Where to Stay in Somnath Temple Gujarat India

Hotel Somnath Atithigruh

Near Somnath Railway Station
Byepass Corner
Somnath 362268
Mobile : 9228317067
Somnath Hotels
Book Hotels in Somnath
Place Details:
The most sacred among the 12 jyotirlings in India, Somnath Temple is located in Veraval region
of Junagadh district. Somnath means Lord of Moon and the town gets its name from the
Somnath Temple
According to legend, Som, the Moon God built the Somnath Temple from gold, Ravan made it
from silver, Lord Krishna made the temple from wood and King Bhimdev of Anhilwad made the
temple from stone.
Som constructed the temple out of respect after Lord Shiva cured his illness that was caused by
Soms father-in-law Daksha Prajapatis curse. Daksha Prajapati had cursed Som as he was
infatuated with Rohini and was not paying adequate attention to his other 26 wives who were all
daughters of Prajapti. It is believed that Lord Brahma advised Som to build the temple to honor
Lord Shiva.
The Somnath Temple is the seventh temple built to commemorate Lord Somnath, who was also
known as Bhairaveshwar, Shravanikehswar and Shrilingeshwar, in Sat Yug, Treta Yug and
Dwapar Yug respectively.
Earlier known as Prabhas Patan, the town remains a quintessential pilgrim town. The temple
has been built at the tip of the landmass in Gujarat and no land exists between the temple and the
South Pole. The temple is also believed to be the place where the holy river Saraswati meets the
sea.
The temple is built in Solanki style. The sabha mandap (assembly hall), sanctum sanctorum
(innermost shrine) and the shikhar (top) was built in the first phase followed by the nritya
mandap (dancing hall). The apex of the temple reaches a height of 155 ft and the kalash (pot) on
top weighs 10 tons. The temple was razed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025 AD.
Somnath is mentioned in the Puranas and the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. Lord Krishna is believed
to have been shot in the foot with an arrow in the region. The Yadav community, the descendents
of Lord Krishna, is said to have fought among them and caused the downfall of the entire
community in this region.
After the integration of Junagadh with the Union of India, the then Deputy PM of India Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel visited Junagadh in November 1947 and ordered the reconstruction of the
Somnath Temple.

The ruins of the Somnath Temple were pulled down in October 1950 and the mosque was shifted
a few miles away. The temple was built in 1951. A statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stands in
front of the temple as a mark of honour for his contribution to the building of the temple.
The Somnath Temple is visited by millions of devotees every year. It is not just the temple, but
other tourist attractions like Somnath Museum, Somnath beach and Junagadh Gate also attract
visitors. The Sound and Light Show held in the temple is another attraction.
Being a temple town, there are several options to stay in Somnath. There are 18 guest houses that
offer mid-range accommodation and a VIP guest house run by the trust that runs the Somnath
Temple.
Dharamsalas and Sanskritik Bhavans are also available. Most of the Dharamssalas and guest
houses do not take bookings as they are served on first come first serve basis. There are also
some best hotels in Somnath
Options to eat are limited. Food served in eateries near the temple, are mostly vegetarian and
basic. There are stalls that sell buttermilk, chocolates and ice creams.
The best time to visit Somnath is between Octobers to March as the weather remains cool and
conducive for visiting the temple.