Somnath Temple

Topic: Temples

Why in the news?

• Authorities in Gir Somnath district carried out a large-scale demolition operation behind the Somnath temple and demolished nine religious structures belonging to a minority community. The aim was to remove illegal structures built on government land in Prabhas Patan town.

Source: The Times of India

About Somnath Temple:

• It is located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval, in Gujarat.
  • Veraval was an ancient trading port.
• It is the holy place of the First Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev and the sacred soil where Lord Shri Krishna took his last journey. 
• It is a pilgrimage site from ancient times on account of being a Triveni sangam, the confluence of three rivers i.e. Kapila, Hiran and Sarasvati. 
• Presently the Prime Minister of India is the chairman of Shree Somnath Mandir trust.
• Somnath’s first temple is said to have existed 2000 years ago. 
• Reconstruction:
  • In 649 AD, King Maitre of Vallabhaneni built a second temple in place of the temple and renovated it. 
  • In 815 AD, Pratishtha King Nag Bhatt II constructed the temple for the third time using a red stone (sandstone). 
  • During 1026-1042 AD, Solanki Raja Bhimdev built the fourth temple of Bhoj and Anhilwad Patan, Parmar King of Malwa.
  • In 1782, Maratha queen Ahalyabai Holkar built a small temple at the site.
  • After India’s independence, those ruins were demolished and the present Somnath temple was reconstructed in the Māru-Gurjara style of Hindu temple architecture.
• Attack:
  • In 725 AD, the old ruler of Sindh attacked the temple and destroyed the temple. 
  • In 1026, Mahmud Ghazni lent the precious jewels and property of Somnath temple. 
  • After looting, slaughtering innumerable pilgrims of the temple and burning the temple and destroying it. 
  • Somnath was destroyed when the Delhi Sultanate occupied Gujarat in 1299. 
  • In 1394 it was destroyed again. 
  • In 1706, Mughal ruler Aurangzeb again demolished the temple.