AHMEDABAD: At the Somnath Swabhiman Parv in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a powerful address, declaring that Somnath’s thousand-year journey is not a tale of destruction but a saga of victory.
He said the invaders faded into history, but faith stood tall by the sea.
Under the soaring flag of faith, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday turned Somnath into a living chronicle of India’s resilience, declaring that even after a thousand years, the flag still flies atop the Somnath Temple, reminding the world of India’s strength and spirit.
Calling the Somnath Swabhiman Parv an 'extraordinary in time, atmosphere and purpose', Modi said the celebration was blessed by Lord Mahadev himself with the ocean’s waves, the sun’s rays, the echo of mantras and the devotion of countless devotees converging into one civilisational moment.
As Chairman of the Somnath Temple Trust, the Prime Minister said he considered it his great fortune to serve the Swabhiman Parv, noting the 72-hour uninterrupted Omkar chanting, continuous mantras, a thousand-drone presentation of Somnath’s millennium-long saga, and the Shourya Yatra with 108 horses.
Modi underlined that Somnath Swabhiman Parv embodies pride and honour, dignity and knowledge, heritage and spirituality, and above all, the blessings of Lord Mahadev.
“A thousand years ago, invaders believed they had won,” he said. “But today, after a millennium, the flag atop Somnath Mahadev’s temple proclaims the strength of Hindustan to the entire creation. Every particle of this land is a witness to valour, courage and sacrifice,” he added.
Bowing to those who rebuilt Somnath again and again, Modi said, “On this occasion, I first bow to every brave man and woman who gave everything to protect and reconstruct Somnath.”
Highlighting the sacred continuum of the site, the Prime Minister said Prabhas Patan is not only Shiva’s abode but also sanctified by Lord Krishna, with the Pandavas having performed penance here.
He noted the historic coincidence that the thousand-year Swabhiman journey also marks 75 years of Somnath’s modern reconstruction in 1951.
Modi said, “The history of Somnath is not one of destruction or defeat; it is a history of victory and renewal.” Drawing parallels between Somnath and India, he said both faced repeated assaults, yet neither was destroyed.
“India and its centres of faith are inseparable,” he stressed.
Tracing the timeline from Mahmud of Ghazni’s attack in 1026 AD to repeated assaults by Alauddin Khilji, Muzaffar Khan, Sultan Ahmed Shah, Mahmud Begada and Aurangzeb, Modi pointed out that Somnath was rebuilt after every blow, ranging from King Kumarapala’s restoration to Ahilyabai Holkar’s revival.
“Invaders kept coming, religious terror kept attacking, but Somnath was re-established again and again an endurance unmatched in world history,” he said.
The Prime Minister said those who attacked Somnath misunderstood its essence. “They thought their swords could conquer Somnath, but ‘Som’ itself means immortality even after poison,” he added.
Calling Somnath the abode of Sadashiva Mahadev, both benevolent and fierce, Modi said no force could destroy Shiva’s countless forms.
Quoting scripture, he said creation emerges from Shiva and dissolves back into Him. “Time itself bows before Mrityunjay Mahadev,” Modi declared, adding that while fanatical invaders have been reduced to “a few pages of history,” Somnath still stands tall by the sea, its dharma-dhwaja flying high.
History Remembered, Not Whitewashed
Modi warned against attempts to dilute or erase this past. He criticised historians and politicians who, he said, masked religious fanaticism as mere plunder. “If it were only loot, why was Somnath attacked again and again?” he asked.
He said idols were broken, forms altered, and yet citizens were taught a sanitised version of history. Recalling forgotten heroes like Raval Kanhardev, Veer Hamirji Gohil and Vegda Bhil, Modi said appeasement had long overshadowed honest remembrance.
He also recalled how even after Independence, objections were raised to rebuilding Somnath, including during President Rajendra Prasad’s visit in 1951, until leaders like Sardar Patel and Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji placed national pride above all.
From Heritage to Development
Warning that conspiracies today take subtler forms, Modi urged unity and vigilance. “When we remain connected to our faith and roots, the foundations of our civilisation grow stronger,” he said.
Linking Somnath to modern growth, the Prime Minister listed infrastructure and cultural expansion ranging from Somnath Sanskrit University, Madhavpur Fair, Gir conservation, Keshod airport expansion, Ahmedabad–Veraval Vande Bharat train, to a developing pilgrimage circuit.
“India today empowers faith with connectivity, infrastructure and technology,” he said.
A Message for the World
Modi said Somnath teaches that creation takes time but endures, and that hearts cannot be won by swords, and that civilisations seeking to erase others are themselves lost in time.
Calling the Swabhiman Parv a bridge between past and future, the Prime Minister urged citizens to move forward with development while staying rooted in heritage.
"Inspired by Somnath’s thousand-year saga, India will overcome every challenge and rise to new heights," he concluded.