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| Somnath Temple, Gujarat (India) |
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 The
Somnath in the Prabhas Kshetra in Saurashtra, on
the western cost of Gujarat (INDIA) is one of the
twelve Jyotirlings that are most scared to the Hindus.
It is as old as creation and its reference is available
in Rig Ved also. It is said - the Moon (Soma) with
his wife Rohini worshipped the deity of the temple,
the Sparsha Ling, to free himself from the curse
of his father-in-law, Daksha Prajapati. Lord Shiva
pleased with his penance restored his light for
half of the month. Hence the deity here is known
as Someshwar or Somnath, Lord of the moon and the
place as Prabhas. The Somnath is known as the Shrine
Eternal as it has withstood the shocks of time and
the attacks of the destroyers. It has risen like
a phoenix each time it was destroyed or desecrated.
The present temple is the seventh temple built on
the original site. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the
great son of India and its first Deputy Prime Minister
took a pledge on November 13, 1947 for its reconstruction
which was completed on December 1, 1995 when the
President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma dedicated
it in the service of the nation. The present temple
is built by Shree Somnath Trust which looks after
the entire complex of Shree Somnath and its environs.
The Present Temple, Kailash Mahameru Prasada is
built in the chalukya style of temple architecture
and reflects the inherent skill of Sompuras, Gujarat's
master masons. It has the Shikhar portion, the Garbh
Gruh, the Sabha Mandap and the Nritya Mandap. Such
a temple has not been constructed in India during
the last 800 years. The Temple is situated at such
a place that there is no land in between from Somnath
sea-shore to Antartica, the South Pole. Such an
inscription in Sanskrit is found on the ARROW-PILLAR
erected on the sea-protection wall at the Somnath
Temple. The Prabhas Kshetra is one of the most sacred
places in India for Shaivaites as well as for Vaishnavites.
Lord Krishna was hurt here at Bhalka in his foot
by the arrow of a hunter who mistook him to be a
deer. There is Bhalkha Tirth temple at this sacred
place. His mortal remains were cremated at Dehotsarga,
on the banks of river Hiren. Shree Somnath Trust
has built Dehotsarg canopy and Gita Mandir at Dehotsarga.
The Dehotsarg canopy shelters "Krishna-Charan".
The Trust has taken up project to develop this sacred
place as "Shree Krishna Neejdham-Prasthan Teerth".
Ahalyeshwar Mahadev Temple built by Queen Ahalyabai,
Gita Mandir, Laxmi Narayan temple, Baldev Gufa,
Mahaprabhuji's Bethak, Triveni Sangam, Parshuram
Kshetra, SUN Temple, Prachi and Shashibhushan temples
are other places of religious significance in and
around the Somnath Temple.
Its earliest history fades into legend - it is said
to have originally been built out of gold by Somraj,
the moon god, only to be rebuilt by Rawana in Silver,
then by krishna in wood and by Bhimdev in Stone.
A description of the temple by Al Biruni, an Arab
traveler, was so glowing that it prompted a visit
in 1024 by a most unwelcome tourist - Mahmud of
Ghazni. At that time, the temple was so wealthy
that it had 300 musicians, 500 dancing girls and
even 300 barbers just to shave the heads of visiting
pilgrims. Mahmud of Ghazni, whose raids on the riches
of India are legendary, descended on Somnath from
his Afghan kingdom and after a two-day-battle, took
the town and the temple. Having looted its fabulous
wealth, he destroyed it for good measure. So, began
a pattern of Muslim destruction and Hindu rebuilding
that continued for centuries. The temple was again
razed in 1297, 1394 and finally in 1706 by Aurangzeb,
the notorious Mughal fundamentalist. After the 1706
demolition, the temple was not rebuilt until 1950.
Outside, opposite the entrance, is a statue of S
V Patel (1875-1950), who was responsible for reconstruction.
The current temple was built to traditional designs
on the original site by the sea. It contains one
of the 12 sacred Shiva shrines known as jyoti linga.
Photography is prohibited inside the temple, and
you must leave your camera at the hut outside. There
is a grey-sand beach outside the temple which is
part of the temple's lonely seaside charm. |
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