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Somnath Jyotirlinga, The first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, is located near Veraval in the (Prabhas Kshetra) Kathiawad area. This jyotirling in Gujrat is a popular pilgrimage destination in the country.
In Gujarat, there is a narrative of how this Jyotirling came to be. The moon, according to the Shiva Purana, wedded 27 of Daksha Prajapati’s daughters, the most cherished of them was Rohini. After observing his mistreatment of the other wives, Prajapati blamed the moon for its lack of brilliance.
A distraught moon arrived at Somnath with Rohini and worshipped the Sparsa Lingam, after which Shiva granted him with the ability to regain his lost brilliance and brightness. He became famous by the name Somnath. The Somnath Jyotirlinga has been destroyed and rebuilt several times across history.
| Weather | 27° C |
| Label : | Must See |
| Topics such as | Temple |
| Darshan hours: | 6:00 AM – 9:30 PM |
| Arati hours | 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 7:00 PM |
| The light and sound performance | 7:45 PM |
| Time needed: | 2-3 hours |
| Entry Fee: | INR 25 for the light and sound performance, INR 15 for the half-ticket. |
Somnath Temple, Overview of Somnath
The Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple is the first of Lord Shiva’s twelve Jyotirlinga temples. It is one of the country’s oldest temples and is located on Gujarat’s western coast. It has been referenced in ancient literature such as the Shreemad Bhagavat Gita, Skandpuran, Shivpuran, and Rig-Veda, indicating its significance as one of the most recognized pilgrimage locations. The temple is situated on the historic Triveni Sangam, or the meeting point of three rivers: Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati.
Because of its ability to endure in the face of time, the Somnath Jyotirlinga temple has become known as an immortal shrine. It has survived multiple destructions in the past and has retained its charm. The temple is reported to have been stolen and destroyed seventeen times by rulers like Mahmud Ghazni, Alauddin Khilji, and Aurangzeb.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the driving factor behind the reopening and renovation of the current temple in 1951, which still stands as a significant structure of the ancient Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple. Throughout the year, millions of worshippers go to it.
More about the Somnath Temple
Somnath Jyortilinga’s Legend
The literal meaning of ‘Soma’ is Moon God, while ‘Somnath’ is the Moon God’s defender. According to legend, he was married to 27 of King Daksha’s daughters, but he loved and preferred only one of them. This infuriated the other girls, who complained to their father. An enraged Daksha cursed Soma, claiming that he would fade away. Soma then built a Shivlinga at the Prabhas teerth and appealed to Lord Shiva for forgiveness and aid, who erased the curse but only partially, resulting in the moon’s periodic fading. As a result, the temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva, the resident god.
Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple Architecture
It was rebuilt in the Chalukya architectural style, showcasing the beautiful talents of the oldest and greatest temple architects, known as the Sompura Salats. An arrow pillar indicates that it is positioned at such a longitude that it is the first point of land in the north to the South Pole. A very disfigured Nataraja, or dancing Shiva, may also be seen in the depths of a balconied passage. The Nandi and Trishul emblems are shown on the flag atop the temple tower. Despite being a Brahmanical temple, there is a strong Jain influence in the sculptures and general design.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Somnath Temple?
From October to March is the finest time to visit Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple.
How to Get to the Somnath Temple
Somnath is well connected by train and road to Gujarat’s major towns. There are overnight buses from Ahmedabad and Dwarka. Keshod International Airport is 55 km away. The nearest railway station is 7 km away at Veraval.
Other 12 Jyotirlinga’s Name & Location are:
- Nageshwar – Daarukavanam In Gujarat
- Bhimashankar – Pune In Maharashtra
- Trimbakeshwar – Nashik In Maharashtra
- Grishneshwar – Aurangabad In Maharashtra
- Vaidyanath – Deoghar In Jharkhand
- Mahakaleshwar – Ujjain In Madhya Pradesh
- Omkareshwar – Khandwa In Madhya Pradesh
- Kashi Vishwanath – Varanasi In Uttar Pradesh
- Kedarnath – Kedarnath In Uttarakhand
- Rameshwaram – Rameswaram Island In Tamil Nadu
- Mallikarjuna – Srisailam In Andhra Pradesh