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| The Somnath Temple,Gujarat booksfact.com |
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| Somnath temple tnpscthervupettagam.com |
Introduction
The Somnath Temple, the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is more than a religious site; it is a historical symbol of the enduring spirit of India. Located on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, the temple's history is characterized by a cycle of immense prosperity, repeated plundering by foreign invaders, and a relentless commitment to reconstruction by Indian rulers.
The 4 day Swabhiman Parv was celebrated beginning January 10, 2026 marking the resilience of Indian civilisation. It is symbolic of rebuilding of the Somnath Temple, which was repeatedly raided and ravaged by foreign invaders beginning with Mahmud of Ghazni’s attack nearly 1,000 years ago.
The Raid of Mahmud of Ghazni (1026 CE)
The most infamous chapter in the temple's history occurred in 1026 CE. Mahmud of Ghazni, the Turkic ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire, crossed the Thar Desert to reach Somnath. At the time, the temple was legendary for its wealth, fueled by its role as a major trading port.
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| Mahmud Ghazni pinterest.com |
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| Map of Ghazni empireen.wikipedia.or |
Mahmud’s invasion was both a mission of plunder and a demonstration of "righteous iconoclasm." According to Persian historian Al-Biruni, Mahmud desecrated the Jyotirlinga and looted an estimated 20 million dinars worth of gold and jewels. The raid was catastrophic; tradition suggests that nearly 50,000 devotees lost their lives attempting to defend the shrine. This event transformed Mahmud into an "icon of Islam" in Persian literature, while in the Indian consciousness, it solidified his image as the "arch-enemy," sparking centuries of "epics of resistance."
The Cycle of Plunder and Restoration
The temple did not remain in ruins for long. Within twelve years of Ghazni’s raid, records suggest it was back in use. In 1169 CE, the Solanki King Kumarapala replaced a decaying wooden structure with a grand stone temple. However, the 13th and 14th centuries brought new waves of invasion:
Alauddin Khalji (1299 CE): The Delhi Sultanate’s army, led by Ulugh Khan, sacked the temple. While some legends claim the idol was recovered by Kanhadadeva of Jalore, contemporary Sultanate records state the idol was taken to Delhi.
Zafar Khan and Mahmud Begada: The temple was destroyed again in 1395 by Zafar Khan and desecrated in 1451 by Mahmud Begada, the Sultan of Gujarat.
Despite these repeated attacks, the local Chudasama kings and other regional rulers continued to reinstall the lingam and repair the sanctum, ensuring that worship never truly ceased for long.
The Mughal Era and Ahilyabai Holkar’s Intervention
The final major attempt at destruction came under Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. In 1665 and again in 1706, he ordered the temple to be demolished and converted into a mosque. By the late 18th century, the original site lay in a state of ruin, occupied by the remnants of a mosque.
Recognizing that the original site was contested and unsafe, the Maratha Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Malwa built a separate, smaller temple adjacent to the ruins around 1783 CE. This "Old Somnath Temple" was built with a clever architectural design—the sanctum was placed underground to protect the deity from potential future raids. Her intervention was crucial in preserving the continuity of worship at Prabhas Patan during a period of political instability.
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| Damaged Somnath temple en.wikipedia.org |
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| Somnath temple,partialconvertion into a Mosque 1850 embellished sketch en.wikipedia.org |
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| Ruined Somnath temple of Gujarat en.wikipedia.org |
It is a fact that is often ignored is that PM Nehru was against the idea of a secular government associating closely with a temple function. Apart, Nehru expressed his reservations about President Rajendra Prasad’s participation in the inaugural ceremony in 1951. What was relegated to the backbench was the role played by the colonial British. Through the painting they showcased Somnath as a symbol of Hindus' victimisation by Muslims in the past era.
The "Proclamation of the Gates" and the Colonial Era
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| 1869 Somnath temple of Gujarat in ruins en.wikipedia.org |
In 1842, the British Governor-General Lord Ellenborough attempted a symbolic political gesture by "returning" the sandalwood gates of Somnath, which were believed to have been taken by Mahmud of Ghazni to Afghanistan. However, scientific analysis revealed the gates were made of Deodar wood and were not of Indian origin. They remain to this day in the Agra Fort, a relic of a strange colonial attempt to court Hindu sentiment.
The Modern Resurrection (1947–1951)
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| 1857 Somnath temple of Gujarat en.wikipedia.org |
The final chapter of Somnath’s reconstruction began on November 12, 1947. Following the integration of Junagadh into India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited the ruins and vowed that the temple would rise again. Under the guidance of K.M. Munshi and with the support of the Indian government, the ruins were cleared to make way for the modern Māru-Gurjara style temple we see today. Completed in 1951, this reconstruction marked the symbolic end of a millennium of struggle, restoring the "Lord of the Moon" to his rightful glory on the shores of the Arabian Sea
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/why-did-somnath-temple-restrict-the-entry-of-non-hindus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somnath_Temple
https://gujarattourism.com/saurashtra/gir-somnath/somnath-temple.html
K. N. Jayaraman (Author: navrangindia.blogspot.com)
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