Ahmedabad, Jan 8 (IANS) The Somnath Swabhiman Parv began on Thursday with a large turnout of devotees at the iconic Somnath temple.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, commenting on the significance of the event, said that while stones can bring down the physical structure of Somnath, no force can ever destroy the faith associated with it.
A 72-hour 'Akhand Omkar' chanting has commenced at the temple premises, drawing devotees from across the country.
Pilgrims are arriving through special trains, buses and private vehicles, and several social organisations have arranged bhandaras for the visitors.
Deputy CM Sanghvi also confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Somnath on January 10 to offer prayers.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will attend a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust and is expected to participate in the Shaurya Yatra, one of the key highlights of the celebrations. The grand procession will feature 108 horses, more than 1,000 sages, over 5,000 women and an estimated 50,000 locals.
The Deputy Chief Minister described the occasion as historic, reiterating that though invaders like Mahmud of Ghazni once destroyed the temple structure, they could never diminish the unwavering faith of its devotees.
Large crowds have started gathering at the temple since 4 a.m.
Officials expect that lakhs of devotees will visit Somnath, and extensive preparations have been made to handle the influx.
As part of the festivities, Rishi Kumaras will perform ceremonial conch blowing, and a Shobha Yatra with 108 horses will be organised.
Special trains from Rajkot to Somnath will operate for four days, with similar arrangements being made from other cities across Gujarat to ensure smooth travel for pilgrims.
To enable the participation of maximum devotees, the state government is running special trains from four major cities.
A special train from Rajkot arrived at the Somnath Railway Station on Thursday, and saw the entire railway premises resonating with thunderous chants of 'Har Har Bhole' and 'Jai Somnath'.
--IANS
janvi/svn