Somnath Temple or the Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple at Somnath is one of the holy twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.this temple is situated in the state of Gujarat in the city of Prabhas Patan.
Somnath Temple is believed to be among the oldest temples present in India. The mention of Somnath Temple is found in the ancient inscriptions and texts of Bhagavat Gita, Rig Veda, Shivpuran, Skandpuran, and so on.
Somnath Temple holds a special place as a pilgrimage in these texts for ages in the Hindu Religion. the place of building this temple is on the confluence of three rivers, known as Triveni Sangam of Kapila, Saraswati, and Hiran.
image source – courtesy
Somnath temple Gujarat – Brief Information
The Somnath Temple is honey coloured and can be seen from a distance due to its magnificent structure.
It is believed that Lord Shiva had appeared here in the form of a fiery column of light. The waves for the Arabian sea come to touch the feet of this temple and becomes pious.
The age of this temple has not been evaluated correctly to date bit evidence of its existence even before 649 BC has been found.
The temple has held strong its position against time as well. The temple was looted and attempts to destroy it was done several times by the Mughal rulers.
It is believed that there were as many as 17 attacks in total by Mohammad Ghazni, Alauddin Khilji, and Aurangzeb. Each time they found some gold.
Shree Somnath jyotirling temple history
History of the temple: it is said that the temple was originally made by Somraj the Moon God. It is believed to have been made of gold at that time.
Later it was made with silver by Ravana and then Krishna made it with Wood, and after that, it was made in stone by Bhimdev.
Restoration of Somnath Temple
The present-day structure and complex is the one that had been recreated in the year 1951 under the restoration work of the heritage site.
Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the person who initiated the work of reconstruction and revival of this holy temple. The temple attracts millions of devotees each year. They throng the temple throughout the year alike.
Somnath Temple architecture
The structure that can be seen now is a replica of the original and based on the traditional designs themselves. It is cream colored and there are small sculptures on the coastal side.
There is a large black Shiva Lingam at the center of the 12 sacred shrines in the complex. This main Shiva Lingam is known as the holy Jyotirlinga.
There are different forms of Natraja the dancing form of Lord Shiva. the flag on the top of the temple has the symbols of Nandi and Trishul drawn on them.
How to reach Somnath Temple:
The place is very well connected by road and rail. One can reach there by road as it is well connected to the cities around.
Nearest railway station to somnath temple gujarat
The closest one is Veraval at 7 km. The other cities are at a distance of 889 km for Mumbai, 400kms for Ahemdabad, 122 for Porbandar, and Junagarh at 85 km. By rail, the approach will be through Veraval, which is the closest rail station at a distance of only 6 km.
There are regular trains from across India from cities like Mumbai and Ahemdabad. By air one can reach Dui airport. It is the closest to the temple at a distance of 65 km from the temple.
Nearest airport to somnath temple
The nearest airport to somnath temple by distance is the Diu Airport, which is about 63 km away from Somnath.
From Diu airport you can get regular buses and taxis or luxry buses to reach Shri Somnath Ji temple.
If you are treavlling from outside country, the closest International Airport is the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad.
Best time to visit Somnath Temple
Though the temple is open all the year round and devotees throng here in every season, but there are certain special occasions as well.
You must prefer to go in the months of October to February when the weather is cool.
Shivratri in the month of February or March is the most celebrated time for the devotees of Lord Shiva. The temple is decorated and is worth visiting.
There Another special time is that of the Kartik Purnima which comes close to Diwali. There are enthusiasm and religious spirit in the air. All the people are so full of happiness and spirituality.
Somnath temple timings
- The timings for Darshan are from 6 am to 9:30 pm every day.
- The special aarti timings are at 7 am in the morning, at 12 noon and 7 pm in the evening.
- There is also a special light and sound show in the evening at 7:45 pm daily.
Somnath temple trust accommodation
Please visit Somnath temple trust website for details. You can perform Online Pooja, give donation, do room booking, and do a live darshan. There are many other information which you can get from this website. Please refer to below for links
| Shri Somnath Trust website | https://somnath.org/ |
| somnath temple trust accommodation online booking | https://booking.somnath.org/GuestHouse/ |
| Somnath Temple Live Darshan | https://somnath.org/Home/Live-Darshan |
Places to see near Somnath Temple
There is a museum in the complex of the temple that has the old stones carved in the natural form. They may seem like clutters but they are the original stones of the temple.
There is a collection of seashells and pottery shards. There is also a unique collection of water from different rivers and sea from around the world. those found here are from the river Danube, Nile, Tigris, Murray, St. Lawrence, and the seawater from New Zealand and Tasmania.
Another important spot is the Bhalka teerth. It is believed to be the same place where Lord Krishna was mistaken for a deer and injured by an arrow as he was sleeping in the deerskin. There is a Sun Temple in the complex as well.
There is Somnath beach just behind the temple premises. There is clean sand and has a mesmerizing view. One can enjoy a camel ride and have coconut water.
Summary
You must plan a trip to this sacred Somnath Temple. It is bound to blow your mind with the unique architecture and design of the premises. There is clear sand and not very deep seawater. So it is ideal for a family visit.
Make sure to have an advance booking in the hotel where you stay so that you can get the best spot to enjoy the sunset and sunrise.
During festive times, there are numerous devotees in the area. Be aware of the route you shall be following. There are tour packages available to enjoy the area to the fullest. There are numerous places to visit in the area.
Plan a trip in the winter season to be able to have a long time in the open and enjoy.
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