Somnath Temple

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Somnath

Somnath

Location within India

Coordinates:

20°53′16.9″N

70°24′4.6″E20.888028°N

70.401278°E

Name

Proper name: Somnath Mandir

Devanagari : सोमनाथ मन्दि�र

Location

Country:  India

State/province: Gujarat

District: Junagadh

Locale: Veraval

Architecture and culture

Primary deity: Somnath (Shiva)

Architectural

styles:Mandir

History

Date built: 1951 (present structure)

Creator:Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

(present structure)

Temple board: Shree Somnath Trust

Website: http://www.somnath.org

The Somnath Temple (Gujarati:સોમનાથ મંદિર) located in the Prabhas

Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat,

India is the most sacred of the twelve Jyotirlings (lingas of light) of the

God Shiva. Somnath means "The Protector of Moon God". The Somnath

Temple is known as 'the Shrine Eternal', as although the temple has been

destroyed six times it has been rebuilt every single time.[1][2], on the last

occasion, it was built after a plan was mooted by Sardar Vallabhbhai

Patel in November 1947, when he visited the area for Indian Integration

of Junagadh, and later after his death carried out by K.M. Munshi, also a

Minister in Government of India.[3][4]

Contents

[hide]

1 Significance

2 History

o 2.1 Timeline

3 Restoration of temple after Independence

4 Architecture

5 'Proclamation of the Gates' Incident

6 References

7 External links

Significance

Hindu mythology states that years ago, the Moon God Chandra, being

arrogant about his beauty, was cursed by his father-in-law Daksha to

wane. The Moon then prayed to Lord Shiva at the Prabhas tirth (a Hindu

pilgrimage) who then removed the curse partially, thus causing the

periodic waning of moon.

According to Hindu mythology, Somnath Temple was first built with

gold by Moon God, with silver by Ravana, with sandalwood by Lord

Krishna, and with stone by Bhimdeva Solanki, Gurjar Ruler of Gujarat.[5]

History

Somnath Temple-1957

The Someshwar Mahadev temple stands tall among the temples of India.

The construction of the present temple in Junagadh district began in

1947. It is the seventh temple built to commemorate the glory of Lord

Somnath who is said to have known as Bhairaveshwar in the Satya Yug,

Shravanikeshwar in Treta Yug and Shrigaleshwar in Dwapar Yug.

The following extract is from “Wonders of Things Created, and marvels

of Things Existing” by Asaru-L- Bilad, a 13th century Arab geographer.

It contains the following description of Somnath temple and its

destruction: The following is a long quotation:

“Somnath: celebrated city of India, situated on the shore of the sea, and

washed by its waves. Among the wonders of that place was the temple

in which was placed the idol called Somnath. This idol was in the

middle of the temple without anything to support it from below, or to

suspend it from above. It was held in the highest honor among the

Hindus, and whoever beheld it floating in the air was struck with

amazement, whether he was a Musulman or an infidel. The Hindus used

to go on pilgrimage to it whenever there was an eclipse of the moon, and

would then assemble there to the number of more than a hundred

thousand. They believed that the souls of men used to meet there after

separation from the body, and that the idol used to incorporate them at

its pleasure in other bodies, in accordance with their doctrine of

transmigration. “The ebb and flow of the tide was considered to be the

worship paid to the idol by the sea. Everything of the most precious was

brought there as offerings, and the temple was endowed with more than

10,000 villages. There is a river (the Ganges) which is held sacred,

between which and Somnat the distance is 200 parasangs. They used to

bring the water of this river to Somnath every day, and wash the temple

with it. A thousand brahmins were employed in worshipping the idol

and attending on the visitors, and 500 damsels sung and danced at the

door–all these were maintained upon the endowments of the temple. The

edifice was built upon fifty-six pillars of teak, covered with lead. The

shrine of the idol was dark. hut was lighted by jeweled chandeliers of

great value. Near it was a chain of gold weighing 200 mans. When a

portion (watch) of the night closed, this chain used to be shaken like

bells to rouse a fresh lot of Brahmins to perform worship. “When the

Sultan Yaminu-d Daula Mahmud Bin Subuktigin went to wage religious

war against India, he made great efforts to capture and destroy Somnat,

in the hope that the Hindus would then become Muhammadans. As a

result thousands of Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam. He arrived

