Somnath is not just a temple. It is that lighthouse of Indian civilization which was extinguished every single time, and every single time India gave its life to light it again.

Today when Somnath is mentioned, some people just say “Shiva’s temple” and move on. But the truth is far harsher than that. If, while reading the history of Somnath, you arrive at a single conclusion — that this temple is built not just of stones but of Hindu blood — then that is not the result of sentimentality, but of the facts of history.

 

What was Somnath, and why did it become a target?

Somnath was regarded as a symbol of both India’s economic and spiritual power. Situated in Prabhas Patan in Gujarat, this temple was famous for the decoration of its gates, its gold-and-silver shikhara, and the wealth that flowed ceaselessly in donations. That very wealth became a curse for it.

In the 11th century, Mahmud Ghaznavi attacked Somnath. He came not merely to loot the temple, but to erase it. Loot was his means, destruction his goal. Those who lighten the matter by saying “Ghaznavi only looted” forget that after the looting the temple was set on fire, the idols were smashed, and thousands who stood in its defence were killed.

 

Broken 17 times, raised 17 times

This is the greatest story of Somnath. A temple broken once may be a coincidence, but to be broken again and again and to rise again and again is the story of a civilization’s character.

– After Mahmud Ghaznavi’s attack, King Bhimdev and other Hindu rulers raised the temple again.
– In 1299, Alauddin Khilji’s army attacked Somnath — loot and destruction once more.
– Further attacks by Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq and the Sultans of Gujarat are also recorded — idols were smashed, attempts were made to convert the temple into a mosque.
– Every time, Hindu kings, chieftains, traders and ordinary devotees revived the temple by sacrificing their wealth and their lives.

Ultimately, in 1951, through Sardar Patel’s efforts, Somnath was magnificently rebuilt, and today it stands as a symbol of India’s renaissance.

 

From my own perspective: the pattern of Islamic invasions

Here an honest perspective is necessary. Looking at the history of Somnath, a clear pattern emerges:

First — the temple was not merely a religious site, but a symbol of “kafir” identity. Islamic invaders did not break the temple because some military centre was there. They broke it because, in their eyes, a centre of non-Islamic worship was itself a challenge. Idol-breaking was a demonstration that “our God is great, your deity is false.”

Second — loot and destruction went together. If the motive had been only money, the temple could have been left standing and tax could have been collected. But after every attack the temple was demolished. This clearly shows that the motive was the destruction of prestige.

 

Why Somnath is not just a temple

To see Somnath merely as a religious site is not justice to it. It is a symbol of that principle of India which says — a temple is a centre not only of worship, but of society’s unity. When the temple fell, it was not just the shikhara that fell; the self-confidence of the entire society fell. And when the temple rose, it was not just stones that rose; the pride of the entire race rose.

That is why, while reading the story of Somnath, it is essential to understand that the reconstruction was not an emotional act, but a civilizational resistance. Those who say “so what if temples were broken, they’ve been built now” forget how many Hindus burned alive in those hundreds of years in between, how much wealth was looted, and how many generations died watching their deity’s home crumble before their own eyes.

 

Things that are missing from the history books

Most modern articles written on Somnath make the same mistake — they end the matter by calling the attacks “foreign invasions.” But the truth is that this is not just military history. It is a document of religious bigotry, and it should be read as such.

 

What did “idol-breaking” mean?

Islamic invaders targeted Somnath’s idol again and again. This was no coincidence. The direct message of idol-breaking was — “your deities are lifeless, they could not even save themselves.” This was psychological warfare. Breaking the idol even after looting the temple’s wealth proves that the motive was not merely money, but ideological dominance.

The bitterest truth: even the temples that survived, survived on the alms of “tolerance”

This is the part our textbooks quietly leave out. Many times, to save temples, Hindu kings had to pay jizya, accept conditions, and in many places mosques were raised on the sites of temples. That is, many of the temples standing today are not in their original form. Somnath too kept taking not “repairs” again and again, but rebirth — because it was wiped out again and again.

 

And then came 1951

When Sardar Patel resolved to rebuild Somnath, it was not merely a decision to build a temple. It was free India settling accounts with its wounds.

The real lesson of Somnath is this: Hindu society never learned to sit down accepting defeat. The one felled 17 times rose 17 times. This is its pride — and this is its lesson.

Next time you go to have darshan of Somnath, do not look only at the shikhara. Also look at those wounds inscribed in the walls, by filling which this temple stands today.