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| Somnath Temple at dawn |
In the first part I gave an introduction about the Jyotirlingas, their names and the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Shloka. In this article I will tell you all about the first Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva i.e. Somnath. Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga has a strategic location on the west coast. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The old temple was made entirely of pure gold but the Mahmood of Ghazni plundered and looted the temple and broke the jyotirlinga. The present temple was constructed on the orders of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1951. The temple is built in Chaulukya style of temple architecture. The temple located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat.
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| Ruined Somnath Temple. |
Story of Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga:
Chandra, the moon god married 27 daughters of Prajapati Daksha. But he loved and favoured his one wife i.e. Rohini. The other daughters felt neglected and complained to Prajapati Daksha. Hearing this, Prajapati Daksha cursed the moon that it would lose all its lusture and shine. Due to the curse Chandra became sick. He prayed to Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma asked him to pray to Lord Shiva.
Do read 'An introduction to Jyotirlinga' to get yourself familiar with the Jyotirlingas and better understand their legends.
Chandra prayed to Lord Shiva at Somnath. Shiva being pleased appeared before him and said that he cannot undo the curse of Prajapati but can reduce the ill effects of it. Therefore he adorned Chandra on top of his head and thus saved him from death. The waxing and waning of the moon is because of the effect of this curse. After this incident Lord Shiva came to be known as Chandrashekhar.
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| Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga |
The research based on ancient Indian classical texts show that first Somnath Jyotirling Pran-Pratistha was done on the auspicious third day of brighter half of Shravan month during the tenth Treta yug of Vaivswat Manvantar. Swami Shri Gajananand Saraswatiji, Chairman of Shrimad Aadhya Jagadguru Shankaracharya Vedic Shodh Sansthan, Varanasi suggested that the said first temple was built 7,99,25,105 years ago as derived from the traditions of Prabhas Khand of Skand Puran. Thus, this temple is a perennial source of inspiration for millions of Hindus since time immemorial.
The main festivals of Somnath are:
1. Shravan Month
2. Shivratri
3. Golokdham Utsav
4. Kartik Purnima Fair (5 Days).
5. Somnath Sthapana Divas
How to reach Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga:
By air:
The nearest airport to reach Somnath is located in Diu, which is nearly 65 km away. It’s not a typical commercial airport but a civilian aerodrome serving bordering regions of the state, such as Veraval and Jafrabad. You will find regular taxis and commuter buses, which you can opt to reach Somnath. Besides, Sardar Vallabhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad is the closest international airport.
By road:
Somnath is well-connected by buses to nearby cities as multiple options are available. Luxury buses, non-AC and AC buses are available, which you can opt as per your budget. Air-conditioned buses from Diu to Somnath costs less than INR 500 per person. In addition, regular private buses run on a daily basis from cities like Rajkot, Porbandar and Ahmedabad.
By train:
Veraval Railway Station is the closest railway station to Somnath which is barely 5 km away. This railway station is well linked to major Indian cities including Mumbai and Ahmedabad. A number of trains run on these routes on a daily basis. From the railway station, you can hire a taxi or cab to reach Somnath.
By road:
Somnath is well-connected by buses to nearby cities as multiple options are available. Luxury buses, non-AC and AC buses are available, which you can opt as per your budget. Air-conditioned buses from Diu to Somnath costs less than INR 500 per person. In addition, regular private buses run on a daily basis from cities like Rajkot, Porbandar and Ahmedabad.
By train:
Veraval Railway Station is the closest railway station to Somnath which is barely 5 km away. This railway station is well linked to major Indian cities including Mumbai and Ahmedabad. A number of trains run on these routes on a daily basis. From the railway station, you can hire a taxi or cab to reach Somnath.
Darshan and Aarti timings:
Darshan Timing is from 6 AM to 9.30PM.
Aarti Timings :
Aarti Timings :
Morning : 7:00 AM
Afternoon:12:00 Noon
Evening: 7:00PM.
You can also see the live darshan of Lord Shiva in the form of the Somnath Jyotirlinga here:
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