Prabhas Patan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to embark on a three-day visit to his home state of Gujarat from January 10 to 12, which is expected to commence from the temple town of Prabhas Patan.

The coastal temple town of Somnath will host the ‘Somnath Swabhimaan Parv’ from January 8 to 11 to mark 1,000 years since the 1026 attack on the Somnath temple. As part of the event, the Prime Minister will lead a unique ‘Swabhimaan Yatra’ flanked by 108 horses, in what is being described as a first-of-its-kind event in the shrine’s history.

After the completion of religious rituals, the procession is set to begin from Shankh Circle near the Somnath temple and conclude at Sadbhavna Ground, where Prime Minister Modi will address a large public gathering.

The Prime Minister will stay at the Somnath Circuit House on January 10 and offer prayers at the temple early on January 11, including traditional rituals such as jalabhishek, dhwaj puja and Someshwar Mahapuja.

Ahead of his visit, PM Modi posted on X, highlighting that 2026 marks the 75th year of the restoration of the Somnath temple and 1,000 years since the first attack on the revered Jyotirlinga shrine.

Extensive preparations and tight security arrangements are underway. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and senior officials have reviewed the arrangements, with around 3,500 police personnel to be deployed for the Prime Minister’s programme.

On January 11, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and address the 2nd Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference Summit (Saurashtra–Kutch region), to be held at Marwadi University in Rajkot around noon. He will also inaugurate the related trade show before proceeding to Ahmedabad in the evening.

On January 12, PM Modi is expected to visit Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram in the morning and then inaugurate the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront. During this event, the Prime Minister is expected to be accompanied by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. PM Modi will receive Merz on January 12 in Ahmedabad, and the two leaders will take stock of the progress made in various aspects of the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, which completed 25 years in 2025.

Following the event, both leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, where key deliberations on trade, security, technology, environment, and MoUs related to the proposed Free Trade Agreement are likely to take place.

It has also been learnt that the Prime Minister might also inaugurate the final leg of the Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar Metro Rail service connecting Sachivalaya with Mahatma Mandir station. GMRC has intensified the final preparations for the commencement of operations on this route. DeshGujarat