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The Shree Somnath Temple, a living emblem of India's ancient cultural heritage and spiritual legacy, is globally recognised as a centre of faith and devotion. Today, however, this sacred dham goes beyond worship and darshan, emerging as a powerful and inspiring hub for women's empowerment. Through the human-focused and socially responsible initiatives of the Somnath Temple Trust, women are being guided toward greater self-reliance.
Currently, the Somnath Temple Trust has 906 employees, including 262 women. This is not just a number, but a testament to the Trust's inclusive vision and commitment to equal opportunities. The active involvement of women in temple management, service activities, and daily operations brings a distinctive combination of sensitivity, discipline, and dedication to the Trust's operations. Women, a source of great pride, entirely manage the sacred Bilva Van within the temple premises. The 16 women working here maintain the temple's sanctity while promoting environmental protection, green conservation, and cleanliness. This initiative serves as a remarkable example of women's skilled management and strong sense of responsibility. Additionally, 30 women are providing dedicated service in the temple dining hall. By serving food with care and devotion to thousands of devotees, they keep the temple's tradition of service alive. Similarly, the involvement of 65 women in the sacred task of prasad distribution highlights their discipline, commitment, and reliability. In total, 363 women are employed directly by the Somnath Temple Trust. Collectively, they generate an estimated annual income of approximately Rs. 9 crore, underscoring their economic self-reliance and the positive impact on their standard of living. This income also contributes significantly to society's overall development. In this way, the Shree Somnath Temple Trust has established a model worth emulating, blending spiritual heritage with social responsibility and women's empowerment. From this sacred centre of faith, the essence of self-confidence, self-respect, and self-reliance is spreading far and wide. On January 10 and 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Somnath. Under his leadership and the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Government of Gujarat has organised 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv 2026' at Somnath, creating a deeply devotional atmosphere. To keep Somnath clean and sacred during the festival, the urban administration and sanitation workers are making a significant contribution, according to a press release. To strengthen the devotional atmosphere through cleanliness, the urban administration and sanitation workers have played a key role. With coordinated efforts across municipalities, a large-scale cleanliness drive is underway. A large workforce has been mobilised to keep Somnath clean. More than 300 sanitation workers from Veraval Municipality and over 700 from Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, and other municipal areas, totalling more than 1,000 workers, are deployed here. For the past five days, they have been working continuously, day and night, to maintain cleanliness in Somnath and Veraval. In addition to road cleaning and waste collection, excess grass removal and tree and foliage trimming along the roads are being prioritised. Intensive cleaning of main roads is being carried out using modern, mechanised sweeping machines. In addition, specialised sanitation teams have been deployed at accommodation facilities and community kitchen sites established for devotees arriving from outside. For pilgrims' convenience, more than 40 mobile toilets (portable toilets) are available at various locations. The 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv' held at Somnath is a major devotional festival witnessing lakhs of devotees. In this context, the efforts of the urban administration and sanitation workers are commendable. Their tireless work has ensured that Somnath and Veraval remain clean, beautiful, and sacred. (ANI)
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