The Present Temple, Kailash Mahameru Prasada is built in the
chalukya style of temple architecture and reflects the inherent
skill of Sompuras, Gujarat's master masons. It has the Shikhar
portion, the Garbh Gruh, the Sabha Mandap and the Nritya Mandap.
Such a temple has not been constructed in India during the last
800 years. The Temple is situated at such a place that there
is no land in between from Somnath sea-shore to Antartica, the
South Pole. Such an inscription in Sanskrit is found on the
ARROW-PILLAR erected on the sea-protection wall at the Somnath
Temple. The Prabhas Kshetra is one of the most sacred places
in India for Shaivaites as well as for Vaishnavites. Lord Krishna
was hurt here at Bhalka in his foot by the arrow of a hunter
who mistook him to be a deer. There is Bhalkha Tirth temple
at this sacred place. His mortal remains were cremated at Dehotsarga,
on the banks of river Hiren. Shree Somnath Trust has built Dehotsarg
canopy and Gita Mandir at Dehotsarga. The Dehotsarg canopy shelters
"Krishna-Charan". The Trust has taken up project to
develop this sacred place as "Shree Krishna Neejdham-Prasthan
Teerth". Ahalyeshwar Mahadev Temple built by Queen Ahalyabai,
Gita Mandir, Laxmi Narayan temple, Baldev Gufa, Mahaprabhuji's
Bethak, Triveni Sangam, Parshuram Kshetra, SUN Temple, Prachi
and Shashibhushan temples are other places of religious significance
in and around the Somnath Temple.
Its earliest history fades into legend - it is said to have
originally been built out of gold by Somraj, the moon god, only
to be rebuilt by Rawana in Silver, then by krishna in wood and
by Bhimdev in Stone. A description of the temple by Al Biruni,
an Arab traveler, was so glowing that it prompted a visit in
1024 by a most unwelcome tourist - Mahmud of Ghazni. At that
time, the temple was so wealthy that it had 300 musicians, 500
dancing girls and even 300 barbers just to shave the heads of
visiting pilgrims. Mahmud of Ghazni, whose raids on the riches
of India are legendary, descended on Somnath from his Afghan
kingdom and after a two-day-battle, took the town and the temple.
Having looted its fabulous wealth, he destroyed it for good
measure. So, began a pattern of Muslim destruction and Hindu
rebuilding that continued for centuries. The temple was again
razed in 1297, 1394 and finally in 1706 by Aurangzeb, the notorious
Mughal fundamentalist. After the 1706 demolition, the temple
was not rebuilt until 1950. Outside, opposite the entrance,
is a statue of S V Patel (1875-1950), who was responsible for
reconstruction. The current temple was built to traditional
designs on the original site by the sea. It contains one of
the 12 sacred Shiva shrines known as jyoti linga. Photography
is prohibited inside the temple, and you must leave your camera
at the hut outside. There is a grey-sand beach outside the temple
which is part of the temple's lonely seaside charm.