Somnath located on the shores of Arabian Sea, is one of the most important pilgrim centers in India. The town is situated at the confluence where River Saraswati meets the Sea. This sleepy town lies close to Vereval where most of the leisure travelers and pilgrim puts up when they are visiting Somnath.
This sleepy sea side town houses one of the most important temples in Indian history, the Somnath Temple. According to Hindu mythology this is also the place where Lord Krishna was shot in the leg. The number of historical, mythical and religious associations with the Holy Places in Somnath makes it more endearing to the tourists. Suraj Mandir, Somnath is one of the most frequented spots in Somnath.
History of Suraj Mandir:
Suraj Mandir or the Sun Temple dates back to the same time as the Somnath Temple. Though its history is obscure we know for certain that it was raided by Mahmud of Gazni during the same time as he raided Somnath. His raids were legendary. He followed a pattern of raiding these temples and taking the riches back to his homeland.
Description of Suraj Mandir,:
This temple is located North of the sangam (where three rivers meet). The architecture features many animal figurines like lions, and huge elephant trunks. People in those times were nature worshippers and use to believe blindly the forces of nature. Suraj Mandir was set up as a reverence to the sun god. Somnath is well accessible from Junagad and Veraval. There are daily buses plying from one place to the other. To avoid last minute hassles make your hotel bookings early.
