| Lord Siva Temple - Somanath |
| The Somnath Temple is the most sacred of the twelve Jyotirlings located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat. Somnath means "The Protector of Moon God". The Somnath Temple is known as 'the Shrine Eternal', as although the temple has been destroyed six times it has been rebuilt every single time. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the great son of India and its first Deputy Prime Minister took a pledge on November 13, 1947 for its reconstruction which was completed on December 1, 1995 when the President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma dedicated it in the service of the nation. The present temple is built by Shree Somnath Trust which looks after the entire complex of Shree Somnath and its environs. |
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| The temple of Somnath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva is. According to the hindu mythology the temple was built by the Moon God. The original temple structure had been destroyed several times by attack of invaders. The great freedom fighter, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, played a vital role in the renovation of the temple & there is a sculpture of Sardar Patel at the entrance to the temple. The temple has imposing architecture and is a beautiful sight facing the blue expanse of the Arabian Sea. A short distance from the Somnath temple is Bakhla Tirth, where Lord Krishna was said to have been struck by the stray arrow of a Bhil tribal. The Present Temple, Kailash Mahameru Prasada is built in the chalukya style of temple architecture and reflects the inherent skill of Sompuras, Gujarat's master masons. The first temple of Somanath was built around 1st century A.D. In the period of Dharasena IV ruled over a part of Gujarat, a new temple replaced the old Somnath temple. The reason is still unknown that Somnath temple built by Dharasena IV was destroyed. And for the ninth time the temple was famous all over. |
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| In the year 1026, Mahmud of Ghazni invaded the country the temple destructed. Fierce resistance was offered by the people by the time the temple was in ruin stage. To save the deity, fifty thousand men laid down their lives in a brave effort. After a small time period the temple was again rebuilt in a impressive way built by the great scholar-devotee, Bhava Brihaspati, under the patronage of King Kumarapala, in the 12th century. |
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| Somnath is also known by different names like- Deo pattan, Prabhas Pattan or Pattan Somnath. It is believed that 2000 priests served the idol of the temple. It was believed that the Somnath Temple or Somnath Pattan was popular even in the ancient times. Revenues were collected from 10,000 villages to maintain the Somnath Temple. The temple was visited by the people from all parts of the country even in the ancient times. |
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| Somanath is situated in the south coast of Saurashtra, near Veraval in Gujarat. The original temple structure had been destroyed several times by attack of invaders. The great freedom fighter, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, played a vital role in the renovation of the temple & there is a sculpture of Sardar Patel at the entrance to the temple. |
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| The temple was once upon a time decorated with gold and silver, but was all looted by invaders. But the temple that remains in stone is still a splendorous beauty. The seven-storied structure of Somnath is tall to 155 feet. Constructed in the Chalukya style of architecture, Somnath Temple reflects the expertise of the Sompuras that are master masons of Gujarat. The temple is sited in such a manner that no mass of land can be seen from Somnath seashore till Antarctica. This information is presented in an inscription, written in Sanskrit, on the Arrow-Pillar of the sea-protection wall at the temple. |
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| It has the Shikhar portion, the Garbh Gruh, the Sabha Mandap and the Nritya Mandap. Such a temple has not been constructed in India during the last 800 years. The Temple is situated at such a place that there is no land in between from Somnath sea-shore to Antartica, the South Pole. Such an inscription in Sanskrit is found on the ARROW-PILLAR erected on the sea-protection wall at the Somnath Temple. |
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| In the words of Dr. Rajendra Prasad (the first president of India), "Somnath Temple signifies that the power of creation is always greater than the power of destruction". The great history and religious importance of Somnath temple attracts pilgrims as well as tourists from India and abroad. |
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| The Trust has taken up project to develop this sacred place as "Shree Krishna Neejdham-Prasthan Teerth". Ahalyeshwar Mahadev Temple built by Queen Ahalyabai, Gita Mandir, Laxmi Narayan temple, Baldev Gufa, Mahaprabhuji's Bethak, Triveni Sangam, Parshuram Kshetra, SUN Temple, Prachi and Shashibhushan temples are other places of religious significance in and around the Somnath Temple. |
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| To reach the Temple |
By air
The nearest airport is Keshod 55 km. There are regular buses and taxis plying between Keshod and Somnath.
By rail
The nearest railhead is Veraval at 7kms, which is connected to major cities in Gujarat.
By road
A good road network to the other nearby places like Veraval 7 km, Mumbai 889 km, Ahmedabad 400 km, Bhavnagar 266 km, Junagarh 85 km, and Porbandar 122 km. |
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