SOMNATH, GUJARAT, July 12, 2008: The historic temple of Somnath in Gujarat is all set to regain its old glory as a golden temple by 2010. The famous temple’s Trust is carving and gold-plating the Sabha Mantap, the place where devotees gather, and will also embed porous Bellastones on the outer structure that will be coated with fungus resistant paint. The Somnath Temple that is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas (shrines devoted to Lord Siva) and located at Prabash Patan in Gujarat’s Junagadh district.
The temple has been destroyed and looted many times, the most notable being the ones by the invading Turks led by Mahmud Ghazni and centuries later by Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. It was reconstructed in 1947 for the seventh time and the proper shape lasted till 1995. In the last decade, little renovation work has been undertaken. “The gold plating of the temple is unique which will enhance the identity of the temple. Before Mahmood Ghazni attacked it, the temple was golden but they escaped looting all the gold from the temple. “We are showing our old culture and traditional temple (sic). The interior of the temple where people worship Somnath and Parvati is being gold-plated. Pilgrims and tourists have appreciated the work and they say if the entire temple is plated with yellow metal, it will be like a golden temple,” said Ashok Sharma, Secretary of the Sri Somnath Temple Trust.