Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple
Prabhas Patan, near Veraval, Gir Somnath district · Lord Shiva as Somnath (Someshvara, 'Lord of the Moon'), the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas
The first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, on the Arabian Sea shore – sacked again and again over a thousand years and rebuilt every time, most recently after Independence in 1951.
Somnath stands on the seashore at Prabhas Patan in Saurashtra, Gujarat, and is traditionally counted as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas – the shrines where Shiva is believed to have revealed himself as an endless column of light. Its story is one of repeated destruction and rebuilding: Mahmud of Ghazni sacked it in 1026, later sultans attacked it several times, and Aurangzeb ordered it pulled down. The present temple, in the Maru-Gurjara (Chaulukya/Solanki) style, was rebuilt by the Somnath Trust on the initiative of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and consecrated by President Rajendra Prasad on 11 May 1951. Darshan is free; the trust runs a long list of paid poojas, guest houses and an evening light-and-sound show.
Timings
- Temple open for darshan: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM (official FAQ)
- Aartis: 7:00 AM, 12:00 noon and 7:00 PM
- Someshwar Mahapooja slots: 8–9 AM, 9–10 AM, 10–11 AM, 3–4 PM, 4–5 PM, 5–6 PM
- Jay Somnath light and sound show: 8:00 – 9:00 PM per the trust's FAQ (its Somnath Darshan page says 7:45 – 8:45 PM); weather permitting
Darshan types and costs
- General (free) darshan – Free
- Darshan with a booked Mahapooja – Part of the pooja fee
- Live darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Someshwar Mahapooja (Special Mahapoojan) – ₹5,100 (a separate Pithika pooja is also listed at ₹5,100) (Daily in one-hour slots: 8–9, 9–10, 10–11 AM and 3–4, 4–5, 5–6 PM)
- Rudrabhishek – ₹200 (Daily; book at least 3 days ahead online)
- Gangajal Abhishek – ₹200 (Daily; 3 days' notice online)
- Bilva Pooja / Bilva Pooja 1008 – ₹300 (Bilva Pooja); ₹1,500 (1,008 bilva leaves) (Daily; 3 days' notice)
- Panchopachar Pooja – ₹150 (Daily; 3 days' notice)
- Mahadugdh Abhishek – ₹3,100 (Daily; 3 days' notice)
- Maha Pooja / Rajopachar Pooja – ₹3,100 each (Daily; 3 days' notice)
- Laghurudra – ₹5,100 (On request; 3 days' notice)
- Maharudra (Path) – ₹15,000 (On request; 3 days' notice)
- Homatmak Laghurudra / Maharudra / Atirudra – ₹61,000 / ₹2,51,000 / ₹27,00,000 (10, 20 and 31 days' notice respectively)
- Silk Dhvajarohan (flag offering) – ₹11,000 (Several times a day; 3 days' notice)
- Kalsarpa Yog Nivaran Vidhi – ₹5,500 (On request; 3 days' notice)
- Mahamrityunjay Jap (500/1000) and Samput Jap – ₹150 (500), ₹250 (1,000); Samput ₹200 (500), ₹400 (1,000); Savalax ₹37,500; Savalax Samput ₹50,000 (3 days' notice)
- Shivpuran Path / Dashans Hom / Navgraha Jap – ₹5,500 / ₹11,000 / ₹250 (1,000 jap) (3 days' notice)
- Markandey (Birthday) Pooja – ₹1,500 (On your birthday; 3 days' notice)
- Deepmala / Rajbhog Thal / Annakoot Thal – ₹2,100 / ₹2,100 / ₹51,000 (3 days' notice (Annakoot 7 days))
- Sunderkand Path / Hanuman Chalisa (108) / Santan Gopal Jap / Samput Chandipath – ₹1,500 / ₹1,500 / ₹1,100 / ₹350 (3 days' notice)
- Lakshmi Poojan (Diwali Special) – ₹1,500 (Diwali)
How to book darshan
Poojas, guest-house rooms and prasad are booked only on somnath.org (or at the temple counters and the trust's Ahmedabad office). The trust warns it never takes bookings or donations by WhatsApp, private phone numbers or UPI IDs.
Dress code
Modest clothing. The trust's FAQ says sarees, dhotis, trousers, T-shirts and skirts are allowed, but mini skirts and disrespectful dress are not permitted. Traditional dress is preferred, especially for poojas.
Best time to visit
October to March for pleasant weather. Monday and Shravan (July–August) are most auspicious but very crowded. Kartik Purnima brings a big fair.
How to reach
- air: Diu airport (about 85–90 km) has limited flights; Rajkot (about 190 km) and Porbandar (about 120 km) are other options; Ahmedabad (about 400 km) is the main hub.
- rail: Veraval Junction (about 6–7 km) is the nearest major station, with trains from Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Mumbai. Somnath also has its own small station.
- road: Good highways connect Somnath to Junagadh (about 85 km), Rajkot, Dwarka (about 235–250 km) and Ahmedabad. GSRTC and private buses run frequently.
Festivals
- Mahashivratri – Feb/Mar
- Shravan month – Jul/Aug
- Kartik Purnima Mela – Oct/Nov
- Somnath Pratishtha Divas – 11 May