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Madhya Pradesh Flags Off First Somnath Pilgrimage Train

The state-run yatra signals a push to link heritage pride with organized religious tourism.

Overview

  • The special train, which left Bhopal on Thursday, is carrying about 1,100 pilgrims to the Somnath temple in Gujarat.
  • The convoy will halt at Ujjain to board more participants before continuing to the coastal shrine.
  • The Culture Department is running the journey as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, which officials describe as the first organized MP-wide train yatra to Somnath.
  • Devotees will attend prayers, rituals and cultural programs in Somnath, with the return to Madhya Pradesh scheduled for May 11.
  • Chief Minister Mohan Yadav flagged off the train after a kalash ritual using water from 21 rivers, and officials say travel and stay logistics are in place to make the trip smooth.