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Temple Speciality

Temple Name

Sthalam

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The Somnath temple&nbsp;is a &nbsp;Swayambhu located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus and is believed to be first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.The temple was reconstructed several times in the past after repeated destruction by multiple Muslim invaders and rulers, notably starting from an attack by Mahmud Ghazni in the 11th century.&nbsp;It is unclear when the first version of the Somnath temple was built with estimates varying between the early centuries of the 1st-millennium to about the 9th-century CE.

The Somnath temple was actively studied by colonial era historians and archaeologists in the 19th- and early 20th-century, when its ruins illustrated a historic Hindu temple in the process of being converted into an Islamic mosque.After India&#39;s independence, those ruins were demolished and the present Somnath temple was reconstructed in the Māru-Gurjara style of Hindu temple architecture. The contemporary Somnath temple&#39;s reconstruction was started under the orders of the first Home Minister of India Vallabhbhai Patel and completed in May 1951 after his death.

The Somnath temple is located close to the ancient trading port of Veraval, one of three in Gujarat from where Indian merchants departed to trade goods. The 11th-century Persian historian Al-Biruni states that Somnath has become so famous because &quot;it was the harbor for seafaring people, and a station for those who went to and fro between Sufala in the country of Zanj (east Africa) and China&quot;. Combined with its repute as an eminent pilgrimage site,

its location was well known to the kingdoms within the Indian subcontinent.&nbsp;Literature and epigraphical evidence suggests that the medieval era Veraval-Patan area port was also actively trading with the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This brought wealth and fame to the Veraval area as well as the temple.

The site of Prabhas Patan was occupied during the Indus Valley Civilisation, 2000&ndash;1200 BCE. It was one of very few sites in the Junagadh district to be so occupied. After abandonment in 1200 BCE, it was reoccupied in 400 BCE and continued into the historical period. Prabhas is also close to the other sites similarly occupied: Junagadh, Dwarka, Padri and Bharuch.

Nomenclature and Significance 
Somnath means &quot;Lord of the Soma&quot; or &quot;moon&quot;.The site is also called Prabhasa (&quot;place of splendor&quot;).Somnath temple has been a jyotirlinga site for the Hindus, and a holy place of pilgrimage (tirtha ). It is one of five most revered sites on the seacoast of India, along with the nearby Dvaraka in Gujarat, Puri in Odisha, Rameshvaram and Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu.

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Puranam

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The site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times on account of being a Triveni Sangam (the confluence of three rivers: Kapila, Hiran and Saraswati). Soma, the Moon god, is believed to have lost his lustre due to a curse, and he bathed in the Sarasvati River at this site to regain it. The result is said to be the waxing and waning of the moon.

The name of the town, Prabhas, meaning lustre, as well as the alternative names Someshvar and Somnath (&quot;the lord of the moon&quot; or &quot;the moon god&quot;), arise from this tradition.Somnath temple town has a long and chequered History. Even though it is referred to by several other names, names it acquired in the various phases of History, the name Somnath is unrivalled as far as popularity is concerned. And understandably so because this small town would have faded to oblivion but for the presence of the magnificent Somnath Temple from which it receives its best known name. 
 
Deo Pattan, Prabhas Pattan, Pattan Somnath (some of the other names of this sea side town in&nbsp;Gujarat&nbsp;would have all been erased from public memory. But instead of that this place has made a distinctive place for itself primarily because of this brilliant structure. The History of Somnath (as in referring to the city) is so completely dominated by the&nbsp;History of Somnath Temple&nbsp;that it would not be exaggeration in the least to say that they are synonymous.Not much is known about the early&nbsp;History of Somnath temple.

However it is popularly believed that the first temple existed even before the commencement of the Christian era. The second was built in the period 480-767 A.D. by the Vallabhi kings. This was again replaced by the Pratihara king Nagabhattta II in 815 A.D.The Somnath temple which enshrines one of the twelve Jyotirlingas was so highly revered that people from various nook and corners of the country came to offer their prayers here. 
 
As many as 2000 Brahmin priests were engaged in temple activities and the revenue collected from ten thousand villages were used for its maintenance. Prayers were announced by ringing the bell which was attached to a golden chain. Its walls were nothing less than pages of History. The exquisite sculptures were a reflection of the times and the pillars even had the names of the sculptors carved on them.Unfortunately what happened in the year 1025 was a very unfortunate event in the&nbsp;Somnath temple history.

Muhammad of Ghazni invaded the city and in spite of the valiant resistance put up by fifty thousand Shaivites, the temple was looted and razed to the ground. What was regarded as an architectural masterpiece was demolished brutally. 
 
