Author: Suresh Soni
Publication: NewstrackIndia.com
Date: July 8, 2008
URL: http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/5571
The historic temple of Somnath in Gujarat
is all set to regain its old glory as a 'golden temple' by 2010.
The famous temple' Trust is carving and gold-plating
the Sabha Mantap, the place where devotees gather and will also embed porous
Bella stones on the outer structure that will be coated with fungus resistant
paint.
The Somnath Temple that is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas
(prime shrines devoted to Lord Shiva) and located at Prabash Patan in Gujarat's
Junagadh district.
Sri Somnath Temple Trust has commenced carving
and gold plating work on the Sabha Mantap, the place where pilgrims and other
devotees stand for holy Darshan (audience) of Lord Shiva, the chief deity.
The temple's outer structure is also being
painted with fungus resistant paint to allow the porous Bella stones, which
make up the structure, to breathe. The outer coating would protect the temple
for 10 years from fungus attack.
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 new work has already impressed the visitors
too and many feel like returning visiting it again and again for the kind
of soulful experience it offers.
"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.
If it is again being gold plated, a lot of tourists can come to view it,"
said Ravi, a devotee.
Located on the shore, the Somnath Temple continuously
has to bear saline and humid wind. It's a special kind of a coat that is fungus
resistant and at the same time would not block the breathing of the Bellas-based
structure.
"We are showing our old culture and traditional
temple. 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.
The Somnath Temple is known as 'the shrine
eternal' since it has been attacked on several occasions and yet exists.
Skanda Purana that is one of the eighteen
Purana or, religious text of Hindus, in a chapter describes the emergence
of this Jyotirlinga.
Legend has it that the moon was married to
the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati. Amongst all his wives, he had special
love towards Rohini and neglected the others.
Noticing the negligence of Chandra or, the
moon towards his other wives Daksha Prajapati cursed Chandra that he would
lose his beauty and radiance.
But because of a moon devoid of radiance and
beauty the entire world became lifeless, a disturbed Chandra, came down to
Prabhasa with Rohini and worshipped the Sparsa Linga of Somnath after which
he was blessed by Shiva to grow and shine in the bright half.
As the moon regained his light here, this
town came to be known as Prabhasa. Brahma, one of the trinity, installed the
Brahmashila, and paved way for the construction of the temple. On the request
of the Chandrama and other gods, Lord Shiva assumed the name Somchandra (Jyotirlinga)
and resided there eternally. He became famous by the name Somnath in the three
worlds.
The temple is also unique in the sense that
it has been constructed at a location with unhindered marine clearance till
the Antarctica!
