Somnath Temple, Dwarka, Gujarat

Somnath temple in Gujarat’s Veraval is one of the most renowned lord Shiva temples of the country. It enjoys the fame of being the first of the 12 Jyotirlingams that our country has.  The temple has stood the test of time and has survived many attacks down the ages. The temple thus underwent several renovations and reconstructions. The present version of Somnath temple came into being under the initiative of Vallabhbhai Patel. Dr. Rajendra Prasad who was the Indian president during that time had inaugurated the temple on the 11^th of May, 1951. The fact that this majestic shore temple of Lord Shiva exists still despite all the attacks, confirms its status as ‘The Shrine Eternal’, a metaphor given to the temple to honor it. The deity at the temple is said to be awake all the time. The temple was constructed many centuries ago and was the seat of a huge store of wealth.

Location

The temple is located in Gujarat’s Prabhas Patan in vicinity to Veraval in the Saurashtra region and stands along the western shore of the country adjoining the Arabian Sea.

History and Legends

As per legends, this temple is as old as creation and is said to have been constructed by Som or the Moon God himself. It is said that Moon God once incurred the wrath of his father in law Daksha who cursed Moon for disobeying him. Moon was cursed that he will soon lose his luster and wane. Very upset Moon started praying earnestly to Lord Shiva who pleased by Moon’s penance, appeared before him at Prabhas and granted him respite from the curse. Out of gratitude, moon god built a temple of Gold on the shore of Veraval and dedicated it to Lord Shiva referred to as ‘Somnath’ or ‘Someshwara here. Later the temple is said to have been rebuilt in silver by Ravana, in wood by Lord Krishna and finally in stone by the Solanki ruler, King Bhimdev Solanki.

The temple has suffered attacks at the hands of invaders and conquerors who wished to demolish it completely and loot all the wealth stored in it. The attacks began with Junamad’s attack in 722 followed by Muhammad Ghazni’s attack in 1025 AD, then by Alauddin Khalji attack in 1297 AD, followed by Mohammad Begada’s attack by 1479 AD, Muzaffar Shah II’s attack in 1503 AD, Aurangzeb’s attack in 1701 AD.

Architecture

The temple follows the Chalukyan architectural style revealing the architectural excellence of the master masons of Gujarat. The Shikhara of the temple rises to 150ft in height and an ornate Kalash sits atop the Shikhara weighing nearly 10 tons. The temple’s Dwajanand has a perimeter of 1 feet and is 27 feet in width. The temple’s exterior is decked up with intricate carvings. The lingam that the temple enshrines is a 4ft high swambhu or self-manifested lingam erected upon Brahmashila.

Darshan Timings:

The general temple timings are from 6 am to 9:30 pm

Aarti timings: 7 am; 12 noon; 7 pm        

Light and sound show timings: 8 pm to 9 pm

The light and sound show does not take place during monsoon months and rainy season.

Places to Visit in Somnath

Laxminarayan Temple

Situated peacefully by the shore of Somnath with the presiding deity as Lord Laxminarayan (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) this temple is extremely holy. Another fact which makes it highly revered is its location by the banks of Triveni Teerth where pilgrims visit to cleanse their sins. The temple is built by utilizing modern architectural styles and designs which has sacred messages of Lord Krishna depicted all over its walls.

Paanch Pandav Gufa

Discovered in the year 1949 by late baba Narayandas, this Gufa is dedicated to the Pandava brothers. The location of the temple works in its favour since it provides some of the most stunning and magnificent views of its surroundings. The temple atmosphere in itself is extremely quiet and serene giving the visitors an opportunity to reflect on their thoughts. If you are looking for a spiritual experience in Somnath then visiting this cave will definitely fulfill your wishes.

Triveni Sangam Temple

Somnath is home to one of the most pious confluences of three rivers Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati and these three rivers empty out at the Arabian Sea. Devout Hindus make it a point to visit this spot to attain moksha. It is widely believed that one holy dip in these waters will cleanse your mind body and soul of all your sins.

Suraj Mandir

Situated close to the popular Triveni Ghats this temple is one of the lesser known temples dedicated to the sun god. The temple is adorned with various depictions of animals like lions, elephants and some birds. This is one of the most holy and a pious site which is dedicated to all the spirit of nature since people of those ages used to worship and regard the nature in high standards.

Parshuram Temple

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This holy centre of spirituality is located on the banks of the holy river Triveni and this is the place where Lord Parshuram is believed to have performed his penance. This is also one of the rarest temples dedicated to Lord Parshuram. The temple offers its visitors some of the most panoramic views of its surroundings. It is right at this spot that Lord Shiva had finally appeared to relieve Parshuram from his curse.

Somnath Temple Attack

The exact date of construction of this temple is still a mystery according to the documentation done by J Gordon Melton. The second version of Somnath is said to have been constructed on the exact spot by the kings of the Yadava dynasty during 649 CE. Later on in 725 CE, the governor of Sindh, Al - Junayd is believed to have destroyed this holy shrine during his invasion in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The temple was then re constructed by King Nagabhata 2 during 815 CE. In 1024 when Bhima 1 was the ruler, the temple was again a focus of attack for Mahmud of Ghazni who had then raided Gujarat. He had plundered the entire temple and broke the Jyotirlinga. During the invasion of 1299, Alauddin Khalji is said to have sacked the temple and defeated king Karna. After later on being re constructed, the temple was again destroyed by Zafar khan in 1395 who was also the last governor of Gujarat. Later on in 1546, the Goan Portuguese attacked the ports and destroyed several temples including Somnath as well as some mosques. In 1655 Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was the reason for destruction of the temple and in 1702 he had passed the orders for complete destruction of the temple in case any Hindu devotees continues to worship there.

Accommodation Facilities

Pilgrims and visitors of the temple can avail the guest house facility which is maintained by the Shree Somnath trust. The trust offers stay options for different categories which are divided among VIP guesthouses among 18 other guesthouses along with an economical dormitory. The overall number of available rooms at this trust’s guesthouse is 200. The amenities available here include, running hot water (generated by solar power), a restaurant as well as the rooms being sea facing.

In case you are planning to stay somewhere other than the guesthouse then Somnath offers a wide range of hotels and accommodation facilities. The range of the stay options varies from budget hotel, luxury resorts, hostels, lodges and medium range hotels among a whole plethora of other stay options. You can easily select the type of accommodation you want to avail depending on your budget. 

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the temple is between months October and March. If you wish to soak in the festive or spiritual fervor of the temple, Monday among the other days of the week and the festive times of Shivratri are the ideal time to visit the temple.

How to Reach

If one wishes to avail the rail route, Veraval is the nearest rail head to Somnath temple. Hence, one has to take a train to Veraval which is connected to the rest of the country and state through a well developed railway network. Also, road transport facilities in the form of private and public buses along with cabs connect Veraval to all other important cities of Gujarat. Once you have reached Veraval, you can hire local transports like auto rickshaws, taxis to reach the temple. If one wishes to avail the air route, then one has to take a flight to Diu airport, the airport lying closest to the temple.