Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi officially flagged off the historic ‘Somnath Swabhiman Yatra-2026’ from Bhubaneswar on Monday, sending over 1,100 Odia devotees on a special pilgrimage train to Gujarat’s Somnath Temple.
The initiative connects Lord Jagannath in the East with Lord Somnath in the West, symbolizing national spiritual unity. Backed by the Union Ministry of Culture, the Somnath Swabhiman Parv commemorates two key milestones:
The 1,000th anniversary of Mahmud Ghaznavi's invasion of the temple in 1026.
The 75th Platinum Jubilee of its post-independence restoration inspired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
To create an unbreakable sacred bond, holy water from Bhubaneswar’s Tintasagar tank and sacred soil from the Kedargauri Temple are being carried as offerings to Lord Somnath.
At the holy Prabhas Patan site, pilgrims will experience a curated divine itinerary featuring Rudrabhishek, a light-and-sound show, and Akhand Omkar Japa, realizing the national vision of 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi' (Development along with Heritage).