there in the middle of Zi-l k’ada, 416 A.H. (December, 1025 A.D.). “The

king looked upon the idol with wonder, and gave orders for the seizing

of the spoil, and the appropriation of the treasures. There were many

idols of gold and silver and vessels set with jewels, all of which had

been sent there by the greatest personages in India. The value of the

things found in the temples of the idols exceeded twenty thousand

dinars.

Tomb of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, in 1839-40, showing original

Sandalwood Doors at Somnath, which he destroyed in ca 1024

(Elliot’s footnote: The enormous treasures found at Somnat have been a

theme of wonder for all who have written on that conquest.) “When the

king asked his companions what they had to say about the marvel of the

idol, and of its staying in the air without prop or support, several

maintained that it was upheld by some hidden support. The king directed

a person to go and feel all around and above and below it with a spear,

which he did, but met with no obstacle. One of the attendants then stated

his opinion that the canopy was made of loadstone, and the idol of iron,

and that the ingenious builder had skillfully contrived that the magnet

should not exercise a greater force on anyone side-hence the idol was

suspended in the middle. Some coincided, others differed. Permission

was obtained from the Sultan to remove some stones from the top of the

canopy to settle the point. When two stones were removed from the

summit the idol swerved on one side, when more were taken away it

inclined still further, until at last it rested on the ground.”

According to the legends, Soma, the moon God built the temple in gold,

Ravan in silver, Krishna in wood and king Bhimdev of Anhilwad in

stone. Soma constructed the temple as a gesture after Lord Shiva cured

him of his illness. This illness was caused by his father-in-law Daksha

Prajapati's curse. Daksha cursed him to wane as he was infatuated with

Rohini and was neglecting the other 26 wives, all 26 of whom were the

daughters of Prajapati. It is said that Brahma advised him to build the

temple in honour of Shiva.

Timeline

The present temple is the seventh temple reconstructed on the original

site. The first temple of Somnath is said to have existed before the

beginning of the common era. The second temple, built by the Yadava

kings of Vallabhi in Gujarat, replaced the first one on the same site

around 649.

In 725 Junayad, the Arab governor of Sind, sent his armies to destroy the

second temple. The Gurjara Pratihara king Nagabhata II constructed the

third temple in 815, a large structure of red sandstone.

Somnath temple, 1869

In 1024 A.D., the temple was once again destroyed by Mahmud Ghazni

who raided the temple from across the Thar Desert. Ghazni was

challenged by the king, Ghogha Rana, who at the ripe age of 90,

sacrificed his own clan fighting against Ghazni. The temple was rebuilt

by the Paramara King Bhoj of Malwa and the Solanki king Bhima of

Gujarat (Anhilwara) or Patan between 1026 and 1042. The wooden

structure was replaced by Kumarpal (r.1143-72), who built the temple of

stone.[6].

In 1296 A.D., the temple was once again destroyed by Sultan Allauddin

Khilji's army. According to Taj-ul-Ma'sir of Hasan Nizami, Raja Karan

of Gujarat was defeated and forced to flee, "fifty thousand infidels were

dispatched to hell by the sword" and "more than twenty thousand slaves,

and cattle beyond all calculation fell into the hands of the victors". The

temple was rebuilt by Mahipala Deva, the Chudasama king of Saurashtra

in 1308 A.D. and the Linga was installed by his son Khengar sometime

between 1326 and 1351 A.D.

In 1375 A.D., the temple was once again destroyed by Muzaffar Shah I,

the Sultan of Gujarat. About 1400 A.D. it was reconstructed by the local

public.

