Prime Minister Narendra Modi will oversee a special ‘Kumbhabhishekam’ ceremony at the reconstructed Somnath Temple, where sacred water from 11 pilgrimage sites will be offered on the temple’s 90-meter-high spire as part of the ‘Somnath Amrut Parv-2026’ celebrations. The event, lasting from May 8 to 11, commemorates 75 years since the temple’s re-establishment post-Independence.
The Somnath Temple, a symbol of Sanatan heritage’s revival, was rebuilt following a decision by India’s first Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This ceremony will mark the first instance of Kumbhabhishekam on the temple’s spire, a ritual usually associated with southern Indian temples and performed every 10 to 12 years for purification.
A specially crafted kalash, holding 1,100 liters of water collected from 11 sacred sites, will be used for the ritual. Weighing 760 kg empty and 1.86 metric tonnes when filled, the kalash, standing at eight feet, will be hoisted to the temple spire by a 350-tonne crane positioned outside the premises.
Authorities have ensured that the crane’s boom, extended for the 90-meter height, follows a “zero load principle” to protect the temple’s structure during the ceremony. The Roads and Buildings Department oversaw the preparation and installation of the ritual infrastructure, with the water from the kalash set to be released over the temple through a remote-operated sensor mechanism.
