Somnath Temple: Destroyed 17 Times But Still Standing, What History Does Not Tell You

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be part of the Amrit Mahotsav at Gujarat's Somnath Temple on May 11. This is a big deal because it marks 75 years since the temple was rebuilt after independence.

Mystery Of Somnath Temple: The Somnath Jyotirlinga in Gujarat is considered the first among the 12 Jyotirlingas. Its history is as glorious as it is mysterious. It's believed that foreign invaders destroyed this temple 17 times, but it was rebuilt every single time. The current temple was consecrated on May 11, 1951. Now, to celebrate its 75th anniversary, the ‘Somnath Amrit Mahotsav’ is being held. Let's take a look at 10 interesting facts about the Somnath temple…

The world's first Jyotirlinga

Somnath is known as the world's first Jyotirlinga. It is believed that the Moon God, Chandradev, himself established it. 'Som' is another name for the moon, and that's how the Jyotirlinga got its name, Somnath. Even among the 12 Jyotirlingas, Somnath holds the first spot.

The mysterious Arrow Pillar

The Somnath temple complex has an 'Arrow Pillar' or 'Baan Stambh'. An inscription on it says that there is no land in a straight line from this point all the way to the South Pole. How people knew this thousands of years ago, without any satellites, is still a big mystery.

Destroyed many times, but always rebuilt

According to historians, foreign invaders demolished the Somnath temple 17 times, but it was reconstructed every single time. That's why it is also called the "Shrine Eternal". The attack by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025-26 is counted as one of the major events in its history.

A connection with Lord Krishna

Bhalka Tirth is located very close to the Somnath temple. It is believed that this is the exact spot where Lord Krishna left his mortal body. During Mahashivratri and the month of Sawan, a huge number of devotees come to the Somnath temple for darshan.

A temple once made of gold, silver, and wood

There's a popular belief about the Somnath temple that it was first built with gold by the Moon God. Then, Ravana rebuilt it with silver, and later, Lord Krishna constructed it using sandalwood.

Flags are changed several times a day

Usually, a temple's flag is changed after a long time or on a special occasion. But at the Somnath temple, the flag is changed multiple times a day, and this practice is considered very auspicious.

A Triveni Sangam near the temple

Near the Somnath temple, there is a confluence of three rivers, which makes the place even more significant. This spot is considered the meeting point of the Hiran, Kapila, and Saraswati rivers, where pilgrims take a holy dip.

Mentioned in ancient texts

The Somnath temple finds mention in the Skanda Purana, Shiva Purana, and several other religious texts. According to historical accounts, the temple was extremely rich in ancient times and used to receive huge donations of gold and silver.

Described by foreign travellers

Many foreign travellers and historians have mentioned the Somnath temple in their writings. The current grand temple is built in the Chalukya style of architecture. A special fair is held on Kartik Purnima, which attracts a large number of devotees.

Sardar Patel led the reconstruction

The magnificent temple we see today was rebuilt because of the initiative taken by the 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel after India's independence. India's first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, inaugurated the temple on May 11, 1951.