Somnath Temple Latest News
The President, on a three-day visit to Gujarat, offered prayers at the historic Somnath Mahadev temple in Gir Somnath district recently.
About Somnath Temple
- It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- It is located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat.
- It is the first of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines in India that are regarded as the manifestation of the Lord Shiva Himself.
- The site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times on account of being a Triveni Sangam: the confluence of three rivers, namely Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati.Â
- The ancient temple’s timeline can be traced from 649 BC but is believed to be older than that.Â
- The temple was reconstructed several times in the past after repeated destruction by multiple Muslim invaders and rulers, notably starting with an attack by Mahmud Ghazni in the 11th century.
- The present temple was reconstructed in the Chalukya style of Hindu temple architecture and completed in May 1951.
- The reconstruction was completed by Vallabhbhai Patel.
Source: TH
Somnath Temple FAQs
Q1: The Somnath Temple is dedicated to which Hindu deity?
Ans: Lord Shiva
Q2: Where is the Somnath Temple located?
Ans: It is located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat.
Q3: Who was the first major invader to destroy the Somnath Temple in the 11th century?
Ans: Mahmud Ghazni
Q4: In which architectural style was the present Somnath Temple reconstructed?
Ans: Chalukya style
Q5: When was the reconstruction of the present Somnath Temple completed?
Ans: 1951
