CM Bhupendra Patel prays for Captain Smit Machhar's recovery
Synopsis
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel joined a special Mahapuja and Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan at the Somnath Jyotirlinga on October 1, 2026, praying for the swift and complete recovery of Indian Army Captain Smit Machhar, calling on all citizens to unite in the appeal.
Key Takeaways
A special Mahapuja and Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan is being performed at Somnath Mahadev — the first Jyotirlinga — for Captain Smit Machhar's recovery.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel publicly joined the prayer on October 1, 2026 , framing it as a collective appeal by all of Gujarat and the nation.
Captain Smit Machhar is described as a 'brave son of India' and a 'courageous hero' by CM Patel.
The Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan is a Vedic ritual performed specifically to invoke healing and longevity.
CM Patel's closing invocation — 'Har Har Mahadev' — underscores the spiritual and cultural gravity the leadership attaches to the occasion.
At the sacred precincts of Somnath Mahadev — the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas and one of India's most revered shrines — a special mahapuja and 'Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan' (a ritual chanting ceremony for long life) is underway for the swift recovery of Captain Smit Machhar, a soldier Gujarat has claimed as its own brave son. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, on Thursday, October 1, 2026, added his voice and prayer to that collective offering.
Sharing the moment on X, CM Patel wrote: 'The collective prayers of all of Gujarat and all of us fellow countrymen are joined with this special Mahapuja and Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan being performed at the first Jyotirlinga, Shri Somnath Mahadev, for the recovery of India's brave son Captain Smit Machhar. We pray to Devadideva Bhagwan Somnath to restore our courageous hero to full health swiftly and grant him a long life. Har Har Mahadev!'
A soldier, a shrine, and a state's collective prayer
The decision to hold the ritual at Somnath — situated on the western coast of Gujarat in Gir Somnath district — carries unmistakable weight. Somnath is not merely a temple; it is a site of centuries of faith and resilience, and for Gujaratis it holds a particularly profound cultural identity. Invoking its sanctity for a soldier's recovery signals how deeply Captain Machhar's condition has moved both the political establishment and the public.
The Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan is a Vedic prayer ceremony specifically performed to invoke longevity and healing — distinct from a routine puja in its scale and duration, typically involving sustained chanting by priests over an extended period. Its performance at a Jyotirlinga amplifies the spiritual weight of the petition.
Gujarat's bond with its serving soldiers
CM Patel's post frames the prayer as a collective national act — not a private gesture or a political one, but an expression of what he called the 'collective prayers of all fellow countrymen.' The use of 'janbaz nayak' (courageous hero) to describe Captain Machhar underlines the esteem in which the officer is held. Gujarat has a strong tradition of military service, and public prayers for soldiers in harm's way or recovering from injury are a recurrent and deeply felt expression of that bond.
The ceremony at Somnath, one of the most watched and visited pilgrimage sites in western India, ensures the prayer reaches far beyond any individual congregation — a nation joining a shrine's petition for one soldier's return to full health.
Point of View
Rather than a state initiative alone, broadens the political resonance beyond Gujarat. It also places the Chief Minister visibly at the intersection of faith, patriotism, and welfare for serving soldiers — a positioning that carries consistent electoral and social capital in the state. Whether the ceremony accelerates any policy support for Captain Machhar's treatment or rehabilitation remains an open question.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Captain Smit Machhar?
Captain Smit Machhar is an Indian Army officer from Gujarat, described by CM Bhupendra Patel as a 'brave son of India.' A special prayer ceremony has been organised at Somnath temple for his recovery, though details of his condition have not been officially disclosed in the public domain.
What is Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan?
The Ayushya Mantrajap Anushthan is a Vedic ritual involving sustained sacred chanting performed specifically to invoke healing and a long life for an individual. It is typically conducted by priests over an extended period at a significant religious site.
Why was Somnath chosen for this prayer?
Somnath Mahadev in Gir Somnath district, Gujarat, is the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas — among the most sacred Shiva temples in Hinduism. Its selection reflects the spiritual significance the organisers and CM Patel wished to attach to the prayer for Captain Machhar's recovery.
What did Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel say about Captain Smit Machhar?
CM Patel said the collective prayers of all of Gujarat and fellow countrymen are joined with the Mahapuja at Somnath, praying to Lord Somnath to restore Captain Machhar — whom he called a 'courageous hero' — to full health swiftly and grant him a long life.
Where is Somnath Mahadev temple located?
The Somnath Mahadev temple is located in Prabhas Patan , Veraval, in the Gir Somnath district of Gujarat, on the western coast of India. It is revered as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas.
