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At the commencement of 2026, I had gone to Somnath for the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, marking a 1000 years since the archetypal onslaught connected the Somnath Temple. Now, I volition beryllium backmost successful Somnath connected 11th May to people 75 years since the inauguration of the restored Temple by the past President of India, Dr.
Rajendra Prasad. In little than fractional a year, it is simply a privilege to beryllium attending 2 important milestones relating to Somnath and its travel from ruin to renewal oregon what we picture arsenic from Vidhvans to Srijan. Somnath gives america a civilisational message. The immense oversea earlier it evokes timelessness. The waves archer us…that nary substance however fierce the storms are oregon however turbulent the tides are, 1 tin ever emergence again with dignity and strength. The waves instrumentality to the shore, arsenic though reminding each procreation that the tone of the radical tin ne'er beryllium subdued for long.
Our past scriptures say, a Pradakshina of the divine Prabhasa (Somnath) is adjacent to a Pradakshina of the full world itself ! While radical person travel present to pray, they person besides experienced the singular continuity of a civilisation whose occurrence could ne'er beryllium extinguished. Empires roseate and fell, tides changed, past moved done conquest and upheaval, yet Somnath continued to endure successful our consciousness.
It is clip to retrieve the countless greats who stood steadfast successful the look of tyranny. There were Lakulisha and Soma Sarman, who transformed Prabhasa into a large centre of philosophy. Chakravarti Maharaja Dharasena IV of Vallabhi built the Second Temple determination centuries ago. Bhima Deva, Jayapala and Anandapala volition ever beryllium remembered for defending civilisational honour against invasions. It is said that Raja Bhoja excessively helped with the reconstruction.
Karna Deva and Siddharaja Jayasimha played a captious relation successful restoring Gujarat’s governmental and taste strength. Bhava Brihaspati, Kumarapala Solanki and the Pashupata Acharyas rebuilt and sustained the shrine arsenic a large centre of worship and learning.
Vishaladeva Vaghela and Tripurantaka protected its intelligence and spiritual traditions. Mahipaladeva and Ra Khangar were instrumental successful reviving worship aft destruction.
Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar, whose 300th commencement centenary is being marked, ensured the continuity of devotion successful the astir hard of times. There were the Gaekwads of Baroda, who safeguarded the rights of pilgrims. And of course, our ungraded is blessed to person nurtured brave personalities similar Veer Hamirji Gohil and Veer Vegdaji Bhil, whose sacrifice and courageousness person go a portion of Somnath’s surviving memory. In the 1940s, erstwhile the tone of state swept crossed India and the foundations of a caller republic were being laid nether the enactment of towering figures similar Sardar Patel, 1 happening continued to occupation him deeply…the information of Somnath.
On 13th Nov 1947, during Diwali time, helium stood adjacent to the dilapidated ruins of the temple with sea-water successful his hands and said, “On this auspicious time of the (Gujarati) New Year, we person decided that Somnath should beryllium reconstructed. You, radical of Saurashtra, should bash your best. This is simply a beatified task successful which each should participate.” On 1 clarion telephone of Sardar Patel, it was not lone the radical of Gujarat but besides the radical of the full of India that responded enthusiastically.
Unfortunately, destiny did not let Sardar Patel to witnesser the fulfilment of the imagination helium had truthful passionately championed. Before the restored Somnath Temple could unfastened its doors to devotees, helium had departed from this world. Yet, his interaction continued to beryllium felt implicit the ineffable shores of Prabhas Patan.
His imaginativeness was championed by Shri KM Munshi, ably supported by the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar. In 1951, erstwhile the Temple was complete, it was decided to telephone the President of India, Dr.
Rajendra Prasad, for the ceremony. Overcoming beardown objections from the past PM Pandit Nehru, Dr. Prasad graced the ceremony, frankincense making it adjacent much peculiar and historic. My caput besides goes backmost to October 2001, erstwhile I had conscionable taken implicit arsenic CM.
On 31st Oct 2001, the Jayanti of Sardar Patel, Gujarat govt had the honour of organising a programme to people 50 years since the Somnath Temple opened its doors. It besides coincided with the 125th commencement day celebrations of Sardar Patel.
The past PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the past location curate LK Advani attended the programme. During his code connected 11th May 1951, Dr. Rajendra Prasad said that the Somnath Temple proclaims to the satellite that thing with unparalleled religion and emotion cannot beryllium destroyed. He expressed anticipation that this Temple volition unrecorded successful the hearts of people. He besides said that the restoration of the Temple was a fulfilment of Sardar Patel’s dream, but taking that tone forward, it is important that we reconstruct prosperity to the lives of people.
These are important and inspiring messages helium gave. This is the way we person been walking for implicit a decade. I see it my bully luck that, inspired by the rule of ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’, from Somnath to Kashi, Kamakhya to Kedarnath, Ayodhya to Ujjain, Trimbakeshwar to Srisailam, our squad has had the accidental to equip our spiritual centres with the latest facilities portion astatine the aforesaid clip preserving their accepted character. This, on with efforts to amended connectivity, ensures much radical tin sojourn them. It boosts the section economy, secures livelihoods and deepens the tone of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ The struggles and sacrifices of those who laid down their lives to support Somnath and those who rebuilt it clip and again volition ne'er beryllium forgotten. Countless individuals from antithetic corners of India contributed to restoring its glory. They saw each portion of Bharat arsenic sacred, bound unneurotic by a consciousness of oneness that transcended geography. In a satellite often marked by divisions, this tone of unity is much applicable than ever. Somnath volition proceed to basal gangly successful each its glory due to the fact that the consciousness of unity and shared civilisational consciousness lives connected successful the hearts of each Indian. As a tribute to this, remembering the bonzer courageousness of a 1000 years, determination volition beryllium peculiar Pujas astatine Somnath for the adjacent 1000 days.
It is gladdening to spot respective radical donating for these Pujas arsenic well. I impulse my chap Indians to question to Somnath successful this peculiar time. When you basal connected the shores of Somnath, fto its past echoes talk to you. You volition not lone beryllium overwhelmed by devotion but volition besides consciousness the beardown pulse of a civilisational tone that refuses to fade, that is unbroken and unyielding. You volition acquisition Bharat’s unconquerable tone and recognize why, contempt each effort, our civilization remained undefeated and you volition person the accidental to behold the imaginativeness of eternal triumph.
It volition surely beryllium unforgettable. Jai Somnath
