Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a signed article and announced plans to visit the Somnath Temple (one of Hinduism's most revered shrines, located on the coast of Gujarat in western India) on May 11, 2026, to mark 75 years since its restored structure was inaugurated by President Rajendra Prasad. The temple, repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt over centuries, was most recently restored following a call by independence-era leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1947, with the reopening ceremony held in 1951 over the objections of then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi framed the anniversary as a symbol of civilisational resilience, announcing special prayers to be held at the site for the next thousand days and urging Indians to visit what he described as a testament to a spirit that "refuses to fade."