Somnath: A grand saga of eternal faith, resilience and our civilisational pride

The Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath, Gujarat, is a living symbol of India's enduring civilization and spiritual continuity. It has faced centuries of invasion, reconstruction, resistance, and national resurgence. The temple's history is marked by repeated attacks and desecration, including an attack by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026 CE and orders by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1706. Despite this, the pilgrimage tradition and faith of devotees have endured, and the temple has been rebuilt and protected post-Independence.