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According to legend, the original temple of Somnath was built by the Moon God, Somnath, from pure gold. It was then destroyed and rebuilt by Ravana from sterling silver. When this temple was also razed to the ground, it was rebuilt by Krishna from wood. And when the wooden temple was set ablaze, the Somnath temple we see today was built by Bhimdev, carved from stone. For a lesson in resilience and to pay respects to Shiva, the creator and destroyer, you must Visit the Beautiful Somnath temple when you stay at Club Mahindra’s Gir resort in Gujarat.

Apart from its mythology, it also has historical significance. Artefacts unearthed in the region and ancient writings suggest that this entire area was an Aryan colony. The temple itself dates back to the 4th century, which is why history buffs must definitely Visit the Beautiful Somnath Temple when they consider things to do in Gir. In the year 1026, Mahmud of Ghazni first looted the temple, followed by Afzal Khan, the commander of Ala-ud-din Khilji, and later Aurangzeb. The temple has a tumultuous history as it is believed to have been looted and ransacked 17 times throughout its history. Yet, it stands resolute as one of the most revered sites on Hinduism.

Another interesting place to visit is the Prabhas Patan museum at Somnath. This museum houses old carved stones and pottery shards, from the original temples. It also houses water bottles containing water from the rivers Danube, Nile, St Lawrence, Tigris, Plate, Murray, and seawater from Tasmania, and New Zealand which were used for the "prana pratishtapana" rituals when the Somnath Mandir Shivling was installed.

For a crash course in history and mythology, visit the beautiful Somnath temple and be amazed at how it has stood the test of time. Seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and hope to embody the resilience this temple is famed for.

With Club Mahindra, you can witness many such magnificent experiences across 100+ resorts in India and abroad! To know more about what it feels like to Visit the Beautiful Somnath temple, read the Club Mahindra member reviews.