PM Modi leads Shaurya Yatra to mark India's civilisational spirit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday led the Shaurya Yatra (Valour March) at the historic Somnath Temple in Gujarat as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, a major spiritual and cultural event marking 1,000 years of the region’s civilisational resilience.The event commemorates a millennium since the first attack on the Somnath temple by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026, while also marking 75 years of the temple’s post-Independence reconstruction and consecration in 1951 under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The Shaurya Yatra, a ceremonial procession symbolising courage and sacrifice, featured 108 horses and honoured the warriors and devotees who laid down their lives defending the Somnath temple through centuries of invasions and adversity. The procession was accompanied by devotional music, mantra chanting, and participation from saints, devotees, and students of Sanskrit institutions.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds 'Shaurya Yatra', a symbolic procession organised as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. CM Bhupendra Patel and Dy CM Harsh Sanghavi are also present.

The Shaurya Yatra represents courage, sacrifice and the indomitable spirit that… pic.twitter.com/ilmksrc0Uo

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2026

As part of the celebrations, the Prime Minister participated in a 72-hour continuous Omkar mantra chanting and offered prayers and darshan at the Jyotirlinga temple. He also witnessed a large-scale drone show, with nearly 3,000 drones depicting key moments from the temple’s history and its repeated resurgence after destruction.
During his two-day visit to Somnath on January 10 and 11, Prime Minister Modi also chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust to review ongoing development and infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving facilities for pilgrims.Addressing a public gathering after the yatra and temple rituals, the Prime Minister described Somnath as a “proud symbol of India’s civilisational courage,” highlighting how the temple’s repeated revival reflects the country’s enduring spirit of faith and resilience. The event, he said, conveyed a message of strength, unity, and cultural continuity.
Prime Minister Modi paid floral tributes to the statue of Veer Hamirji Gohil, who sacrificed his life in 1299 AD while defending the Somnath temple from the invasion led by Zafar Khan

#WATCH | Gujarat | PM Narendra Modi pays floral tributes to the statue of Veer Hamirji Gohil, who sacrificed his life defending the Somnath Temple in 1299 A.D. from Zafar Khan's invasion.

Source: ANI/ DD pic.twitter.com/ax4Xoom98p

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2026

The Somnath Swabhiman Parv has drawn large crowds and extensive live coverage, underscoring the temple’s enduring significance as a symbol of India’s spiritual heritage and civilisational continuity.

(State Correspondent)