Special train for 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv' flagged off in Surat

Surat, Jan 9 (PTI) A special train from Surat to Veraval in Gujarat was flagged off on Friday for the ongoing 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv', officials said.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi flagged off the train from the Surat railway station.

The four-day-long Somnath Swabhiman Parv commenced on Thursday at the historic Somnath temple, located near Veraval town in Gir Somnath district. The celebration marks 1,000 years since the first attack on the Somnath temple by the Mahmud of Ghazni, a government release said.

"Somnath Swabhiman Parv is a powerful expression of India's self-respect, historical heritage, and cultural renaissance. To participate in this event, thousands of devotees from across the country are coming to Somnath. The Shiva temple is resonating with the collective chanting of 'Omkar' for 72 continuous hours," Sanghavi said.

Nearly 1,300 devotees set out on a spiritual journey to Veraval, the release said.

Santosh Vijaykumar Yadav, a devotee, said, "Today we are traveling by the special train from Surat to participate in the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. I want the next generation to understand the importance of our pilgrimage sites. When an entire train travels together like a family, it reflects social unity. I feel blessed to get this opportunity to be part of the Somnath Swabhiman journey." Another devotee from Surat, Palak Nayak, said that a thousand years ago, the Somnath Temple at Prabhas Patan was attacked multiple times, but those attacks could not break the faith of the people. "After enduring many setbacks, today the Somnath Temple stands firm with full splendor, grandeur, and divinity, which is a matter of pride for all of us," she said. PTI KVM NP