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Somnath - God's Abbey

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Somnath Temple is famous for the Jyotirlinga shrine that is revered and worshiped by the Hindus from all over India.

Tourist Places In And Around Somnath

Other than the main Mahadev Temple, Somnath has other temples like the Sun Temple. The Sun Temple was built in 14th century and has idols of Sun God and his two attendants. Bhalka Tirtha is the place where Sri Krishna was erroneously shot by Jara, a Bhil hunter, and Dehotsarg Tirth is the site where Lord Sri Krishna was cremated.

Somnath Beach is another tourist spot. This beach is not meant for swimming because the waves here are quite violent but the beach definitely provides a good experience of being close to nature and entertainments like camel ride and food are also available here. The best beach to swim and to engage in different water sports is Ahmedpur Mandvi. It is close to the island of Diu and the water here is crystal clear.

One can definitely enjoy the blend of Portuguese and Saurashtran cuisine and culture in this place. Other places to visit are the Buddhist Sana Caves, Mai Puri Masjid, Veraval and more.

Background Story

It's believed that the main temple was built in gold by the moon god, Soma, as he wanted to restore his brilliance from the curse of Daksha Prajapati, then in silver by the sun god, Ravi, and afterwards in wood by Sri Krishna.

In the11th century the Solanki Rajputs made a new temple made of stone, which was built in Chalukyan style and its shikhara was 50 m tall. The height of the temple is quite imposing and has many intricate carvings on the walls.

There is an idol of Nandi, and at the center there is Shivalinga, which is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India. The main shrine has a vast courtyard in front and pyramid-like structures as towers of the temple.

Due to negligence, it was in a state of disrepair and at 1951 Sardar Patel took the initiative to renovate the old temple, after which the present temple was built. The Somnath Temple was invaded six times and the present temple is the seventh reconstruction of the original temple.

Geography

Somnath is a coastal city, situated at the tip of the peninsula of Saurashtra. It has the Arabian Sea on one side and 6 km north is Veraval; it is also 407 km from Ahmedabad.

Culture

Somnath preserves the mythological and religious heritage of India. People here are very religious and follow all traditions faithfully. All festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Somnath Weather

The climate in Somnath is moderate as it is close to the Arabian Sea. The summers are slightly hot; whereas, the winters are mild. Monsoon is windy and experiences heavy rainfall. The best season to visit Somnath is from October to March.

How To Reach Somnath

Somnath is well connected to the major cities in the state by air, rail and road.

Somnath Weather

Best Season / Best Time to Visit Somnath

  • Jan
  • Feb
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How to Reach Somnath

  • By Road
    There are private buses and luxury coaches available to Somnath from Diu. State transport buses are also available to the place from nearby cities.
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  • By Train
    The nearest Railway Station to Somnath is located at Veraval in Konkan line which is 5kms away from the place. From Veraval one can take a train to Mumbai. Trains are available from Mumbai to most of the places in India.
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  • By Air
    There is no air port available in Somnath
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