The shore temple of Somnath is believed to have
been built in 4 phases-in gold by Lord Soma,
in silver by Ravi, in wood by lord Krishna and
in stone by Bhimadeva. Tales of it’s riches
brought in a series of invasions, but each time
the temple was raided, whether by Muhammad Ghazni
who took back the silver doors and treasures
or by Aurangzeb in a fanatical vein, it was
restored by zealous Hindu worshippers to it’s
original glory. The present incarnation of the
temple was commissioned by Sardar Patel, the
much loved Gujarati leader, in the 1950s. The
temple has imposing architecture, a 50 meter
high shikara tower, intricate carvings, silver
doors, a pretty Nandi, the Shivalinga, a number
of holy idols and images, and a splendid location
facing the Arabian sea. Aarti is held at 7,
12 and 19 hours. The temple is open from 6-21.30
hrs.
Somnath Temple
PRABHAS
PATAN MUSEUM
The museum houses art treasures of various
periods from Somnath. Holy waters of different
rivers, 5 domes, inscriptions, pillars, 12th
century toranas, 11th century stone apsaras
and statues of lord Agni, lord Vishnu, Uma Maheshwara,
Natraj Bhairava and Parwati.
TIMINGS : 8.30-12.15, 14.30-18.5 ENTRY: Rs.0.50
CAMERA FEES:Rs.2/photograph
SOMNATH BEACH :
Just behind the temple is the Somnath beach,
with pleasant sands, great sea views, camel
and pony rides, coconut stalls and snack places.
BAKHLA TIRTH :
A short distance from the Somnath temple is
Bakhla Tirth, where Lord Krishna was hit by
accident by an arrow of a Bhil tribal.
TRIVENI TIRTH :
A river is holy in Hinduism, and the meeting
place of 3 rivers-Hiran, Kapil and mythical
Saraswati-with the Arabian sea, is triply important.
The Triveni tirth is an important place of pilgrimage,
specially to immerse ashes and pray for dear
departed. At the Triveni ghat is the chattri
of lord Krishna, and important temples, including
one dedicated to lord Laxminarayan.
SURYA
MANDIR :
The Sun temple of Prabhas Patan, probably dates from
the time of the Solanki Rajput dynasty in Gujarat. Like
the Sun temples of Modhera, Ghumli and Kera, it has
a sabha mandap, sanctum sanctoruim and intricate carvings.
Next to the temple is the Pandav Gufa, a cave associated
with the 5 Pandawas, with mosaics of lord Ganesh and
other religious art.
AHILYA MANDIR :
This creamy colour domed temple was commissioned by
the famous queen, Ahliyabhai Holkar of Malwa. Nearby,
along the coast, Shivalingas washed ashore by the sea
have been re-installed.
VERAVAL BEACH :
4 kms from Somnath, Veraval has a picturesque fishing
harbour, where sea worthy dhows are handcrafted by expert
artisans without using any modern machinery, mechanical,
electrical or electronic. The Veraval beach is a good
place to relax, with benches and a jogging path. Near
the beach is the old beach palace of the Nawab of Junagadh,
now deserted. The town has intricate gateways, one facing
Prabhas Patan, the other Junagadh.
GETTING THERE
Convenient
overnight trains
PLACES TO STAY
-
LUXURY
Hotel
Park(Veraval)
- DELUXE
Blue hill, Jubilee,
Apollo, White Rose At Bhavnagar, 55 kms from Palitana
-
MODERATE
Satkar,
Madhuram, Rajdhani, tourist bungalow, Ajanta(all
at Veraval).
- BUDGET/GUEST
HOUSE
Chandrani(Veraval),
Mayuram, Shri Somnath guest house. Some new properties
in Somnath Numerous dharamshalas
PLACES
TO EAT
Park(multi-cuisine),
Ali Baba(sea food), Sagar(N and S Indian), Jill(N
Indian), Foodlamp(Indian), La Bela, Swati, New
Apsara, Supreme, all at Veraval. Cheap local food
at Somnath.
