Somnath Temple - The 1st Jyotirling
saurashtradeshe vishade atiramye jyotirmayam chandrakalavatamsam |
bhaktipradanaya kripavatirnam tam somanatham sharanam prapadye ||
Somnath Temple located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat, India, is the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of the god Shiva. It has currently become a tourist spot for pilgrims.
How to Reach
Ahmedabad to Somnath By Bus
- Take a bus from Ahmedabad to Somnath, a journey of about 6 hours 25 minutes. The time taken may vary depending on the type of bus and the routes taken. There are frequent buses from Ahmedabad to Somnath. Economical and ideal for families, senior citizens and groups.
Ahmedabad to Somnath By Train
- Take a train from Ahmedabad to Veraval. The Veraval Railway Station is the nearest railway station, 7 km away from Somnath. Somnath Express from Ahmedabad is the best train. From Veraval station you can take auto or rickshaws to Somnath. Ideal for families with kids and senior citizens.
- If one is already traveling to Dwarka, he/she can travel by private vehicle to Somnath.Please beware of the travel vehicle while negotiating the deal.The travel distance from Dwarka to Somnath is 232 km.
Places To see
- One can see the beautiful modern Somnath Temple. Aarti timings are 7am at 12pm.One must visit the old somnath temple where one can offer their prayers and one is actually allowed to go to the Shiva Linga and offer worship.The sea beach near to the temple is amazing.
- Somnath trust organises daily twice "Somnath tirth Darshan"local sight seeing. Bus starts near the gate of Somnath Temple -10am and 3pm. Rs.20/- per seat.
- Alternatively you can engage a auto rickshaw to take you to nearby places. They usually charge 200-250 Rs.
- you can also see Bhidbhajan Mahadev, ban gangeshwar and Bhalka Tirth. these are within 5-6 kms.
1. Bhalka Theerth
This sacred teerth is located 5 km on Prabhas Veraval highway.
The arrow of the Poacher named "Jara" at his spot hit Bhagvan Shree Krishna. Bhagvan Shree Krishna was resting in meditation pose under a pippal tree when the poacher misread the foot of Bhagvan Shree Krishna as a deer and hit from a distance.
Bhagvan generously pardoned the poacher and blessed him.
This devine leela of Bhagvan Shree Krishna is immortalised by beautiful Temple and an ancient pippal tree. Bhagvan Shree Krishna then walked a small distance and arriver at the holy banks of river Hiran from where he took his last journey to his Neejdham.
2. Triveni Ghat
Triveni Ghat in Somnath is the meeting point of three holy rivers - Kapil, Hiran And a Saraswathi, which were believed to be following to their ultimate destination, Arabian Sea. These stages of rivers where they meet and then flow together to to the sea symbolises human birth, life and death.
Considered as a sacred location for taking a holy dip to get rid of all curses and diseases, Triveni Ghat holds a significant place in Hindu Mythology and Puranas and also finds a mention in the hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is believed that Lord Shree Krishna visited this holy spot when he hurt by an arrow shot by Jara- a hunter. The popular temples Gita Mandir and Lakshminarayana Mandir are located on the Banks of Triveni Ghat.
3. Lakshminarayana Mandir
Lakshmi-Narayan Mandir, situated on the banks of Triveni Theerth, is one of the famous pilgrim spots nearby Somnath. The temple, built in modern Indian architectural style, is located nearby Gita Mandir.
4. Gita Mandir
Gita Mandir, also known as Birla Mandir, is one of the popular attractions nearby Somnath. Built in 1970 by the Birlas at Dehotsarg campus situated in the outskirts of Mathura, Gita Mandir is famous for its depiction of Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, which is carved on 18 marble pillars.
Story of The Legend
Time Line
In 725 CE Junayad, the Arab governor of History of Sindh Sind, sent his armies to destroy the second temple. The Gurjara Pratihara king Nagabhata II constructed the third temple in 815, a large structure of red sandstone.
In 1024, the temple was destroyed by the Muslim prominent ruler, Mahmud of Ghazni, who raided the temple from across the Thar Desert. The temple was rebuilt by the Gujjar Paramara King Bhoj of Malwa and the Solanki king Bhimadev I of Anhilwara (now Patan, Gujarat Patan) between 1026 and 1042. The wooden structure was replaced by Kumarpal (r.1143-72), who built the temple of stone.
In 1296, the temple was once again destroyed by Allauddin Khilji's army and Raja Karan of Gujarat was defeated and forced to flee. According to Taj-ul-Ma'sir of Hasan Nizami, the Sultan boasted that "fifty thousand infidels were dispatched to hell by the sword" and "more than twenty thousand slaves, and cattle beyond all calculation fell into the hands of the victors,". The temple was rebuilt by Mahipala Deva, the Chudasama king of Saurashtra in 1308 and the Linga was installed by his son Khengar sometime between 1326 and 1351.
In 1375, the temple was once again destroyed by Muzaffar Shah I of Gujarat Sultanate.
In 1451, the temple was once again destroyed by Mahmud Begada, the Sultan of Gujarat.
By 1665, the temple, one of many, was once again ordered destroyed by Mughal Empire Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Later the temple was rebuilt to its same glory adjacent to the ruined one.
Later on a joint effort of Peshwa of Pune, Raja Bhonsle of Nagpur, Chhatrapati Bhonsle of Kolhapur, Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore & Shrimant Patilbuwa Shinde of Gwalior rebuilt the temple in 1783 at a site adjacent to the ruined temple.
Reconstruction of Somnath Temple
Before Partition of India|independence, Prabhas Patan was part of the princely state of Junagadh, whose ruler had acceded to Pakistan in 1947. After India Indian integration of Junagadh refused to accept his decision, the state was made a part of India, and the Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel came to Junagadh on November 12, 1947 to direct the stabilization of the state by the Indian Army and at the same time ordered the reconstruction of the Somnath temple.
When Sardar Patel, K. M. Munshi and other leaders of the Congress went to Gandhi with the proposal of reconstructing the Somnath temple, Gandhi blessed the move,but suggested that the funds for the construction should be collected from the public and the temple should not be funded by the state. He expressed that he was proud to associate himself to the project of renovation of the temple. However, soon both Gandhi and Sardar Patel died and the task of reconstruction of the temple continued under Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi K. M. Munshi, who was the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies in the Nehru Government.
The ruins were pulled down in October 1950 and the mosque present at that site was shifted few kilometres away. In May 1951, Rajendra Prasad, the first President of the Republic of India, invited by K M Munshi, performed the installation ceremony for the temple. Rajendra Prasad said in his address "It is my view that the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple will be complete on that day when not only a magnificent edifice will arise on this foundation, but the mansion of India's prosperity will be really that prosperity of which the ancient temple of Somnath was a symbol.". He added "The Somnath temple signifies that the power of reconstruction is always greater than the power of destruction".
This episode created a serious rift between the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who saw the movement for reconstruction of the temple as an attempt at Hindu revivalism and the President Rajendra Prasad and Union Minister K. M. Munshi, who saw in its reconstruction, the fruits of freedom and the reversal of past injustice done to Hindus.
The present temple, which was built by Patel and Munshi, is managed by Shree Somnath Trust.
