The Somnath temple (also known as the ‘Deo Patan’) located in Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat, India is believed to be the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is an important pilgrimage and tourist spot of Gujarat. Reconstructed several times in the past after repeated destruction by several Muslim invaders and rulers, the present mandir was reconstructed in the Chaulukya style of Hindu temple architecture and completed in May 1951. It is believed that the original temple was built by the Moon God with gold in the Satya Yuga; by Ravana in Treta Yuga in silver; and by Lord Krishna in Dvapara Yuga in sandalwood.
This temple has been looted and demolished many times by various invaders – by Mahmud of Ghazni (1024), Afzal Khan, Ala-ud-din Khilji’s commander (1296), Muzaffar Shah (1375), Mahmud Begada (1451), and later Aurangzeb (1665). Many rulers reconstructed the temple: Shri Vikramaditya of Ujjaini (about 2500 years ago), the Vallabhi kings (in the period 480-767 CE), Bhimadeva of Anhilawada (in 11th century AD), and Khangara, the king of Junagadh (in 1351 AD) among many others.
It has been reconstructed about 17 times! The modern structure was constructed by India’s former deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel between 1947 and 1951 in sandstone. It is believed that Chandra, the moon god, was married to the 27 daughters of Daksa Prajapati. However, he favored Rohini over all the rest. This angered Prajapati, who insisted that he be impartial in his affections. When Chandra did not heed his warnings, Prajapati cursed him and made him lose his luster.
Without moonlight, the world became dark; so all the gods requested Prajapati to retract his curse. Daksa suggested that Chandra pray to Lord Shiva, which is why the Lord is referred to as Somnath or Someshwar, Lord of the Moon. It is said that Chandra also bathed in the Saraswati river to regain his luster, which is the reason for the waxing and waning of the moon and the tides in this seashore location. The Moon God is said to have been relieved from the curse of his father-in-law Daksa Prajapati by the blessings of Bhagvan Somnath. In the Siva Mahapurana and Nandi upapurana, Siva said, ‘I am always present everywhere but specially in 12 forms and places as the Jyotirlingas’. Somnath is one of these 12 holy places. This is the first among the twelve holy Shiva Jyotirlingas