PM Modi on Somnath's 1000-Year Saga: 'History of Victory and Reconstruction, Not Defeat'

In this special report, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the millennium-long saga of the Somnath temple, coinciding with its 75th reconstruction anniversary. He asserts that the temple's chronicle is one of triumph and resilience against centuries of invasions. PM Modi states, 'Somnath's history is not a history of destruction and defeat. This history, is of victory and reconstruction, of the valour of our ancestors, of their courage and sacrifice.' The speech recounts the initial destruction by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026, followed by repeated attacks by figures like Alauddin Khilji and Aurangzeb. It also honours the persistent efforts to rebuild the temple by Indian rulers, including Raja Kumar Pal and Ahilyabai Holkar, portraying Somnath as an eternal symbol of India's cultural and spiritual identity.