Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the revered Somnath Temple in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district on Sunday, offering prayers at the sacred Jyotirlinga shrine during the second day of his three-day Gujarat tour. The visit, which came shortly after his participation in the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj, fulfilled a personal resolve to seek blessings at the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas for the well-being of India’s 140 crore citizens.

Arriving at Prabhas Patan in the afternoon, Modi, clad in traditional attire, performed a special puja amid Vedic chants, paying homage to Lord Shiva and honoring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue within the temple premises. “I had decided that after the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj, I would go to Somnath. Today, I felt blessed to have prayed at the Somnath Mandir. I prayed for the prosperity and good health of every Indian,” Modi shared in a tweet. He described the temple as a “manifestation of the timeless heritage” of Bharat, reflecting its enduring cultural significance.

The Somnath Temple, perched on Gujarat’s western coast, holds a storied past—repeatedly razed by invaders like Mahmud of Ghazni between the 11th and 17th centuries, only to be rebuilt each time. Its current form, inaugurated in 1951 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad at Patel’s behest, stands as a symbol of resilience. As chairman of the Shree Somnath Trust since 2021, Modi has championed its development, including the 2022 Circuit House inauguration and earlier projects like the Somnath Promenade.

Following the temple visit, Modi proceeded to Sasan Gir for a lion safari and to chair a National Board for Wildlife meeting on World Wildlife Day eve. The trip, blending spirituality and governance, underscores his deep ties to Gujarat, where he began Saturday at Jamnagar’s Vantara animal rescue center. Devotees thronged the temple, waving as Modi departed, his visit reinforcing Somnath’s stature as a beacon of faith.