Somnath temple

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Meaning of the Word Somnath: “Soma” means moon and “natha” means lord. Therefore, Somnath means “The Lord of the Moon,” which is one of the The History of Somnath Temple: The Somnath Mandir is also known as “eternal shine” because it stands erect to date despite undergoing so many attacks. The Story of Somnath Jyotirlinga (Shiva Purana, 4.14): The Moon-god (Soma or Chandra) married 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati, but he paid more attention to Rohini only. His other 26 wives complained to Daksha about this. Daksha told the Moon-god to give equal attention to all his wives, but he did not listen. The infuriated Daksha cursed him that he would fall prey to the wasting disease. Chandra’s body started wasting immediately, but this was diabolical for the world. Therefore, gods went to Lord Brahma for a solution, who in turn advised Chandra to worship Lord Shiva in the form of a lingam. Chandra did penance for six months. Propitiated Lord Shiva appeared there in the form of a Jyotirlinga and blessed Chandra. He reduced his curse but did not clear it completely because Chandra had sinned greatly previously. He told him that he would decline day by day in one fortnight and increase steadily in another. For increasing the glory of the region and the moon, Lord Shiva stayed there in the form of Someshwara. When was the First Somnath Temple Built? Per the temple website, the first Prana-Pratishtha of the Somnath Jyotirlinga was done on the auspiciou...

Somnath temple is one of the most revered shrines of Lord Shiva located on Gujarat’s shore of Saurashtra. The religious and mythical significance of Somnath temple is immense and thus pilgrims flock heavily at the Somnath temple each year. Jyotirlingam Lord Shiva at Somnath is enshrined as a Jyotirlingam; i.e. a resplendent column of cosmic light. This is one among the 12 revered Jyotirlingams that our country is blessed with and comes to symbolize Lord Shiva’s infinite nature. The Jyotirlingam here is referred to as Someshwara and is adorned with the symbol of the moon on the head of the lingam. Myths say that at this place, Chandra; the moon God worshipped Lord Shiva to get rid of the curse of his father-in-law, Daksha Prajapati. Due to the cursed moon had lost his shine and luster but by pleasing Lord Shiva at this place, he got freed from his curse. He, thus, set up a temple here to enshrine Lord Shiva who later became famed as the Somnath Jyotirlingam. Sturdy iron has been used to craft the lingam at Somnath temple. Inside Somnath Temple The interior of the temple comes with a Garbha Griha or sanctum sanctorum where the Jyotirlingam sits with all glory. The sanctum’s roof is constructed out of loadstone. There is also nrityamandap and sabhamandap. The temple has a mind-blowing ornate ceiling; walls adorned with beautiful watercolor painted images. There’s a small museum within the premises of the temple and it exhibits splendid relics from ancient Somnath. Pooja perfo...

Shree Somnath Trust welcomes you to the holy place of the First Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev and the sacred soil where Lord Shri Krishna took his last journey to their Neejdham. Somnath temple stands at the shore of the Arabian ocean on the western corner of Indian subcontinent in Gujarat State. This pilgrimage is one of the oldest and finds its reference in the ancient texts like Skandpuran, Shreemad Bhagavat, Shivpuran etc. The hymn from Rig-Veda quoted below mention the Bhagvan Someshwar along with the great pilgrimage like Gangaji, Yamunaji and Eastward Saraswati. This signifies the ancient value of this Tirthdham. Somnath is in Prabhas Patan which is very near to Veraval of Gir Somnath District. The Moon God is said to have been relieved from the curse of his father-in-law Daksha Prajapati by the blessings of Bhagvan Somnath. In the Shiva Purana and Nandi Upapurana, Shiva said, `I am always present everywhere but specially in 12 forms and places as the Jyotirlingas`. Somnath is one of these 12 holy places. This is the first among the twelve holy Shiva Jyotirlings. The shore temple of Somnath is believed to have been built in 4 phases-in gold by Lord Soma, in silver by Ravi, in wood by lord Krishna and in stone by King Bhimadeva. It has withstood the six-repeated desecration by the Muslim invaders. The very existence of this temple is symbol of reconstructive spirit and cultural unity of our society. The seventh existing temple is built in the Kailas Mahameru ...

