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Somnath Still Stands, Divisive Forces Still Exist: Modi

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Gandhinagar
  • Jan 11, 2026
  • 546

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recalled the repeated attacks on the Somnath Temple over a thousand years ago and said that while invaders believed they had destroyed India’s faith, the continued presence of the temple today stands as a symbol of the nation’s strength and resilience.

Addressing a public gathering at Sadbhavna Ground, about three kilometres from the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that even today the flag flying atop the shrine reflects India’s enduring spirit. He cautioned that forces which once opposed the reconstruction of Somnath still exist and continue attempts to divide society.

Without naming Jawaharlal Nehru, Modi referred to the period after Independence when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel resolved to rebuild the temple. He said efforts were made at the time to obstruct the reconstruction, and even then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad faced opposition for participating in the temple’s consecration ceremony in 1951.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister performed puja at the Somnath Temple for about 30 minutes. He offered prayers, poured water on the Shivalinga, presented flowers, and performed abhishekam with Panchamrit.

Modi arrived in Somnath on Saturday evening to take part in the ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’, organised to mark 1,000 years since the first attack on the temple in 1026 by Mahmud of Ghazni.

Key Highlights from the Prime Minister’s Address:

  • Somnath’s indestructibility: Modi said Ghazni believed he had destroyed the temple in 1026, but Somnath was rebuilt soon after. Later attacks by rulers such as Alauddin Khilji also failed, as local kings reconstructed the shrine each time.

  • India’s survival through centuries: The Prime Minister noted that despite repeated invasions over centuries, neither Somnath nor India was destroyed. He described it as significant that the 1,000th year of the invasion coincides with 75 years of the temple’s reconstruction.

  • Failure of religious fanaticism: Modi said invaders believed their swords could destroy faith, but failed to understand the deeper meaning of Somnath—derived from ‘Som’, symbolising immortality and resilience even after adversity.

  • Continuing challenges: He remarked that while a nation should take pride in its heritage, certain sections after Independence remained disconnected from it. He urged people to stay alert against such divisive forces even today.

The Prime Minister concluded by stating that Somnath remains a living symbol of India’s civilisational strength, faith, and unity.