King Bhima of Gujarat and King Bhoja of Malwa then took upon themselves the noble task of renovating this fine edifice in red sandstone. However it was fated to be destroyed once again by Alaf Khan in 1300 A.D. This time King Mahipala belonging to the Chudasama dynasty renovated it.Thereafter also the History of Somnath is punctuated with episodes of destruction and reconstruction at various points of time in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.

Finally the temple was once again ruined in 1706 by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. After that more than two hundred years passed before Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel finally took upon himself the responsibility of constructing it once again in the year 1947. Much to the glory and pride of not just Somnath but of the whole of India this stunning temple was once again reincarnated. Presently this &quot;Shrine Eternal&quot; is visited by a large number of pilgrims as well as by common tourists. So without further delay you too can plan your Tour to Somnath to witness this majestic temple.

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Varnam

Highlights

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The modern day Somnath Temple was built over five years, from 1947 to 1951 and was inaugurated by then President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad.

The Shivalinga in the temple is believed to have been safely hiding within its hollowness the famous Syamantak Mani, the Philosopher&rsquo;s stone, which is associated with Lord Krishna. It is said that it was a magical stone, which was capable of producing gold. It is also believed that stone had alchemic and radioactive properties and could create a magnetic field around itself that helped it remain floating above ground.

The temple finds its reference in the most ancient texts of Hindus like Shreemad Bhagavat, Skandpuran, Shivpuran and Rig-Veda which signifies the importance of this temple as one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in India.

According to history scholars&nbsp;the site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times as it was said to be the confluence point known of three rivers, Kapila, Hiran and the mythical Saraswati. The confluence was called as Triveni Sangam and is believed to be the place where Soma, the Moon god bathed and regained his lustre. The result is reckoned to be the waxing and waning of the moon or the waxing and waning of the tides at this sea shore location.

The legend has it that the initial structure of the temple was first built by Moon God who constructed the temple with gold. The Sun God used silver for its construction, whereas Lord Krishna made it with the help of sandalwood.

According to Hindu scholar, Swami Gajanand Saraswati, the first temple was built 7, 99, 25,105 years ago as derived from the traditions of Prabhas Khand of Skand Puran.

The temple was suffer destruction at the hands of Mahmud Ghazni in 1024, Khilji&rsquo;s army in 1296, Muzaffar Shah in 1375, Mahmud Begada in 1451 and Aurangzeb in 1665.

The temple is said to be situated at such a place that there is no land in straight-line between Somnath seashore till Antarctica. In an inscription in Sanskrit, found on the Arrow-Pillar called Baan-Stambh erected on the sea-protection wall at the Somnath Temple is stated that the temple stands at a point on the Indian piece of land, which happens to be the first point on land in the north to the south-pole on that particular longitude.

According to Skanda Purana, the name of Somnath Temple will change every time the world is reconstructed. It is believed when Lord Brahma will create a new world after ending the recent one, Somnath will acquire the name of Pran Nath Temple.

On the walls of the temple, along with Shiva, the sculptures of Lord Brahma and Vishnu can also be seen. According to the Prabhaskhand of Skanda Purana, answering to the question of Parvati, Lord Shiva reveals that so far Somnath has been named 8 times.

According another reference in the Skanda Purana, there have been about 6 Brahmas. This is the era of 7th&nbsp;Brahma who is called Shatanand. Lord Shiva also reveals that in the 7th&nbsp;Yuga, the name of the temple is Somnath and in the last Yuga the Shivlinga was called Mrityunjay.

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Sevas/Festivals

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The following poojas take place at Somnath Temple:

Homatmak Atirudra:&nbsp;This yajna is the most powerful and the most sacred yajna out of all the&nbsp;Mahayagnas. Conducting this yagna washes away your sins and brings peace and prosperity. The&nbsp;Atirudra&nbsp;consists of eleven recitations of&nbsp;Maha Rudra

Homatmak Maharudra:&nbsp;This pooja involves&nbsp;56&nbsp;highly learned&nbsp;Vedic Pandits&nbsp;reciting the Rudras in one place.The temple priest also recites&nbsp;Rigveda,&nbsp;Samveda,&nbsp;Yajurveda&nbsp;and&nbsp;Atharva Veda&nbsp;in front of the deities&nbsp;

Homatmak Lagurudra:&nbsp;This abhishek is done to resolve issues related to&nbsp;health&nbsp;and&nbsp;wealth. It also removes the evil effects of planets in the horoscope

Savalaksha Samput Mahamrityunjaya Jaap: The&nbsp;Mahamrityunjaya&nbsp;Abhishek increases&nbsp;longevity&nbsp;and&nbsp;immortality&nbsp;of the person

Other Poojas and Abhishekams include Savalaksha Bilva Pooja,&nbsp;Kalsarpa Yog Nivaran Vidhi, Shivpuran Path, Mahadugdh Abhishek, Gangajal Abhishek, and&nbsp;Navagraha Jaap

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