Somnath Temple

It is believed that Daksha Prajapati cursed his son-in-law Chandra Dev (the Moon), causing his radiance to fade. Chandra came to Prabhas Kshetra (present-day Somnath) and performed intense penance to Lord Shiva, who, pleased with him, partially freed him from the curse, which is why the moon waxes for fifteen days and wanes for fifteen days. 'Soma' means the Moon and 'Nath' means Lord, this is how the Jyotirlinga came to be called Somnath.

Somnath is regarded as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and its history is one of repeated destruction and rebuilding, Mahmud of Ghazni destroyed the temple in 1026, and it was struck again in 1297, 1394, and finally under Aurangzeb in 1706. Each time, rulers such as Bhimdev and Kumarapala rebuilt it. After independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel laid the foundation stone of the present temple in 1947, which was inaugurated in 1951 by the then President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

The temple sits at a Triveni Sangam, the sacred confluence of three rivers, Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati, which has drawn pilgrims here since ancient times. The temple complex hosts an evening light-and-sound show depicting its history, well worth watching.

At the temple's southern edge, facing the sea, stands a Baan Stambh (arrow-shaped pillar) bearing a Sanskrit inscription stating that no landmass lies between this point and the South Pole (Antarctica) in a straight line across the sea. The temple is open year-round, and given the coastal climate, visiting between October and March is most comfortable.