Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday performed ‘Maha Pooja’ and other rituals at the Somnath Temple as part of the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav, commemorating 75 years of the inauguration of the restored shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
After a roadshow in the temple town, Modi entered the shrine and performed ‘Maha Pooja’ and ‘Jalabhishek’, the ritual of pouring holy water over the Shivling, amid chanting of Vedic mantras.
The Prime Minister also witnessed the ‘Kumbhabhishek’ ceremony, during which holy water collected from prominent pilgrimage sites across the country was sprinkled atop the temple’s ‘shikhar’ (spire) using a crane.
The Somnath Amrut Mahotsav marks 75 years since the inauguration of the restored temple by India’s first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, in 1951.
Accompanied by Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, Modi watched an air show by the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team over the temple premises.
Using indigenous smoke pods, the jets released saffron, white and green trails, recreating the colours of the national flag in the sky. Modi is scheduled to address a public gathering at Sadbhavana Ground later in the day.
(With inputs from PTI)