'Believed shrine revamp harmed India's image': BJP cites letters by Nehru to accuse him of 'hating' Somnath temple deity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended his greetings to the nation as the Somnath Swabhiman Parv began, highlighting the historical and cultural significance of the event that celebrates the enduring legacy of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat.

Somnath Swabhiman Parv begins today. A thousand years ago, in January 1026, Somnath faced its first ever attack. The attack of 1026 and the subsequent attacks couldn’t diminish the eternal faith of millions, nor break the civilisational spirit that rebuilt Somnath… pic.twitter.com/pfWqup532l

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 8, 2026

PM Modi said that the Somnath Swabhiman Parv is a time to remember the temple’s thousand-year history of resilience and revival. He noted that the first attack on the Somnath Temple occurred in January 1026, yet the spirit and faith of devotees helped rebuild it repeatedly over the centuries.