Explainer: Somnath temple stands firm even after being attacked 17 times, know its complete story

Explainer: There are many temples in India from North to South and from East to West. These temples are dedicated to different Gods and Goddesses and their establishment also dates back to different periods. The history of all these temples is different and they also have stories. One such temple is Somnath which is located in Veraval, Gujarat. This temple is also known as Devipatan, the story of which is also recorded in history. It is said that this temple was demolished 17 times but is still standing firm, so let us know the history of this temple.

Somnath Temple is one of the holy places of Hindus.

Somnath temple is considered one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites of Hindus. Somnath Temple is considered to be the first pilgrimage site among the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. According to mythology and beliefs, the structure of Somnath temple was first built not by any human but by Chandra Dev himself. However, the information about when the first structure of Somnath temple was built is still not clear, but it is estimated that this temple was built in the 9th century AD. Poo. Must have been built between.

Somnath temple was attacked 17 times-

From the historical point of view, the Somnath temple was demolished several times before its final construction and was rebuilt several times by different rulers. This temple is so grand that even people from abroad come here and praise this temple. That is why, this temple was attacked about 17 times. The Somnath temple was in existence since BC but it was rebuilt for the second time by the Maitraka kings of Vallabhi, but later it was attacked and destroyed by Al Junaid, the Arab governor of Sindh. Although there is no evidence of this attack. After this, in 1815, King Nagabhatta II again got this temple rebuilt.

Mahmud Ghaznavi's attack on Somnath temple-

The most effective attack in the history of reconstruction of Somnath temple was done by Mahmud Ghaznavi. In the year 1026 AD, during the reign of Bhima I, Muslim ruler Mahmud Ghaznavi attacked the Somnath temple. After the attack, Ghaznavi looted the entire property of the temple and also destroyed the structure of the temple. The story of this invasion was confirmed by the 11th century Persian scholar Alberuni.

Establishment of mosque in the premises of Somnath temple-

Somnath temple was rebuilt again after the invasion of Mahmud Ghaznavi. However, in 1299, Alauddin Khilji's army once again attacked Gujarat and along with defeating King Karna of Vaghela, badly destroyed the Somnath temple. After this attack, in the year 1308, King Mahipal I of Saurashtra once again got this temple rebuilt and between 1331 and 1351, his son installed the Lingam here. But in 1395, the Somnath temple was once again destroyed by Zafar Khan, the last governor of Gujarat. Not only this but he also built a mosque inside the temple.

Somnath temple was not safe even during the Mughal period-

Even after repeated destruction by Muslim rulers, Somnath temple could not escape the eyes of Mughal rulers. Aurangzeb had warned that, if Hindus tried to worship in this temple, then the remaining part of the temple would also be completely destroyed. However, after some time the Maratha Empire expanded and this temple was rebuilt once again. In 1783, Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indori had rebuilt the Somnath temple.

In 1951, the then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation stone of the temple.

Let us tell you that after independence, the princely state of Junagadh merged with India, after which Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was made the Deputy Prime Minister. It was he who started the reconstruction of Somnath temple. Architect Prabhashankar Sompura was called to reconstruct this temple. This work of Patel was also supported by Mahatma Gandhi. During the last reconstruction of the Somnath temple in 1950, the remains of the temple were demolished and the mosque present in the temple complex was shifted a few kilometers away from the temple. On May 11, 1951, the then President Dr. Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation stone of Somnath Temple.