Gujarat to Host Somnath Cultural Festival in February for the First Time

The holy town of Somnath is to host the grand Somnath Festival from 24th to 26th February, celebrating the Maha Shivratri. The festival, organised by Gujarat Tourism in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Vadodara, will see a blend of devotion and artistic excellence along with dance and music performed by renowned Indian artists honoured with Padma awards. This will be the first large-scale three-day festival of classical dance and music being organised in Gujarat.

Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Patel inaugurated the Somnath festival on the evening of February 24, in the presence of the State Tourism Minister and chief guest, Mulubhai Bera. The festival will witness an array of performances, including the Veena recital, Bhajan folk dance, Natya katha, exhibitions and other spiritual performative expressions.

Ancient Somnath

The ancient pilgrimage site of Somnath Temple is situated at the confluence of Holi rivers Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati. The Somnath Temple is the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas and hold a significant position for followers of the Shaivites. The temple houses a statue of Natraj (one of the embodiments of Lord Shiv), performing a cosmic dance called ‘Tandav’ that symbolises rhythm and order of the universe.

The temple has been a centre of artistic devotion as well as spiritual elevation.