PM Modi takes part in 'Shaurya Yatra' featuring 108-horse procession
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday participated in the "Shaurya Yatra" at Somnath Temple, Gujarat. The event is part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, a celebration of the temple's legacy and its defenders, paying tribute to the courage, spiritual strength, and the temple's repeated reconstruction over the centuries. The temple at Somnath is held to be the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines across the subcontinent, with its contemporary work starting in 1950.
Grand reception
PM Modi receives grand welcome at Somnath Temple
As the sound of the Damru, a musical instrument closely linked to Lord Shiva and Indic culture, echoed, Modi was greeted by huge crowds. People showered him with flowers and chants of "Modi-Modi." Artists from various states, such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Manipur, and Gujarat, among others, performed as he continued along the yatra, greeting everyone he passed.
Equine escort
108 horses escort PM Modi's convoy
Modi also paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, instrumental in restoring the temple shortly after India's independence. The yatra prominently featured 108 horses, which became the center of attraction as they escorted PM Modi's convoy to the Somnath Temple. News outlet NDTV quoted an artist as saying, "We are going to perform the Mayur dance here. I am very happy and excited to meet him."
Upcoming events
PM Modi to inaugurate Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference
After offering prayers at the Somnath Temple, PM Modi will address a public gathering at Sadbhavna Maidan. He will then head to Rajkot for the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference at Marwari University. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate conferences for the Kutch and Saurashtra regions. Later, he will launch Phase 2 of the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project from Sector 10A to Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.