VARANASI, May 12 -- Describing the history of Sanatan Dharma as glorious, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that numerous foreign invaders, including Muhammad Ghori, attempted to obliterate "our spiritual and cultural identity" but failed to break the spirit of India. The chief minister made these remarks while addressing a gathering during the 'Somnath Sankalp Mahotsav' held on the Kashi Vishwanath temple premises. Adityanath, along with governor Anandiben Patel, participated in the programme which was held as part of the 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv' (Somnath Self-Respect Festival). The event was organised at the Tryambakeshwar Multipurpose Hall at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham. "Aurangzeb not only demolished the ancient temple of Baba Kashi Vishwanath but also erected a structure of subjugation in its place. Yet, they failed to break the spirit of India. They failed to comprehend that Sanatan resides not merely within the walls of temples, but deep within the very consciousness of India," Adityanath said. "The eternal clarion call of India's imperishability and immortality is vividly reflected in its spiritual and cultural heritage. Those who attempted to eradicate Sanatan were themselves reduced to dust. Today, there is no one left even to utter the names of those invaders. Sanatan culture cannot be defeated," the chief minister said. Those present at the venue witnessed a live telecast of the main ceremony taking place at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, featuring a special mahapuja (grand worship ritual) performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside the kumbhabhishek (consecration ceremony), flag-hoisting, and a ceremonial showering of flowers. "While Sanatan culture may face attacks, it can never be defeated. Destruction is transient, whereas creation is eternal," Adityanath said. While Kashi has preserved the spiritual stream of Sanatan Dharma in its pristine form, Somnath has kept the flame of our self-respect and renaissance burning bright, he said. "The Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the Somnath Mahadev temple stand as symbols of glory, narrating the saga of India's self-respect. Iron Man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, had resolved to undertake the re-consecration of the Somnath temple. He faced numerous obstacles and challenges, yet he brushed them aside and pressed forward. The reconstruction of the Somnath Temple served as a proclamation of liberation from servitude and of the nation's restored self-esteem-a sentiment we witness mirrored in Kashi today," he said. Taking a jibe at critics, the chief minister remarked that even today, there exist various forces that do not wish to see the development of spiritual and cultural sites that serve as symbols of India's self-respect. "These are the very same individuals who sought to obstruct the re-consecration ceremony of the Somnath Mahadev temple, and who continuously erected hurdles during the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. However, it is a testament to the illustrious leadership of the prime minister that today, we are all able to witness this grand event from the Kashi Vishwanath Dham-participating simultaneously in the 'Festival of Self-Respect' of Somnath Mahadev and the 'Amrit Mahotsav' (Golden Jubilee) of its re-consecration," he said. He also mentioned India's first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad and noted that 75 years ago, despite opposition from the government of that era, he chose to participate in the re-consecration ceremony of the Somnath Mahadev temple. Those present on the occasion include Uttar Pradesh ministers Anil Rajbhar, Dayashankar Mishra 'Dayalu', and Hansraj Vishwakarma, along with Varanasi mayor Ashok Tiwari, MLAs Tribhuvan Ram, Awadhesh Singh, Saurabh Srivastava, and Sunil Patel; MLC Dharmendra Singh; district panchayat chairperson Poonam Maurya; and Kashi Vidvat Parishad (Council of Scholars) president Prof Vashishtha Tripathi and Dr Ram Narayan Dwivedi. Varanasi South MLA Neelkanth Tiwari delivered the welcome address....