1. Somnath Swabhiman Parv was organised from 8–11 January 2026 to commemorate 1,000 years since the first recorded attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026 by Mahmud of Ghazni.
2. The Parv is conceived as a celebration of resilience, faith and civilisational self-respect, not as a remembrance of destruction.
3. 2026 also marks 75 years of the reopening of the present Somnath Temple on 11 May 1951, after Independence.
4. Narendra Modi visited Somnath on 10–11 January 2026 and participated in key events of the Swabhiman Parv.
5. A 72-hour Akhand Omkar chanting was a central feature of the Parv, symbolising unity, continuity of faith and collective spiritual strength.
6. Somnath is the first among the 12 Aadi Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, located at Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Gujarat.
7. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel initiated the reconstruction of Somnath after visiting its ruins on Diwali, 12 November 1947, making it a symbol of post-Independence cultural resurgence.
8. The present temple, built in the Kailash Mahameru Prasad architectural style, has a 150-foot shikhar, a 10-tonne kalash, and a 27-foot dhwajdand.
9. Somnath receives around 92–97 lakh devotees annually, making it one of India’s most visited pilgrimage sites.
10. The Somnath Temple Trust employs 363 women, generating about ₹9 crore annually, reflecting strong women empowerment and sustainable livelihood practices linked to the temple.