Somnath Temple belongs to Lord Someshwara, another name of Lord Shiva with a moon on his head. This temple is indestructible. There is a good reason why we call the Somnath temple is present in Gujarat for eternity. A scrawl through the Somnath temple history would reveal to you that the temple has been annihilated multiple times, and each time it has been restored!
History Of The Somnath Temple
Chaulukya king built the temple for the very first time before 997 AD. Most people are under the impression that Mahmud of Ghazni (in 1025–1026) was the first individual to destroy and plunder this beautiful temple.
But, this might be a little bit surprising for all of you. Some historians reckon that Mahmud of Ghazni was accountable for the destruction of the temple for the third time instead of the first time. The very first time, the temple destroyed by an unknown Arab invader. However, multiple times destruction did not have any adverse impact on the glory of the temple. Each time a new temple comes up with more eye-catching beauty and grandeur.
Reconstruction
The last restoration of the Somnath temple occurred under the order of “Iron Man of India” Sardar Vallabhai Patel (somewhere in the year between 1947 and 1951). The location of the Somnath temple is in Prabhas Patan near Veraval. Somnath Jyotirlinga is among the twelve consecrated Jyotirlingas, and a large number of the devout rush to this place to pay their veneration to Lord Shiva. So, come with us to know more about this.
The Design Aspect Of Somnath Temple
The architectural approach of the temple resembles the Chalukya style of architecture. Exist inside the temple, sharing a side with the coastal region. You can easily hear the sound of the ocean waves running into the shores!
A tall spire and flag pole increase the outer beauty of the temple. You can see the dim Saffron flag fluttering in the ocean breeze from a long distance. The principal attraction of the temple is, of course, the Somnath Jyotirlinga.
It’s not clear till now who sculpted the idol sculpture, but what we cannot deny is that the stone carver was a metallurgical virtuoso! Supposedly, the Shiva Linga constructed by an exceptional metal that causes it to stay afloat in the water.
Legend About The Somnath Jyotirlinga
There is a fascinating mythological story related to Somnath Temple. The story reveals that the Moon God ( who was cursed by Prajapati Daksha, Father-in-law of the Moon God, for favoring one of his wives) prayed to Lord Somnath near the temple’s site.
Impressed by his prayers, Lord Shiva appeared in front of the Moon God and liberated him from the curse. Free from the curse, Moon recovered his splendor, and Somnath turned into a holy hallowed place for the Shaivites. Another piece of the legend expresses that the main temple of Somnath was underlying gold by the Moon-god (Soma), in silver by the Sun god (Ravi), and in wood by Lord Krishna.
Seven Temples of Somnath
1. The Old One
Just a few steps away from the main jyotirlinga Somnath temple is the Old Somnath temple located. The temple is a must-visit for all the devottess. The decoration of the temple starts with some beautiful old architecture and decor. The symbols in the temple are appeared to be exceptionally old.
The principal Jain sanctuary here is the Chandraprabhu one. However, close by, there are some more. You can easily find some separate shrines inside the temple.
2. Bhalka Teerth: Lord Krishna’s Death Place
The place is popular for the fact that here Lord Krishna died after the epic war of Mahabharta. According to the story of Mahabharata, hunter Jara’s arrow pierced in his heel. The effect was so much because of the Gandhari’s curse to Krishna that he would die as a normal human being. Not long after he lefts his body, the place is called Bhalka Teerth. It is, particularly in Somnath. You cannot afford to miss this place once you reached the great Somnath temple.
3. Chandrabhaga Shaktipeeth
The Shaktipeeth is one of the 52 Shaktipeeths of Maa Sati. The Shaktipeeth is close to the Triveni Sangam in the Prabas district of Gujarat. And, also referenced in Puranas. On the Triveni conflux of Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati river, some steps away from the Somnath Jyotirlinga near the Shamshana land. The place is known for the spot where the abdomen part of goddess Sati had fallen. Vakrutund Bhairav was assigned to protect the part till the end of time.
4. Shashi Bhushan Temple (The Temple Of The Moon God)
This is the sanctuary of the Moon God, Soma. As referenced before, the Moon God conducts a Yagna to liberate himself from his curse here in the city of Somnath. Established by an ancient priest Shri Bhav Brihaspati, the temple is a tribute to the Moon God. The temple is one of the rarest places where the moon is worshipped in his god from.
5. Baldev Gufa
The legend states that the Baldev (aka Balarama), elder brother of Lord Krishna. He vanished from this cave into the netherworld. In that world, Balarama reincarnated as Sheshnag (the king of snakes). The Gufa is located 4 km away from the Somnath temple and under the patronage of the government.
6. The Sun Temple
The temple is the oldest shrine near the main attraction, Somnath Temple. The structure of the temple supports this theory well.
7. Rama Temple
This beautiful temple of Lord Rama is a treat to the eyes. The temple comes under Shree Somnath Trust of Gujarat, and bullets on Vijaya Dashmi 2017. Somnath is already blessed with the temples of Shiv and Shri Krishna. Now Lord Rama is also here to give their blessings to the people.
How To Reach Somnath
From Plane
There is no personal airport in Somnath. However, the place is well attached to several cities via the Aerodrome at Diu in the union territory Of Daman and Diu. Nonetheless, there is just one flight worked every day via Air India Regional. Likewise, different airports are genuinely close by, for example, the Porbandar air terminal, which is around 120 km, and the Rajkot Civil Airport, which is about 160 km away.
There are flights from Mumbai as well as other cities to Porbandar. Rajkot is one big airport from, where you can avail of plenty of airline services such as Air India and Jet Airways.
From Bus
The best means of transport you can use to reach Somnath is the bus. There are plenty of options available nearby the city. There are lots of small-town surrounded Somnath. All of them are well connected with bus services, both Non-ACs as well as luxury AC buses. You can easily get the service of AC bus from Diu under the price rate of 300 per person. The charges for bus service from the nearby places like Rajkot, Porbandar, and Ahmedabad are available and control by private bus owners. The prices you might give for the bus service is rational and vary based on the service quality of the buses.
From Train
Veraval Railway Station is the nearest station from Somnath. The station is associated well with the popular cities of the region like Mumbai and Ahmedabad. There are a total of 14 pairs of the train that runs daily. Somnath is just 5 km away from the Veraval station.
Book Your Darshan Now
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Darshan Timings Of The Temple
- Darshan time if the temple is from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm.
- Aarti time is 8:00 am and 7:00 pm.
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Somnath is a beautiful place, where there are end number of attractions, waiting for you to spend a little time with them. We try to make your journey secure and better and try to make your smile larger while returning from the journey.
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