Bhubaneswar, June 15: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi officially launched the historic ‘Somnath Swabhiman Yatra-2026’ on Monday in Bhubaneswar, marking a new chapter in Odisha’s cultural and spiritual journey.
The Chief Minister flagged off a special train carrying over 1,100 pilgrims from Odisha to the sacred residence of Lord Somnath in Prabhas Patan, Gujarat.
Addressing the gathering, Majhi emphasized that this journey is not merely a train ride but a grand pilgrimage symbolizing our faith, devotion, and cultural pride. He noted that Lord Jagannath in the east and Lord Somnath in the west unite the entire nation through threads of unity, spirituality, and eternal consciousness.
He further stated that this pilgrimage, which commenced in Bhubaneswar, is a proud part of the nationwide ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv,’ a significant national event marking two important milestones in Indian history.
The first milestone commemorates the 1,000th anniversary of Mahmud of Ghazni’s first attack on the Somnath temple in 1026 AD. The second marks the 75th anniversary, or platinum jubilee, of the temple’s reconstruction and restoration inspired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel after India’s independence.
Majhi mentioned that under this year-long cultural festival, the Central Ministry of Culture has organized a comprehensive nationwide pilgrimage program.
In addition to the special train from Odisha, 1,008 pilgrims from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and around 1,300 from Delhi have also embarked on their journey to Prabhas Patan.
The Chief Minister highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Development and Heritage’ has been realized through the development of world-class pilgrim infrastructure in Somnath, which includes a modern exhibition gallery, museum, sea-view promenade, and facilities built under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme.
To establish an unbreakable spiritual bond between Odisha and Somnath, sacred water from the Bindusagar Lake in the Aamkera region and holy soil from the historic Kedara Gauri temple in Bhubaneswar, a living symbol of Odisha’s ancient Shaiva tradition, have been sent to Somnath through this special train to be offered at the feet of Lord Somnath.
Each pilgrim participating in the journey received a booklet titled ‘Om Namah Shivaya.’
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