Prabhaspatan: The district administration has begun preparations in full swing amid the possibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the Chairman of the Somnath Temple Trust, visiting Somnath on January 10 to offer prayers at the Somnath Mahadev temple.

It is learnt that the proposed visit is likely to take place following the Prime Minister’s engagements at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Connect event in Rajkot. In anticipation of the visit, officials have started reviewing security arrangements and logistical preparedness in the temple town.

The proposed date holds historical significance, as records indicate that around 1,000 years ago, in January 1026, Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the Somnath temple of that era and plundered it after a prolonged conflict. The Somnath temple, one of the most revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, has witnessed repeated destruction and reconstruction over centuries.

The present Somnath temple, regarded as the seventh reconstruction, symbolises the triumph of faith and renewal. It was rebuilt after Independence through the efforts of national leaders including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and K M Munshi, and later further developed under successive administrations. On May 11, 1951, in the presence of the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the restored temple was opened to devotees.

Officials said preparations will be intensified once formal confirmation of the Prime Minister’s visit is received. DeshGujarat