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Somnath Temple


Somnath temple is a highlight of any trip to Gujarat. Also known as Prabhas Patan, it is one of the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga shrines or the 12 shrines enshrining Shiva in the form of a Jyotirlingam in the country.  

Its glowing description finds mention in the work of 11th century Arab traveler Al Biruni who had come to Indian along with Muslim invader Mahmud of Ghazni who had ransacked and destroyed this great temple in 1026 AD during the reign of Bhima I (c. 1022-64) belonging to the Chalukya dynasty of Anhilwara.  

Razed and rebuilt at least six times since its foundation, the existing temple standing at the shore of the Arabian Sea came into being as a result of the efforts of Sardar Patel, the Iron man of India.   

Somnath is worshipped as the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Trivia:  

  • Mahmud's famous slave was Ayaz who was described by Muhammad Iqbal, the Urdu poet and ideological founder of Pakistan, in his famous couplet 'Ek Hi Saf Mein Khare Ho Gaye Mahmood-o-Ayaz, No Koi Banda Raha Aur Na Koi Banda Nawaz".



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