Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday described Somnath Temple as India’s “western sentinel” and Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar as the “unyielding eastern power”, highlighting the deep spiritual and cultural connection between the two revered Shiva shrines.
He was speaking as a chief guest at ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parba’, organised at Lingaraj Peeth in Ekamra Kshetra here, marking the 75th anniversary of the reconstruction of Somnath Temple and the enduring spirit of India’s civilisational resilience and cultural pride.
Recalling the history of invasions and repeated destruction of temples, CM Majhi said India’s civilisational pride has always risen again due to the unbroken faith flowing in the veins of Sanatanis. He described the reconstruction of Somnath in 1951 as the beginning of the re-establishment of Indian civilization under the iron will of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “Somnath is a symbol of the self-respect and unwavering faith of 140 crore. It heralded a new chapter in India’s cultural renaissance,” he noted.
Praising Prime Minister Modi’s visionary leadership, he said a “New India” is today proudly reclaiming its identity. He highlighted the Prime Minister’s mantra of ‘Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi’ (Development as well as Heritage), which is visible in projects like the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Majhi emphasised promoting ‘Orange Economy’ — culture-based economy — to generate employment for local people through tourism and related activities. “Under this vision, Rs 330 crore will be spent on development of Ekamra Kshetra and Rs 1,000 crore for projects like the Shree Jagannath Heritage Museum to establish Odisha as India’s cultural capital,” he stressed.
In his concluding remarks, Chief Minister Majhi called upon all four-and-a-half crore Odias to work together to build a “Prosperous Odisha and Developed India,” drawing inspiration from Sardar Patel’s courage and Prime Minister Modi’s foresight.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, Culture Secretary Dr Vijay Ketan Upadhyay, and Khurda Collector Amrit Ruturaj were among those present on the occasion.
