For the first time in its modern history, a sacred Kumbhabhishek will be conducted atop the temple’s 90-metre-high Shikhar using holy water gathered from 11 prominent pilgrimage sites across the country.
The Somnath Temple is set to witness a historic spiritual milestone on May 11, marking the “Somnath Amrit Parv 2026” with a ritual never before performed on the reconstructed shrine’s spire in Gujarat.
For the first time in its modern history, a sacred Kumbhabhishek will be conducted atop the temple’s 90-metre-high Shikhar using holy water gathered from 11 prominent pilgrimage sites across the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lead the ceremony, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the temple’s restoration.
The centrepiece of this historic event involves a massive vessel (Kumbh) filled with sacred water being hoisted to the summit of the spire via a specialised 90-metre crane.
Accompanied by the rhythmic chanting of Vedic mantras, priests will perform the ritual bathing of the spire, a purification tradition known as Kumbhabhishek.
While this practice is common in the grand temples of South India, where it is typically performed every 10 to 12 years, it marks a significant liturgical debut for the Somnath Temple since its reconstruction was completed.
Shri Hemalbhai Bhatt, President of the Teerth Purohit Sompura Brahmin Samaj, highlighted the rarity of the occasion, noting that the community is filled with immense enthusiasm for this unprecedented tradition.
