Revision as of 17:02, 27 September 2014

Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Somnath

Ancient town in the State of Junagarh, Kathiawar, Bombay, situated in 20° 53' N. and 70 degree 28' E., at the eastern extremity of a bay on the south coast of the peninsula of Kathiawar. Population (1901), 8,341. The western headland of the bay is occupied by the port of Veraval, which gives to the locality its more common name of Veraval Pattan. On the edge of the sea, nearly half-way between the two towns, stands a large and conspicuous temple, dedicated to Siva. A few hundred yards behind this temple is the reservoir called the Bhat Kund, the traditional scene of the death of Krishna. Farther inland rises the wild hill district called the Gir, and in the remote distance stands out the sacred mountain which the people of Kathiawar delight to call the ' royal Girnar.' The country near Somnath is full of memorials of Krishna, the principal centre of interest being a spot to the east of the town, where, near the union of three beautiful streams, the body of the hero is said to have been burnt.

Somnath is a gloomy place — a city of graves and ruins. On the west the plain is covered with Musalman tombs, on the east are numerous Hindu shrines and monuments. The town was protected on the south by a fort, and on the remaining three sides by a deep trench cut out of the solid rock. The fort, situated on the shore within a few feet of high-water mark, does not depart in any important particular from the general design of Gujarat fortresses. It is square in form, with large gateways in the centre of each side, outworks or barbicans in front of these, and second gateways in the sides of the outworks. Somnath is now especially famous for the manufacture of door-locks made of wood and iron. It is the head-quarters of a mahal or revenue division, with the courts of revenue and judicial officers. Though some wealthy bankers and merchants reside here, the moneyed classes have mostly betaken themselves to the neigh- bouring port of Veraval.

Before its capture by Mahmud of Ghazni (1024-6), little is known of the history of Somnath. In the eighth century this part of Kathi- awar is said to have been in the hands of a Hne of Rajput princes bearing the surname of Chavada. These chiefs probably owned allegiance to powerful Chalukyas or Solankis, who reigned at Kalyan in the Deccan. Mahmud of Ghazni, after his invasion, left behind him a Muhammadan governor at Somnath. Subsequently the A^ajas (a sub- branch of the Rathor tribe) acquired Somnath and revived the glories of the ancient fane. But it was again overthrown by Ulugh in 1298. From this date Muhammadan supremacy prevailed. Afterwards, on the downfall of the Muhammadan power, Somnath was ruled at different times by the Shaikh of Mangrol and the Rana of Porbandar, but was finally conquered by the Nawab of Junagarh, in whose hands it remains.