PM Narendra Modi hails Somnath Temple as symbol of India's indomitable spirit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the Somnath Temple in Gujarat which was rebuilt after repeated attacks by foreign invaders as a symbol of the indomitable spirit of Indian civilisationIn a blogpost to mark 1000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple the prime minister said There can be no better example of our civilisations indomitable spirit than Somnath which stands gloriously overcoming odds and struggleThe prime minister also took a swipe at then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru saying the opening of the temple in 1951 did not enthuse himModi said 2026 marked 1000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple took place and despite repeated attacks subsequently the temple stands tallThis is because Somnaths story is about the unbreakable courage of countless children of Bharat Mata who protected our culture and civilisation the prime minister saidHe said it was the same spirit that was visible in the nation which has emerged as one of the brightest spots of global growth having overcome centuries of invasions and colonial lootIt is our value systems and the determination of our people that have made India the centre of global attention today The world is seeing India with hope and optimism They want to invest in our innovative youngsters the prime minister saidOur art culture music and several festivals are going global Yoga and Ayurveda are making a worldwide impact boosting healthy living Solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges are coming from India Modi saidThe prime minister said the aggressors of the past were now dust in the wind their names synonymous with destructionThey are footnotes in the annals of history while Somnath stands bright radiating far beyond the horizon reminding us of the eternal spirit that remained undiminished by the attack of 1026 he saidSomnath is a song of hope that tells us that while hate and fanaticism may have the power to destroy for a moment faith and conviction in the power of goodness have the power to create for eternity the prime minister saidModi said if the Somnath Temple which was attacked a thousand years ago and faced continuous attacks thereon could rise again and again then we can surely restore our great nation to the glory it embodied a thousand years ago before the invasionsWith the blessings of Shree Somnath Mahadev we move forward with a renewed resolve to build a Viksit Bharat where civilisational wisdom guides us to work for the welfare of the whole world the prime minister saidThe temple was attacked and plundered many times including by Turkish ruler Mahmud Ghazni in 1024 ADModi recalled that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a key role in rebuilding the Somnath Temple after IndependenceA visit during Diwali time in 1947 moved him so much that he announced that the temple will be rebuilt there Finally on May 11th 1951 a grand Temple in Somnath opened its doors to devotees and Dr Rajendra Prasad was present there he saidModi said Sardar Patel was not alive to see the opening of the Somnath Temple on May 11 1951 but the fulfilment of his dream stood tall before the nationThe then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was not too enthused with this development He did not want the Honourable President as well as Ministers to associate with this special event He said that this event created a bad impression of India But Dr Rajendra Prasad stood firm and the rest is history Modi saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever