New Delhi, 05 January (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid solemn tribute Monday to the Somnath Temple on the 1,000th anniversary of its first recorded assault in 1026 AD by Mahmud of Ghazni, hailing the Jyotirlinga as a living emblem of India's indomitable cultural consciousness and courage despite enduring repeated devastation over centuries.
Through separate social media posts, PM Modi declared 2026 marks 1,000 years since the first attack on Somnath, noting the temple stands tall with pride despite subsequent assaults. This is not merely a temple's story, but the saga of countless sons and daughters of Bharat Mata who protected our culture and civilization with unbreakable valor, he emphasized.
Op-Ed Vision: In a featured article, PM Modi positioned Somnath's millennial journey as emblematic of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) resolve, weaving its historical struggle, repeated reconstructions, and cultural renaissance.
Somnath teaches that faith, unity, and cultural rootedness surpass any calamity, he asserted.
Personal Legacy:PM Modi recalled his stewardship of the Somnath Redevelopment Project in recent years, framing it as continuous inspiration for national heritage preservation—linking temple revival to civilizational continuity under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Historical Continuum: From Ghazni's plunder yielding 20,000 kg gold, Khilji's razing, Aurangzeb's mosque overlay, to Sardar Patel's 1947 reconstruction, Somnath symbolizes India's phoenix-like resurgence through collective cultural assertion.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
