Prime Minister Narendra Modi has penned a powerful tribute to Gujarat's iconic Somnath Temple, commemorating a millennium since its first major desecration and holding it up as the ultimate symbol of India's unyielding civilisational spirit.
A Millennium of Resilience and Rebirth
In a detailed blogpost marking 1,000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026 AD, the Prime Minister reflected on the shrine's turbulent history. He noted that despite facing repeated assaults by foreign invaders over centuries, the temple today "stands gloriously, overcoming odds and struggle."
"There can be no better example of our civilisation's indomitable spirit than Somnath," PM Modi wrote. He emphasized that the year 2026 will complete a thousand years since that initial attack, yet the temple's grandeur remains undimmed.
Tribute to the Builders and a Swipe at the Past
The Prime Minister credited India's first Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with the visionary leadership to rebuild the temple after Independence. Moved by a visit during Diwali in 1947, Sardar Patel announced the reconstruction. The grand new temple was inaugurated on May 11, 1951, by then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
However, PM Modi pointedly contrasted this enthusiasm with the stance of the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. "The then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was not too enthused with this development," Modi stated. He added that Nehru did not want ministers or the President to associate with the event, believing it created a "bad impression of India." Modi noted that Dr. Prasad stood firm, ensuring the temple's revival.
Somnath as a Metaphor for a Resurgent India
PM Modi powerfully connected the temple's story to contemporary India's global rise. He stated that the same spirit that protected Somnath is visible in a nation that has overcome centuries of invasion and colonial loot to become "one of the brightest spots of global growth."
"Our art, culture, music and several festivals are going global. Yoga and Ayurveda are making a worldwide impact," he wrote, adding that solutions to global challenges now come from India. He attributed this to the nation's value systems and the determination of its people.
Drawing a stark contrast, the Prime Minister said the aggressors of the past are now "dust in the wind," mere footnotes in history, while "Somnath stands bright, radiating far beyond the horizon."
Looking to the future, PM Modi expressed a firm resolve. If a temple attacked a thousand years ago could rise repeatedly, he argued, then India can surely restore itself to the glory it embodied before the invasions. "With the blessings of Shree Somnath Mahadev, we move forward with a renewed resolve to build a Viksit Bharat (Developed India)," he concluded, where ancient wisdom guides work for global welfare.
