of flowers from the earth and the sky, the radiance of saffron flags, the magnificent presentations of art, music and dance, the chanting of Vedic mantras, the continuous recitation of the Shiva Panchakshari in the sanctum sanctorum, and along with all this, the roar of the sea waves… it feels as though the entire creation is speaking together: Jai Somnath! Jai-Jai Somnath!”

The Prime Minister said the event marked 75 years of the consecration of Lord Mahadev at the reconstructed temple and reflected a “thousand-year journey of immortality”.

“As a devoted worshipper of Dada Somnath, I have come here many times and bowed before Him countless times. But as I was coming here today, this journey through time was giving me a deeply pleasant feeling,” he said.

PM Modi referred to repeated attacks on the temple by invaders, including Mahmud of Ghazni and Alauddin Khilji, saying the Somnath Temple had always risen again despite destruction.

“Looters attempted to erase the glory of the Somnath temple. They treated Somnath as merely a physical structure and repeatedly attacked it. Time and again, this temple and structure were destroyed, and each time it rose again, because those who tried to destroy it never understood the ideological strength of our nation,” he said.

The Prime Minister said India’s spiritual traditions viewed the “soul as immortal”, adding that “Shiva is the soul of all”.

He paid tribute to several historical figures associated with the reconstruction and preservation of Somnath over different periods, including Raja Bhoj, Raja Bhimdev I, Raja Kumarapala, Ahilyabai Holkar, the Gaekwads of Vadodara and Jam Sahib Maharaja Digvijaysinh Jadeja.

PM Modi also remembered thinkers, scholars and saints connected with Shaiva traditions in Prabhas Patan and said their legacy continued to inspire future generations.

Calling pilgrimage centres “sources of economic progress”, the Prime Minister said: “The government had expanded infrastructure around major religious destinations through projects including the Char Dham highway, the Kartarpur Corridor and the Buddhist circuit.”

Referring specifically to Somnath, he said that facilities for devotees had expanded significantly in recent years.

“Today, there is the Sea Viewing Path, which further enhances Somnath’s glory. There is a Tourist Facilitation Centre and an exhibition gallery. The old Somnath town is being rejuvenated,” he said.

PM Modi said the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav represented “a resolve to build such an India that remains connected to its roots while also being ready to reach the pinnacle of modernity”.

“This temple of Somnath teaches us that truth can be suppressed, but not erased. Faith can be challenged, but it cannot be defeated,” he added.

–IANS

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