Gandhinagar, Jan 8 (IANS) The grand celebration of ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’ commenced on Thursday and will continue till January 11.

The festival is not just a religious event but also serves as a medium to convey the unparalleled saga of Somnath’s thousand-year-old struggle, sacrifice, and reconstruction.

To enable the participation of maximum devotees, the state government is running special trains from four major cities.

A special train from Rajkot arrived at the Somnath Railway Station today, and saw the entire railway premises resonating with thunderous chants of ‘Har Har Bhole’ and ‘Jai Somnath’.

The devotees are excited and exhilarated to participate in the festivities as they see this not just merely as darshan, but as a commemoration of their ancestors’ struggles.

Deepakbhai Dave, a resident of Rajkot, said, “We have come here not just for darshan, but we want to pay tributes to our glorious history. Despite numerous attacks on Somnath, its majestic shikhara stands tall today, reflecting the enduring vibrancy of our culture. Swabhiman Parv has given us an extraordinary opportunity to participate in the thousand-year-old saga of struggle.”

Devang Jani, a young devotee, told IANS, “The direct train from Rajkot made our journey easier. Seeing how Sardar Patel restored this temple and how Prime Minister Narendra Modi is developing it into a world-class centre uplifts our spirits.”

Jagdishbhai Parmar, another Rajkot resident, said, “By joining the Swabhiman Parv, I realised how many people sacrificed for Somnath. By providing train facilities, the government has allowed us to connect with this great heritage.”

Notably, over the next three days, various programmes will narrate the enduring story of the Somnath temple, right from its destruction to restoration.

Somnath’s history is a living example of the victory of conscience over evil.

From Mohammed Ghazni’s attack in 1026 to centuries of foreign invasions, repeated attempts were made to destroy this centre of faith, but every time, the heroes of India defended this land with their blood.

–IANS

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