The Somnath Temple: Feel blessed at the Temple turned Pilgrimage

Somnath Temple

The most sacred among the 12 Jyotirlings in India, Somnath Temple is located in the Veraval region. The literal meaning of Somnath is ‘Lord of Moon’ and this town gets it name from the Somnath Temple. There are various stories and believes behind who constructed this temple. The Somnath Temple is the 7^th temple built for commemorating Lord Somnath. Also known as ‘Prabhas Patan’, this town has remained a quintessential tourist destination for many years now. It is interesting to note that there exists no land between this temple and the South Pole. The Somnath Temple is also believed to be the place where the Holy Saraswati river meets the sea. 

 

Built in the Solanki style, The Sabha Mandap (assembly hall), sanctum sanctorum (innermost shrine) and the Shikhar (top) was built up in the first phase. Lord Somnath has been mentioned in the Puranas and the Mahabharata. The Yadava is said to have fought among themselves and ended their dynasty from the face of Earth. The Somnath Temple is visited by millios of devotees every year. It is no more a tourist attraction for devotees, but a place of pilgrimage where they can come and find absolute peace. If you are visiting this temple, you should not miss out the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and enjoy the Gir forest safari. It will make your trip a memorable experience.

Witness a fascinating sunset at Veraval Beach near Gir

The vast expanses of deciduous forests, well-complemented with large varieties of flora and fauna, bring many tourists from distant places to Gir National Park every year. It is the only natural abode of Asiatic Lions in the world. While enjoying their vacation in this part of the world, tourists can also visit some of the interesting places near the wildlife sanctuary.

 

Veraval Beach

Among them is Veraval Beach, which is a part of Veraval city's long coastline.

Located close to the Somnath Temple, this beach is a great place for witnessing the fascinating sunset at Arabian Sea for tourists. It would not be possible for many travellers to visit the beach in the afternoons during summers due to scorching heat, but they can enjoy their evenings at this place. An accommodation in Gir would make it very convenient for tourists to get to Veraval Beach. It is poised to become a famous tourist spot in the coming years, as major beautification and modernization projects have been initiated in this region.

Travellers visiting this beach can enjoy an amazing serenity, as only a small portion of it has been commercialized. Besides the Somnath Temple located nearby, they can visit Prabhas Patan, which is a popular place of pilgrimage.