A special train carrying pilgrims from West Bengal to Somnath in Gujarat was flagged off from Kolkata on Saturday as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, an initiative marking 1,000 years of India’s enduring faith, cultural heritage and civilisational resilience.
The dedicated service, launched to facilitate the pilgrimage to the historic Somnath temple, departed Kolkata on 12 September and is scheduled to reach Somnath on 14 September. The pilgrims will take part in religious and cultural programmes at Somnath on 15 and 16 September before returning to Kolkata on 17 September.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by West Bengal ministers Dr Shankar Ghosh, Shri Koushik Chowdhury, Shri Umesh Rai and Smt Purnima Chakraborty, along with Eastern Railway General Manager Ms Gitika Pandey, senior railway officials and other dignitaries.
The special train has received an enthusiastic response from pilgrims, offering them a dedicated and convenient rail service for the long-distance pilgrimage.
The initiative reflects the Ministry of Railways’ efforts to facilitate pilgrimage travel and provide comfortable rail connectivity for major religious and cultural journeys across the country.
The Somnath Swabhiman Parv celebrates India’s enduring civilisational heritage, faith and cultural traditions, with Somnath serving as a powerful symbol of the country’s resilience and unwavering devotion through the ages.
