Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the Amrit Parv programme at Somnath temple. First, he offered prayers inside the temple. Then, priests performed Kumbhabhishek on the grand shikhar of Somnath temple. Devotees know Somnath as one of Lord Shiva’s 12 Jyotirlingas. During the ceremony, priests used a special kalash for the sacred ritual.
#WATCH | Gir Somnath, Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a roadshow
PM Modi will participate in the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav at Somnath Temple today
(Source: ANI/DD) pic.twitter.com/HSp8wJL8BD
— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2026
Moreover, the ceremony carried water from 11 holy pilgrimage sites. Priests poured that water over the temple’s 90-metre-high shikhar. Therefore, the ritual became a major highlight of Somnath Amrit Mahotsav. Several artists came from many states for this special programme. Also, spectators arrived from faraway places to witness the event.
Before joining Somnath Amrit Mahotsav, PM Modi took part in a road show. During this event, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel joined him. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi also remained present. After that, Modi moved toward the temple programme linked to Amrit Parv 2026.
The festival marks 75 years since the inauguration of the rebuilt Somnath temple. It also celebrates the temple’s reconstruction and renewed consecration. As part of the programme, Modi will attend special Mahapuja, Kumbhabhishek, and Dhwajarohan ceremonies. Additionally, he will release a commemorative postage stamp and a coin during the event.
Four-Day Festival Celebrates Somnath’s Rebuilt Legacy
The ceremony runs from May 8 to May 11. During these four days, organisers celebrate 75 years of the first Jyotirlinga temple’s reconstruction after Independence. People see Somnath temple as a symbol of Sanatan heritage’s resurgence. India rebuilt the temple after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister, proposed reconstruction.
Organisers said priests will conduct Kumbhabhishek on the rebuilt Somnath temple shikhar for the first time. Traditionally, people associate this ritual with temples in South India. Usually, priests perform it every 10 to 12 years as a purification ceremony. For this ritual, workers prepared a specially designed kalash with 1,100-litre capacity.
According to officials, the kalash weighs 760 kilograms. After priests fill it with water, its total weight will reach nearly 1.86 metric tonnes. The kalash stands eight feet tall. It will carry sacred water from 11 pilgrimage sites. Next, a 350-tonne all-terrain crane will lift it to the temple shikhar.
Officials said the crane stands outside the temple complex. They also said workers extended its boom specially. This extension will help the crane reach the 90-metre height of the shikhar. Therefore, the festival combines devotion, heritage, engineering, and ceremonial grandeur around Somnath’s historic 75-year milestone.
