Somnath After 1,000 Years: Reassessing Sufism's Manipulated Cultural Narrative

• The Somnath Swabhiman Parv, led by PM Modi, commemorated 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's 1026 invasion and destruction of the Somnath Temple.
• The article calls for a reassessment of how medieval Islamic invasions were reframed through manipulated cultural narratives, particularly concerning Sufism.
• Amir Khusro, often seen as a symbol of India's Sufi tradition, celebrated the desecration of the Somnath Temple in 1299 and the slaughter of Hindus at Chidambaram.
• Sufis, operating as pirs, qalandars, or dervishes, played a significant role in facilitating Islamic expansion in India, especially in Bengal, sometimes leading armed forces.
• Historical accounts suggest Sufis, often enjoying royal patronage, arrived with or after invading Islamic armies and were involved in temple demolitions, like the Ramjanmabhoomi temple.

Why It Matters: The article challenges the conventional narrative of Sufism, highlighting its role in supporting Islamic invasions and temple demolitions.