BHUBANESWAR: Odisha on Monday added a new chapter to its cultural and spiritual history with the launch of the historic Somnath Swabhiman Yatra-2026, as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off a special pilgrimage train carrying more than 1,100 devotees to the revered Somnath Jyotirlinga shrine in Gujarat.
The special train was flagged off from Bhubaneswar Railway Station and will take pilgrims to Prabhas Patan, home to the sacred Somnath Temple. The initiative forms part of a nationwide mass pilgrimage programme being organised under the Somnath Swabhiman Parva, a year-long cultural and spiritual observance commemorating key milestones associated with the temple’s rich legacy.
Addressing the gathering, the CM said the yatra was much more than a railway journey and represented a collective expression of faith, devotion, and cultural pride. He noted that Lord Jagannath in the east and Lord Somnath in the west symbolise the spiritual unity of India and continue to bind the nation through a shared civilisational consciousness.
Majhi said the pilgrimage forms a significant part of the nationwide Somnath Swabhiman Parva, which commemorates two important milestones in Indian history. The programme marks 1,000 years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026 and the 75th anniversary of the temple’s reconstruction and re-consecration after Independence, inspired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
He said the Union Ministry of Culture has organised a large-scale nationwide pilgrimage programme under the observance, with devotees from different parts of the country travelling to Somnath. Alongside Odisha’s special train, 1,008 pilgrims from Lucknow and nearly 1,300 from Delhi are also undertaking the sacred journey.
Majhi also highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” has found expression at Somnath through the development of modern pilgrim infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art exhibition gallery, museum, sea-view promenade, and facilities created under the PRASHAD scheme.
In a symbolic gesture aimed at strengthening the spiritual connection between Odisha and Somnath, sacred water from Bindusagar in Bhubaneswar’s Ekamra Kshetra and holy soil from the historic Kedar Gouri Temple have been sent on the special train as offerings to Lord Somnath.
During their visit, devotees will have the opportunity to offer prayers at the temple, witness the grand Maha Aarti, participate in Rudrabhishek rituals and devotional programmes, and experience a modern light-and-sound show depicting the temple’s glorious history.
Speaking on the occasion, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said Odisha was sending sacred symbols of its spiritual heritage to Somnath through the pilgrimage. He noted that the holy water of Bindusagar would carry Odisha’s message of devotion to the sacred shrine.