In 1451 A.D., the temple was once again destroyed by Mahmud Begda,

the Sultan of Gujarat. It was reconstructed again.

In 1701 A.D., the temple was once again destroyed by Mughal Emperor

Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb built a mosque on the site of the Somnath

temple, using some columns from the temple, whose Hindu sculptural

motifs remained visible.

Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore rebuilt the temple in 1783 A.D at a

site adjacent to the ruined temple which was already converted to a

mosque. [7]

Restoration of temple after Independence

Statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in front of the temple

Before Independence, Prabhas Pattan was part of the Junagarh State,

ruled by the Nawab of Junagarh. On the eve of Independence the Nawab

announced the accession of Junagarh, which had over 80% Hindu

population, to Pakistan. The people of Junagarh rose in revolt and set up

a parallel government under Gandhian leader and freedom fighter, Shri

Samaldas Gandhi. The Nawab, unable to resist the popular pressure,

bowed out and escaped to Pakistan. The provincial government under

Samaldas Gandhi formally asked Government of India to take over.[8].

The Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel came to

Junagadh on November 12, 1947 to direct the occupation of the state by

the Indian army and at the same time ordered the reconstruction of the

Somanath temple[9]

When Sardar Patel, K M Munshi and other leaders of the Congress went

to Gandhi with the proposal of reconstructing the Somnath temple,

Gandhi blessed the move, but suggested that the funds for the

construction should be collected from the public and the temple should

not be funded by the state. He expressed that he was proud to associate

himself to the project of renovation of the temple[10] But soon both

Gandhi and Sardar Patel died and the task of reconstruction of the

temple was now continued under the leadership of K M Munshi, who

was the Minister for Food and Civil, supplies in the Nehru

Government[10].

The ruins were pulled down in October 1950 and the mosque was

moved to a different location. In May 1951, Rajendra Prasad, the first

President of the Republic of India, invited by K M Munshi, performed

the installation ceremony for the temple[11] Rajendra Prasad said in his

address "It is my view that the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple

will be complete on that day when not only a magnificent edifice will

arise on this foundation, but the mansion of India's prosperity will be

really that prosperity of which the ancient temple of Somnath was a

symbol.".[12]. He added "The Somnath temple signifies that the power of

reconstruction is always greater than the power of destruction"[12]

This episode created a serious rift between the then Prime Minister

Jawaharlal Nehru, who saw in movement for reconstruction of the

temple an attempt at Hindu revivalism and the President Rajendra

Prasad and Union Minister K M Munshi, saw in its reconstruction, the

fruits of freedom and the reversal of injustice done to Hindus[12].

The present temple was built by the Shree Somnath Trust which looks

after the entire complex of Shree Somnath and its environs.[13]

Architecture

Arrow Pillar

The Present temple, Kailash Mahameru Prasada, is built in the

Chalukya style of temple architecture and reflects the skill of the

Sompuras, Gujarat's master masons.

The temple is situated at such a place that there is no land in between

from Somnath seashore to Antarctica. Such an inscription in Sanskrit is

found on the ARROW-PILLAR erected on the sea-protection wall at the

Somnath Temple.

In 1951 Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, who performed

the Jyotirling-Pratishthapan ceremony of the new Temple said, "The

Somnath Temple signifies that the power of creation is always greater

than the power of destruction."

'Proclamation of the Gates' Incident

In 1842, Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough issued his famous

'Proclamation of the Gates' in which he ordered the British army in

Afghanistan to return via Ghazni and bring back to India the sandalwood

gates from the tomb of Mahmud of Ghazni in Ghazni, Afghanistan.

These were believed to have been taken by Mahmud from Somnath.

There was a debate in the House of Commons in London in 1843 on the

question of the gates of the Somanatha temple.[14] After much cross-fire

between the British Government and the opposition, the gates were

uprooted and brought back in triumph. But on arrival, they were found

to be of Egyptian workmanship and not associated in any way with

India. So they were placed in a store-room in the Agra Fort where they

still lie to the present day.