PM Modi Attends First-Ever Kumbhabhishek Ceremony At Somnath Temple | Video

Last Updated:May 11, 2026, 13:25 IST

Kumbhabhishek is believed to be one of the most sacred rituals in the Hindu religion.

Somnath Amrut Mahotsav: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday presided over historic and first-ever Kumbhabhishek ceremony at the Somnath Temple during the ‘Somnath Amrut Mahotsav’ celebrations marking 75 years since the inauguration of the reconstructed temple.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, senior ministers, temple trustees, saints and officials.

PM Modi reached the temple after holding a roadshow in Somnath, where large crowds gathered to welcome him. Cultural performances by artists from different states were organised along the route. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gir Somnath during his roadshow in Somnath before entering the temple premises.

At the temple, the Prime Minister took part in several religious rituals, including Jalabhishek, Maha Puja and Dhwaj Pooja.

The event marked 75 years since India’s first President Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the rebuilt Somnath Temple in 1951 after reconstruction efforts led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

What Is Khumbhabhishek?

Kumbhabhishek is believed to be one of the most sacred rituals in the Hindu religion. Traditionally associated with temples in southern India, Kumbhabhishekam is a sacred ritual typically performed every 10 to 12 years. It is a ritual that is carried out with the aim of restoring the divine energy of a pilgrimage place.

The word “Kumbhabhishek" is derived from two Sanskrit words, “Kumbh", meaning sacred pot or vessel, and “Abhishek", meaning ritual bathing.

The Kumbhabhishek was performed using holy water collected from 11 pilgrimage sites across the country.

According to organisers, a specially designed 1,860-kg ceremonial vessel was lifted to the temple’s shikhar using a 90-metre crane for the ritual, which was described as the first such ceremony conducted atop the temple.

Atop the shikar, the sacred water was released through a remote-operated sensor mechanism amid vedic chants and elaborate religious rituals, while helicopters showered flower petals over the shrine during the rituals.

It is believed that offering sanctified water on the temple’s shikhar allows cosmic energy to flow into the Shivling located inside the sanctum sanctorum.

News india PM Modi Attends First-Ever Kumbhabhishek Ceremony At Somnath Temple | Video

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