28/09/2026
As part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, a 30-member delegation from Sikkim was flagged off on 26th September 2026 by Hon’ble Minister Shri Arun Upreti in the presence of the Secretary and senior officials of the Culture Department, Government of Sikkim. Travelling under the patronage of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), the delegation comprises 28 representatives from different ethnic communities of Sikkim and two officials from the Culture Department. Led by Shri Bhawani Ghimire, OSD, Culture Department, the delegation will join yatris from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura aboard the special train “Somnath Swabhiman Yatra” to Somnath, Gujarat.
The Yatra aims to provide participants an opportunity to experience the historical, cultural and spiritual significance of Somnath. During the visit, the yatris will participate in darshan, Rudrabhishek, Maha Aarti, Bhajan Sandhya, cultural programmes and the Light and Sound Show, besides visiting the special Somnath Swabhiman Parv Exhibition and undertaking a guided tour of the Somnath Museum. The participation of the Sikkim delegation seeks to celebrate India’s shared cultural and spiritual heritage while highlighting the rich cultural diversity of Sikkim and promoting cultural exchange, unity in diversity and national integration.
