New Delhi, April 30 The Delhi government is committed to strengthening citizens’ religious faith and cultural identity and will organise pilgrimages for them at regular intervals, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Thursday.
She was speaking at an event where, along with Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, she Thursday flagged off the ‘Somnath Swabhimaan Parv - Somnath Yatra’, sending off a special train carrying around 1,400 pilgrims from Safdarjung Railway Station.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the entire country is observing Somnath Swabhimaan Parv.
She described the Yatra as a historic and cultural initiative dedicated to ‘1,000 years of unbroken faith’, aimed at reconnecting the people of Delhi with their spiritual heritage.
Launched under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the initiative makes Delhi the first state/Union Territory in the country to send nearly 1,400 pilgrims on such a large-scale, well-organised Somnath Yatra.
During the journey, devotees will visit the Somnath Temple and other prominent religious sites. The Delhi government is bearing the entire cost of rail travel and meals, while the Gujarat government will arrange accommodation, local transport, and temple visits. Close coordination between the two governments is expected to ensure a safe, seamless, and well-managed experience.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat described the flag-off from Safdarjung Railway Station as a ‘Shivmay Shubharambh’, an auspicious and spiritually significant beginning.
Along with Chief Minister Gupta and Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra, he interacted with the pilgrims.
He said the Yatra aims to showcase India’s cultural heritage and national pride through the timeless legacy of the Somnath Temple, adding that Indian faith is rooted in a spirit of harmonious unity.
Welcoming the pilgrims, Chief Minister Gupta said the Yatra reflects India’s rich cultural heritage, deep-rooted faith, and civilisational pride.
She emphasised that it is not merely a religious event, but a celebration of the country’s thousands of years of cultural consciousness and enduring faith.
Referring to landmark initiatives such as the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Mahakal Lok, and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, she said these transformative efforts have given Indian culture a renewed identity and fresh energy. The Somnath Yatra, she added, carries forward the same spirit.
Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra said that under the Chief Minister’s leadership, the Delhi government remains dedicated to serving senior citizens, mothers, sisters, daughters, and all devotees.
--IANS
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor