Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Around 1,100 pilgrims representing all 23 districts of Haryana participated in a grand evening prayer ceremony at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat on Wednesday. Holding lighted lamps, the devotees took part in a 22-minute mega arti performed against the backdrop of the Arabian Sea. Following the religious service, the delegation experienced a 45-minute light and sound show detailing the extensive history of the temple site.
During the visit, officials from the Haryana Information, Public Relations, and Languages Department presented a memento and traditional shawl on behalf of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to Anil Mistry, the manager of the Shri Somnath Temple Trust. The temple trust administration offered special prayers for the prosperity and well-being of the people of Haryana.
The pilgrimage was organised under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana, a state-sponsored pilgrimage scheme. Chief Minister Saini had flagged off the special train carrying these devotees from Kurukshetra on June 8. Upon their arrival in Gujarat, the state government and the temple trust arranged special protocol access for the delegation to facilitate their prayers and ritual water offerings at the shrine. The host authorities and the trust honoured each pilgrim with traditional garments and sacred offerings.
The visitors were also shown documentary films highlighting the 1,000-year history of the Somnath Temple, its post-independence reconstruction efforts, and the recent development initiatives under the Somnath Swabhimaan Parv led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The accompanying light and sound exhibition depicted the historical challenges faced by the shrine alongside the restoration efforts spearheaded by historical personalities and successive governments. The itinerary further included guided tours to surrounding shrines and temples, with pilgrims expressing satisfaction over the accommodation and transport arrangements provided during the tour.