Somnath, also called Patan-Somnath or Somnath-Patan, ancient ruined city, southwestern ce. Reconstructed in 1169, it was destroyed again in the final Muslim invasions of the late 13th century. Subsequently rebuilt and destroyed on several occasions, it was reconstructed again beginning in 1951. According to an ancient tradition in the Indian epic Mahabharata, Somnath was the scene of the internecine massacre of the bce. Patan, a port on the old city site, is now overshadowed by the This article was most recently revised and updated by

Somnath is the 1st shiva jyotirlinga out of 12 that is spread all across the Indian subcontinent. Located in Gujarat this temple is a true testament to the sheer hard work and persistent ambition to honor Indian culture. Having been through an extremely tumultuous past with several loots and plunders, today Somnath stands tall by the crashing waves of the Arabian Sea, as one of the most exquisite and pious places of Shiva worship. The Mythology of Somnath Temple The light and sound show that is featured during the nighttime tells the spiritual and mythological background of this majestic pilgrimage place. The term som translates into the moon, meaning the temple is dedicated to the moon lord. The moon lord himself had prayed to lord shiva at the very place where the temple stands now. The story starts off with the moon being married to 27 of Raja Daksha’s daughters. Instead of giving his time equally to all his wives, he devoted most of his time to just one wife – Rohini. This made the father, Daksh, very angry. He cursed the moon that it would lose all its glowing lustre and would fade away. Sadly, the moon started fading away. A worried moon made its way to this spot in Somnath along with Rohini and started praying to lord shiva. Happy with his dedication and devotion the Lord freed him from the curse. The moon then took a dip in the holy Saraswati River which revived his faded glow and lustre. The first temple structure was built by the moon god himself who had dedicate...

Great temple with dirty crowded surroundings. Why don't the temple authorities use the money to spruce up the surroundings. Temple painted in a horrible yellow paint which has destroyed the look of this beautiful temple. The statues in the display corridor are extremely badly made in a country which boasts of the world's best sculptures So Majestic yet so Peaceful. Located on the southern tip of Gujarat it is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus and is believed to be first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. Mobiles, electronics, wallets are not allowed inside the temple premises. There is a light and sound show at 8 pm which narrates the history of the temple and is definitely not to be missed. This Mahadev Temple is situated in front of the New Somnath Temple and is almost 240 years old built by queen of Indore Maharani Ahiliyabai Holkar (famous for resurrecting old Shiva Temples including the Kashi Viswanath). It is quite well maintained, clean and easily accessible, seating arrangement is also there. If you are with senior citizens, please be aware, the entry to Garbhagriha is easy but the exit is through steep staircase (one step equal to 3 as per today's standards). Since touching the Shiva Lingam in the Adi Somnath Temple is not allowed, that wish can be fulfilled here, as victors are allowed to touch and pray the Shiva Lingam situated at ground level here. There is a second Shiva Lingam on the top floor which also looked quite old. Must vis...

Somnath Temple at Gujarat’s Prabhas Patan in proximity to Veraval is one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations of the country. Somnath is one among the 12 Shiva Jyotirlingams that our country has. Each year thousands of devotees flock at Somnath to pay their obeisance to Lord Shiva. This is a magnificent shore temple in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. The history and mythology of Somnath temple adds to its splendor and religious gravity and has always been an area of interest for visitors who visit the temple. Temple History The Temple is backed by a chequered and elaborate history. It is said the first version of the temple came into being even before the start of Christian era. The second version of the temple came into being under the initiative of the Vallabhi king around 408AD-768AD. This temple is often referred to as the ‘eternal shrine’ because historical records say that this temple has been destroyed several times by invaders and have been resurrected several times too. Archaeological investigations point out that the temple of Somnath had been rebuilt nearly thrice before the raid of Muhammad Ghaznavi in the year 1026. Also, it is told that later the temple was attacked three times more. Thus the temple was attacked and destroyed as many as 6 times until the present 7th version emerged. The latest rebuilding of Somnath temple was done in 1947 under the initiative of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; the then deputy PM. Prabhashankar Sompura was chosen as the...

