Somnath Temple — Jyotirlinga history
Where is Somnath Temple? Somnath Temple is a Jyotirlinga pilgrimage temple.
Why this temple is famous
First among the 12 Jyotirlingas, on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat.
When to visit
October–March; evenings for aarti by the shore are popular.
History & significance
Somanatha Temple is a Hindu temple, located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval, in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites, or Tirtha Kshetra for Hindus and is the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. The date of construction of the earliest Somnath temple remains uncertain, with estimates varying between the early centuries of the 1st millennium and about the 9th century CE. Various texts, including the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana, mention a tirtha at Prabhas Patan on the coastline of Saurashtra, where the later temple would eventually be built, but archaeology has not found traces of an early temple, though there was a settlement there.
Excerpt from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Heritage questions
Where is Somnath Temple?
Somnath Temple is a Jyotirlinga pilgrimage temple. Open the AllMandir heritage guide for history, darshan context, and directions.
What are Somnath Temple darshan timings?
Open the live Somnath Temple page on AllMandir for published darshan hours, map, and directions.
Why is Somnath Temple famous?
First among the 12 Jyotirlingas, on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat.
When should I visit Somnath Temple?
October–March; evenings for aarti by the shore are popular.
