Gangtok, Sep 26 A 30-member group, comprising 28 representatives from different ethnic communities of Sikkim and two officials, embarked on a pilgrimage to the Somnath Temple in Gujarat on Saturday as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, the state’s culture department said.
Somnath Swabhiman Parv marks two significant milestones in India’s historical journey: 1,000 years since the first recorded attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026, and 75 years since the consecration of the reconstructed temple in 1951 following Independence.
Sikkim Culture Minister Arun Upreti flagged off the delegation in the presence of the Culture Department secretary and senior officials. The delegation is being led by Culture Department OSD Bhawani Ghimire.
The yatra is being undertaken under the patronage of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
The Sikkim group will join participants from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura on board a special train for the journey to the historic Somnath Temple.
According to the government, the pilgrimage is aimed at giving participants an opportunity to experience the historical, cultural and spiritual significance of Somnath.
“The yatra seeks to celebrate India’s shared cultural and spiritual heritage while promoting cultural exchange, unity in diversity and national integration,” the Culture Department said in a statement.
During their stay at Somnath, the participants will visit the temple and attend the Rudrabhishek and Maha Aarti as well as cultural programmes and a light and sound show.
A guided tour of the Somnath Museum, featuring artefacts and historical material associated with the temple and its heritage, is also part of the programme.
(PTI News)