Table Of Contents Introduction The highly famed, intricately carved marvel Somnath Temple is believed to be the place where the first of the twelve सौराष्ट्रदेशे विशदेऽतिरम्ये ज्योतिर्मयं चन्द्रकलावतंसम्। भक्तिप्रदानाय कृपावतीर्णं तं सोमनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥ [ref] which means , Who to offer his devotion, in the most beautiful and serene Saurashtra region (Kathiawad)mercifully incarnated, the moon is the ornament on whose head, I go under the shelter of Lord Shree Somanatha in the form of Jyotirlingam . Architectural Facts The temples in India have always been the epitome of great craftsmanship and architectural marvel and showcases rich culture and heritage. The Somnath temple was constructed in the Chalukya style of architecture, Somnath Temple reflects the expertise of the Sompuras that are master masons of Gujarat. The main spire of the temple is 150 foot high and has a flag post of 27 foot tall. A kalash of weight 10 tons was put on the top of the spire. The temple’s positioning is quite unique. The temple is positioned in such a way that not even a single piece of land is visible from the Somnath seashore until Antarctica. The Tirsthambh located at the temple indicates that the nearest landmark (South Pole or the Antarctica) is located at about 9936 km away indicating the geographical wisdom of ancient India. History Ancient Indian traditions maintain a close relationship of Somnath with release of Chandra (Moon God) from the curse of his father-in-law Daksha Prajapati....

3 km from city center 1 out of 16 Places To Visit in Somnath A highly revered religious site for Hindus, the Somnath Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India. The Jyotirlinga is adorned with flowers, ornaments of silver and gold and people from far and wide come to worship it. It is first of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva. 1 km from city center 2 out of 16 Places To Visit in Somnath Bhalka Tirth is a renowned Hindu pilgrim centre which is believed to be the location where Lord Krishna was shot by a hunter's arrow. According to the sacred scripts, Lord Krishna's death marks the end of the Dvapara Yug and the beginning of the Kali Yug. The tirth has a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and is called Mahaprabhuji's Bethak. 3 km from city center 5 out of 16 Places To Visit in Somnath Located on the Somnath shore, the presiding deity, Lord Laxminarayan is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Reflects modern architectural design, this temple is famous for the carvings on its 18 pillars which have the sacred message of Krishna in the form of Bhagwadgita. 0 km from city center 9 out of 16 Places To Visit in Somnath The temple lies on the banks of the holy river Triveni where Lord Parshuram is believed to have conducted his penance. One of the rare temple dedicated to Lord Parshuram this temple provides visitors with a scenic surrounding and picturesque landscapes. 3 km from city center 10 out of 16 Places To Visit in Somnath Dehotsarg Teerth is an important pilgrim cent...

The Somnath temple signifies that the strength of reconstruction is always more than the power of destruction. The Somnath Temple’s story is controversial. Somnath Temple, Gujarat is the first Jyotirlingas among 12 twelve Jyotirlingas of India which is eye-catching. The Somnath Temple was reconstructed multiple times by myths. Moreover, the reviews of people visiting the temple are remarkable. Also, Somnath Temple’s history is the fact that fascinates more tourists. Why Somnath Temple is famous even for the number of times it was rebuilt! Such is the marvel that lies in Gujarat. Where is Somnath Temple? Somnath Temple is located on the western coast of Gujarat, in Prabhas Patan near Veraval. It is a famous Tourist spot and pilgrimage of Gujarat. Further, The temple is located in such a place that there is no straight-line land between Somnath seashore till Antarctica continent. In a Sanskrit inscription, found on the Arrow-Pillar called Baan-Stambh is noted that the Somnath temple stands at a point at an Indian piece of land, which happens to be the first point in the north to the south-pole on that distinct longitude. The Somnath temple was destroyed completely many times in the past. The answer to” how many times the Somnath temple was destroyed ” might surprise you. In 1025 AD, Mahmud Ghajini looted this temple. Then the temple was distorted by Afzal Khan, the commander of Ala-Ud-Din Khilji, and then Aurangzeb. In total, 17 times the Somnath Temple was disturbed. The pr...