Somnath Temple, regarded as the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, continues to attract large numbers of pilgrims, with nearly one crore visitors annually. The temple, which has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times over the centuries, remains an important religious and cultural landmark.

The shrine has seen renewed focus over the past two decades under the Shri Somnath Trust, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This year also coincides with 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s attack on Somnath in 1026. The temple is marking 75 years since its post-Independence inauguration with the “Somnath Swabhimaan Parv”.

Somnath has also seen a substantial rise in its digital presence. It is now counted among India’s top 10 most-searched travel and pilgrimage destinations, with social media impressions reported to have crossed 1.37 billion in 2025.

Pilgrim numbers have remained largely steady in recent years, ranging between 92 and 97 lakh annually from 2020 to 2024. On Maha Shivratri in 2025, the temple recorded a single-day footfall of around 3.56 lakh devotees. Online booking services and postal prasad options have increased outreach to those unable to visit physically.

The temple complex has undergone several infrastructural and experience-related additions, including a light and sound show that narrates its history and cultural festivals such as the Vande Somnath Kala Mahotsav. Launched in 2003, it has drawn over 10 lakh visitors in three years, transforming history into a nightly spectacle. The 2025 Vande Somnath Kala Mahotsav revived dance traditions dating back 1,500 years.

To make the journey to Somnath easier and comfortable for pilgrims, the connectivity has been significantly upgraded. The Jetpur–Somnath four-lane highway, a Rs 828 crore project, now offers expressway efficiency, while the Sabarmati–Veraval Vande Bharat Express has shortened the journey from Ahmedabad to Somnath into a semi-high-speed commute.

Keshod Airport, once a relic of 2000, reopened in 2022, and the Rajkot International Airport, inaugurated in 2023, has turned Somnath into a global gateway.