The Somnath temple in Gujarat, is considered as one of the most coveted pilgrimage sites for hindu Shiva devotees. Every year millions of devotees visit this shrine to experience the majestic divine energy of this place. The temple in itself is an example of magnificent beauty and architecture.
Somnath Temple History
The Somnath temple history dates back to 4th to 5th century AD. The temple has a very rich and boisterous history, including several destructions and reconstructions. For Hindu religion devotees the Somnath temple is one of the most venerated and remarkable temples ever made. The Somnath temple is located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval in Gujarat, India. It is the very first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of the lord shiva. It is not only a symbol of hindu religion and faith but it also represents the true cultural and spiritual value of Indian culture.
Ancient Mythology and History of Somnath Temple:
- There are many mythological records according to them the temple dates back to the time of creation. The Moon God, Chandra, was married to the 27 daughters of the sage Daksha. Chandra’s most favored one was Rohini, this was not liked by Daksha. In great fury Daksha cursed Chandra to wane. To attenuate the curse Chandra prayed to Lord Shiva at this site, where Lord Shiva blessed him and relieved him from the curse by wax and wane every fortnight. In honor of Lord Shiva, Chandra built the Somnath Temple with “Som” meaning the Moon and “Nath” meaning the Lord, thus the temple became known as Somnath or the Lord of the Moon.
- There are no specific dates mentioned in history but it is said that initially it was built in gold by the Lord Moon, then in silver by the Ravana, king of Sri Lanka, then in Sandalwood by the lord Krishna, and finally in stone by the Yadavas.
- The present temple has been reconstructed and rebuilt after several destructions. Somanth Temple history is full of foul series of devastating invasions, lootings and destructions mainly due to its wealth and treasure. One of the most talked about invasion of the temple belongs to Mahmud of Ghazni (the king of Ghazni, present day Afghanistan) which occurred in 1025 AD. When Ghazni invaded India he looted many temples for their wealth to empower himself. The Somnath temple was one of them, he invaded the temple with his men and destroyed the Shiva Lingam and carried the wealth of the temple on 300 camels. In 1451 AD Delhi Sultanate again invaded the temple under leaders like Alauddin Khilji, Mahmud Begada. But the other major blow came in 1706 when Aurangzeb ordered the razing of the hindu temples as religious policy.
Rebirth Of Somnath Temple:
The present temple was reconstructed in 1951 with a chalukya architectural design under the order of India’s first deputy PM Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and then President Of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who also inaugurated the temple.
Best Time to visit Somnath Temple
The best time to visit the pious temple is from October to March. During this time period the two main occasions one is Karthik purnima in November and other is Mahashivratri in February or March.
Timing Of Darshan In Somanth Temple
If you are planning to visit the temple the remember just remember few things :
- Timings : The Somnath temple is open from 6 am to 10pm. Arti timings are 7am, 12 noon and 7pm. 8 to 9 pm is the light and sound show, which is voiced by the famous superstar of bollywood Amitabh Bachan.
- Dress code : well it includes decent clothing both for men and women with knees and shoulders covered. No revealing and short outfits are permitted in the temple premises.
- Cell phones, cameras, and other electronic gadgets are not allowed too.
Story Behind the Jyotirlinga
A Jyotirlinga is a holy and devotional representation of Lord Shiva. The word Jyotirlinga is derived from sanskrit words Joytis meaning “radiance” and linga meaning “sign“. Jyotirlingas are temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and there are 12 Jyotirlingas in India and are considered as sacred places to worship Lord Shiva. The Jyotirlinga of Somnath Temple is the first jyotirlinga of the 12 jyotirlinga. The 11 other supremely auspicious jyotirlingas in India are located at the following temples:
- Mahakaleshwar
- Kedarnath
- Omkareshwar
- Srisailam
- Trimbakeshwar
- Rameshwaram
- Baidyanath
- Bhimashankar
- Vishwanath
- Nageshwara and
- Grishneshwar
The Somnath temple in Gujarat, is a must visit place for you if you want to explore and experience the religious, divine energy with a flamboyant history attached to it. It is one of the most loved pilgrimage shrines of India.
Also Read: Know All About The 12 Jyotirlingas In India: Names & Where Are They Situated?