Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the Somnath temple, rebuilt from scratch, is a sacred symbol of unwavering faith, spirituality, and the eternal spirit of India that will be a source of inspiration for the next thousand years.
Mr. Modi said that 75 years ago, the reconstruction of the Somnath temple was not just an ordinary occasion, but the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Somnath declared India's independent consciousness. The Prime Minister, referring to another significant event in national history, the Pokhran nuclear tests on May 11, 1998, said it was a demonstration of Indian scientists' capabilities and proof of unwavering political will. He emphasized the need to move forward with both development and heritage and appealed to be cautious against divisive thinking.
Mr. Modi termed the event not just a formal ceremony, but a declaration of India's eternal consciousness and cultural resilience. Emphasizing the historical significance of the 'Pran Pratishtha' of the Somnath temple in 1951, the Prime Minister said it was not an ordinary occasion. He said that if India became independent in 1947, the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Somnath in 1951 declared India's independent consciousness. The Prime Minister, highlighting the importance of the temple's reconstruction just four years after independence, said that when the nation was freed from foreign chains, the reconstruction of Somnath sent a message to the world that India was not only independent but also regaining its ancient glory.
Elaborating on the multi-faceted significance of the occasion, the Prime Minister said that he is not just looking at 75 years of history. He said that he sees the determination to create amidst destruction, which Somnath has fulfilled. He spoke about the eternal victory of truth over falsehood in this sacred land. The Prime Minister, referring to the future, said that the Somnath Amrit Mahotsav is not just a celebration of the past. He said that it is not just a celebration of the past, but also a movement for India for the next thousand years.
He linked the day to another significant event in national history and said that today is also the anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear tests conducted on this day in 1998. He said that India demonstrated the capabilities of Indian scientists by conducting three nuclear tests on May 11 and additional tests two days later on May 13, which he termed as proof of India's unwavering political will. He said that at that time, the whole world was pressurizing India, but the then-government led by Atal Ji showed that for us, the nation comes first, and no global power can intimidate or pressurize India.
Explaining the significance of the name of the campaign, the Prime Minister said that the Pokhran nuclear tests were named 'Operation Shakti' due to deep cultural reasons. He said that the philosophy of joint worship of Shiva and Shakti is now also inspiring India's scientific development. He said that today we are seeing the determination being translated into action that our worship of Shiva and Shakti should also become the inspiration for the country's scientific development.
Prime Minister Modi, referring to the history of destruction and reconstruction of the Somnath temple over a thousand years, said that despite repeated attacks by invaders like Mahmud Ghazni and Alauddin Khilji, devoted rulers like Raja Bhoj, Bhim Dev I, Kumar Pal, Mahipal I, and Rao Khengar rebuilt the temple again and again. He said that those who destroyed it only saw stones and mortar, but they never understood the intellectual and spiritual power of Indian civilization. Remembering the personalities who contributed to the reconstruction of modern Somnath, he said that their memory inspires us to not only take forward our cultural heritage but also to pass on this responsibility to future generations.