CM Majhi Flags Off Somnath Swabhiman Yatra: 1,100 Devotees Embark on Historic Pilgrimage

Bhubaneswar, June 15: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off the Somnath Swabhiman Yatra 2026, sending over 1,100 devotees on a special train to Gujarat’s Somnath Temple.

The initiative, part of the nationwide Somnath Swabhiman Parv, commemorates 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s attack on Somnath and 75 years since its reconstruction led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Majhi highlighted the spiritual bond between Lord Jagannath in the East and Lord Somnath in the West, symbolising India’s cultural unity.

Sacred water from Bindusagar Lake and soil from Kedar Gouri Temple were offered to Somnath, reinforcing Odisha’s devotion.

Pilgrims will participate in darshan, evening aarti, Rudrabhishek rituals, mantra chanting, and a light-and-sound show narrating Somnath’s history.

The temple has been modernised under the PRASHAD scheme, with museums, galleries, and sea-view pathways enhancing the spiritual experience.

Alongside Odisha’s contingent, devotees from Lucknow and Delhi are also joining, making the yatra a national celebration of heritage and faith.