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S C H O O L
Major Tourist
Attractions of Somnath |
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Somnath with striking
attractions |
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Shree Somnath is
first among the
twelve Aadi Jyotirlings of India. It is located on the west coast
of India. It is believed to have close relationship with the moon god for
the curse of his father-in-law Daksha Prajapati. Moon was married to
Twenty Seven daughters of Daksha. Out of all he favoured only Rohini and
neglected other queens. The angry Daksha cursed the moon and Moon lost his
power of light. With the advice of Prajapita Brahma, Moon arrived at the
Prabhas Teerth and worshipped Bhagwan Shiva. Pleased with the great
penance and devotion of Moon, Bhagwan Shiva blessed him and relieved him
from the curse of darkness.
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Major Travel Attractions of Somnath
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Balukha Theerth |
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This sacred teerth is located 5 km on Prabhas Veraval
highway. Bhagwan Shree Krishna was hit with the arrow of the poacher
named Jara at this spot. It is believed that Shree Krishna was
meditating under a pippal tree when the poacher misread the foot of
Shree Krishna as a deer and hit from a distance. Bhagwan generously
pardoned the poacher and blessed him.
This divined leela of
Bhagwan Shree Krishna is immortalised by a beautiful temple and an
ancient pippal tree. The spot is under development with the
assistance of the Central Government. Bhagwan then walked a small
distance and arrived at the holy banks of river Hiran from where he
took his last journey to his Neejdham. |
Gita Mandir
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Gita
Mandir is a beautiful shrine located in Dehotsarg campus on the
outskirts of Mathura.This holy temple depicting the epic Bhagwad Gita was
built recently.The presiding deity of the temple is
Lord Krishna with the lord Lakshmi Narayana and Sita Rama
statuette on the left and right.
The temple is noted for
its carvings and painting. The whole of the
Bhagavad Gita is inscribed on 18 marble walls of the temple.
This famous temple was constructed by the top class industrial
families the Birlas. This familiar temple holds the exclusive and
excellent pictures of Lord Krishna in its holy place. |
Junagath Gate
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Junagadh was the capital of
the Junagadh State ruled by the Muslims,Babi Nawabs. In Gujarati,
`Junagadh' means an ancient fort. The junagadh is a small town
located at the foothills of the sacred hill of Girnar and occupies a
special place in the history of Gujarat.
There are two fortifications: the fort
walls surrounding the town and Uparkot in the west. Uparkot, on the
higher level of the town, was a stronghold of Mauryas and Gupta
Empire and is said tp have survived 16 sieges in the last 1000 years
due to its strategic location and difficult access.But now there are
all means of transport to the place.The nearest airport &
railways are Ahmedabad & Porbhandar.
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Kamnath Mahadev Temple
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The Somanath
Mahadev Temple is an important place of worship in Daman. Daman is
193 kms. from Bombay.The temple is situated in Dabhel, a small
village in Daman.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It is believed that in 19th century on the request of a monk who was
a true devotee of Lord Shiva,the Shivalinga here was originated.
which later induced people to hold this place as holy place and
build a small temple. It was rebuilt in the year 1972-73 with glass decorative.
It is a pleasant spot connected by
good roads. 'Gangaji Fair' is a organized here every year which
attracts plenty of tourist.There are few other attractive tourist
places s in Daman like Devka Beach, Jampore Beach, irrigation
pond-lake in Kachigam, Nani Danan jetty garden and Hilsa summer
house near Hilsa fish Aquarium. |
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Lakshmi Narayanan Temple
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Shri Lakshminarayan Mandir is closeby to the Balramjiki
Gufa a place from where the banks of Hiran are at a distance
of 1.5km from Somnath temple..
The Balramjiki Gufa is the place from
where Bhagwan Shrikrishna's elder brother Balaramji took journey to
his nijdham-patal. This temple is closeby to Gita mandir temple.Both
these temples are said to be built recently.It is dedicated to Lord
LakshmiNarayanan which is said to be the replica of the
LakshmiNarayanan temple in Badrinath.This temple depicts one of the
sacred places of the Prabhas teerth. |
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Old Somnath Temple
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The Somnath Temple located
in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western
coast of Gujarat. Somnath means The Protector of Moon God.The
temple is also known as the Shrine Eternal. This temple has the
Shivling built below ground level which is accepted by Hindus having
great divinity.
The rituals/Pooja performed here are
believed to bring fruition to the wishes. The temple was (re)built
by the Maratha warrior and saint queen Ahilyabai Holkar famous for
building other important temples at locations where temples were
destroyed by the muslim looters (gaznis). India is one of the twelve
Jyotirlings (lingas of light) symbols of the God Shiva. The temple
has been destroyed six times it has been rebuilt every single
time.
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Somnath Parasuram Temple
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This is a
sacred spot at the holy banks of Triveni where Bhagwan Parshuram
conducted his long penance and he was relieved from the curse of
Kshatriya killings by Bhagwan Somnath. Divine leela Parshuram is
perpetnated here by a beautiful Parshuram Temple and two ancient
kunds.
The temple has a very simple
architecture. The plan is formed by, a sabhamandap, the easternmost
part of the scheme, a central mandap, and a garbhagriha.The
garbhagriha has 3 idols with Lord Parasuram in the middle and Kala
and Kama to the right and left.Outside the temple there is a small
courtyard with Hanuman shrine & Ganesh shrine.Behind the temple
there is a structure devoted to Lord Parasurams mother Renuka.
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Panch Pandav Gufa
Panch Pandava temple is located near Lalghati.It is believed that this temple was found in the year 1949
by the late Baba Narayandas.Panch Padava temple in Somnath is
dedicated to the Pandavas, ... vyas gufa, hauman temple and finally
to Narayan temple which is a 108 divya desam.
In the temple the devotees can find,
beautiful idols of Lord Shiva, Ram - Laxman, Sitaji, Goddes Durga
and Hanuman built. People and devotees from different places come
for darshan everyday. A sanskrit college is also located in the
campus. people interested in taking up varied Sanskrit courses can
join this institution.
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Jyothirlinga Temple
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The Somnath
temple is dedicated to Someshwara, another name of Lord Shiva with
moon on his head. The temple is situated in Saurashtra. It is
believed that this temple was originally built in gold. Of all the
12 jyotirlingas Somnath is the first. Though the temple is of Hindu
origin, the Architecture has Jain influences.
The Somnath temple has been destroyed
six times and have been rebuilt. The temple faces the east
direction. Externally the Somnath temple resembles the Rudramala
temple at Siddhapur. The temple has biggest dome ever made and large
central hall with entrances on three sides, each protected by a
lofty porch. The temple carvings and the sculptures depicts the
great artistic endeavor made by the craftsmen of that era. At a
certain interval in the balconied corridor is a deformed Nataraja
statue. |
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Suraj Mandir
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Suraj in
Sanskrit means sun. 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.
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.It is a place of historical importance
Triveni Ghat
Triveni Ghat in Somnath is one such spot where three Rivers namely Hiran, Kapil and
Saraswati meet with the Arabian Sea. The confluence of the three
rivers or Sangam as it is referred to in Hindu religious terms is
one of the most pious places in India.
This is also the place where the
chatri of the Lord Krishna is constructed. Krishna is said to have
visited this holy spot after being hit by an arrow which later is
believed to be a holy place in the history of Hindu mythology. This
is something similar to the tiruveni sangh in Allahabad where the
rivers meet.
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