Somnath Temple

                                     Somnath Temple

Somnath Temple

About

About

The Somnath Temple is located in Prabas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of the Gujarat, is believed to be the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga Shrines of the Shiva Temple.It is an important pilgrimage and tourist spot of the Gujarat.Destroyed and reconstructed several times in the past, the present temple was reconstructed in envisioned by Vallabbhai Patel and was completed under K.M Munshi, the head of the Temple trust.

Etymology

Etymology

The temple is considered sacred due to the various legend connected to it.Somnath means"Lord of the Soma", an epithet of the Shiva.The Somnath Temple is also known as"The Shrine Eternal" following a book os the K.M Munsi by this title and his narration of the temple's destruction and reconstruction many times History.

Jyotirlinga

Jyotrilinga

According to the tradition, the Shivalinga in the Somnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga in India.Where Shiva is believed to have appeared as the fiery column of the light.The Jyotirlinga is taken as the supreme undivided reality out of the which Shiva partly appears.

Each of the Twelve jyotirlinga site takes the name of a different manifestation of Shiva.At all these sites, the primary image is a Lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha, symbolizing the infinite nature of the Shiva.

History

History

The site of the Somnath has been pilgrimage site from ancient times on account of being a Triveni.The Soma moon God is believed to have lost his luster due to the curse, and he bathed in the Saraswati River at this site to regain it.The result is the waxing and waning of the moon, no doubt an allusion to the waxing and waning of the tides at this seashore location.The Name of the town Prabhas meaning luster, as well as the alternatives name Someshwar and Somnath, arise from this tradition.