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/Somnath Temple
Jyotirlinga
Somnath Temple
श्री सोमनाथ ज्योतिर्लिंग मन्दिर
Location
Somnath (Prabhas Patan), Gujarat
Darshan
06:00 – 22:00
Deity
🪔Lord Shiva (Somnath)
Entry
Free entry
Open all days. Brief ~15 min closure during each aarti. Shravan month opens from 05:00. Kartik Purnima extends to 23:00.
The first and most sacred of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Located at Prabhas Kshetra at the confluence of three sacred rivers (Triveni Sangam: Kapila, Saraswati, Hiranya). The Moon God Soma is said to have built the original temple after being relieved of Daksha's curse by Lord Shiva here. Closely associated with Krishna's departure from the mortal world (Bhalka Teertha nearby).
History
The Somnath temple has been destroyed and rebuilt seventeen times over millennia. Major destructions: Mahmud of Ghazni (1026 CE) looted its legendary wealth and destroyed the lingam; Alauddin Khalji (1299 CE); Muzaffar Shah I (1395 CE); Aurangzeb (1706 CE full demolition). Ahilyabai Holkar built the adjacent "Old Somnath" shrine in 1783. After independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel vowed reconstruction (Nov 1947). Foundation stone laid 8 May 1950; consecrated 11 May 1951 by President Rajendra Prasad. Current structure designed by architect Prabhashankarbhai Sompura in Chalukya (Maru-Gurjara) style.
Mythology
The Moon God (Soma/Chandra) was married to the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati (the 27 Nakshatras) but favoured only Rohini, neglecting the rest. Daksha cursed Chandra to wane perpetually. Grief-stricken, Chandra performed rigorous penance to Lord Shiva at Prabhas Kshetra. Pleased, Shiva granted partial relief — the moon now waxes and wanes in a monthly cycle. In gratitude, Soma (Chandra) built the first Jyotirlinga here, naming it Somnath ("Lord of the Moon").
07:00
Mangala Aarti
Sunrise prayer; auspicious morning invocation
08:30
Shringar Aarti
Deity adorned with fresh flowers; ritual abhishek performed
12:00
Madhyanha (Rajbhog) Aarti
Midday food offering ceremony
19:00
Sandhya Aarti
Evening prayer; most visually striking (~45 min)