Gujarat in India is a vibrant state which is rich in culture and heritage. Somnath, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, is one of the many gems that the land of Gujarat is bedecked with. There are many places to visit in Somnath and its vicinity. Dwarka and Somnath are two of the famous and legendary places that are deep-rooted in Indian history, heritage, and spiritual thought.

The legendary temple to Shiva that stands as a symbol of the resilience of Indian culture is of course synonymous with Somnath. The Somnath temple history is fascinating, however, there are many other interesting places to visit near Somnath.

We take a look here at the places to visit in Somnath that includes places to visit near Somnath temple as well as places to visit near Somnath.

Somnath is also known as Somnath Nagar or Prabhas Patan, Prabhas Kshetra, or Dev Patan and is situated close to the seaside town of Veraval.

Places To Visit In Somnath

The tourist places in Somnath offer a wide range of experiences. In this post, we look at the top places to visit in Somnath as well as things to do in Somnath.

So, here is the list of places to visit in Somnath:

• Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple
• Ahalyabai Temple
• Prabhas Patan Museum
• Triveni Sangam
• Kamnath Mahadev Temple and Sharda Peeth
• Somnath Beach
• Bhalka Tirth
• Gita Mandir
• Dehotsarga
• Lakshminarayan Temple
• Baldev Gufa
• Shree Parshuram Temple
• Sun Temple
• Panch Pandava Gufa
• Shree Veneshwar Mahadev Temple

Places To Visit Near Somnath Temple – Top Things to do in Somnath

Today the flag flutters proudly and defiantly above the Shikhara of the Somnath temple. The history of Somnath is believed to date back to the Treta Yuga of the Vaivasvata Manvantara, billions of years ago. There are many places in Somnath that act as a bridge of time and connect the present with the past. Here are the places to visit in Somnath:

Somnath Jyotirling Temple – Best Places to Visit in Somnath

The Somnath Jyotirling Temple has been drawing pilgrims to its fold for thousands of years. Standing at the point where the western coast of India ends, and the Arabian Sea begins, this Shiva temple is considered the oldest of the Jyotirlingas. The Dwadash Jyotirlinga Yatra begins with a visit to the Somnath temple.

The temple is steeped in legend, mythology, and history. It is a temple that has risen again and again after being razed to the ground by invading marauders time and again. The Somnath temple in its present form took shape in the year 1951, thanks to the efforts that were lead by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Shri K.M.Munshi.

A visit to Gujarat remains incomplete without paying obeisance at the sacred Jyotirlinga temple of Somnath. It is indeed one of the most famous tourist places to visit in Somnath.

Ahilyabai Temple

The Ahalyabhai temple is located just a few yards away from the Somnath Jyotirlinga temple. It is a small but old temple with a Shiv Ling as the principal deity. The temple was built by the warrior queen of the Maratha Empire, Ahilyabai Holkar, who is credited with building and renovating thousands of temples and Dharamshalas across India including the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

There is also a belief that the Shiv Linga in the Ahilyabai temple was the original deity that was located in the main Somnath temple.

Triveni Sangam

The Sangam or confluence of rivers is considered very sacred in Hinduism. The great Somnath Jyotirling temple stands very near the confluence of three rivers, namely Hiran, Kapil, and the mythical Saraswati river. The three rivers meet at the point which is known as Triveni Sangam, and they flow into the waters of the Arabian Sea.

Devotees bathe in the holy waters of the Triveni Sangam before proceeding for the darshan of the Jyotirlinga. The Triveni Sangam is also believed to be the spot where Sri Krishna walked to after he was shot by a hunter.

Kamnath Mahadev Temple and Sharada Peeth

There is a very ancient and large temple complex near the Triveni Sangam. It is a temple whose main deity is Kamnath. According to legend Lord Shiva with the power of his third eye had reduced the God of Love, Kamdev to ashes, and hence the deity here is worshipped as Kamnath. Near the temple is located a small cave, where it is believed that Adi Shankaracharya once meditated.

Prabhas Patan Museum

The Prabhas Patan Museum is an archaeological museum that houses the remains of the ancient temple of Somnath, which existed in ruins before the current structure was built. The museum showcases a fascinating collection of items from the past that includes stone sculptures, inscription slabs, pottery, and other artifacts. What is of special attraction in the museum is the reconstructed 12th century Somnath shrine.

Bhalka Tirth

The hallowed land of Somnath is not only blessed with the presence of the sacred Jyotirlinga of Somnath but also the feet of the Lord Sri Krishna. Bhalka Tirth is a temple to Krishna. It stands at the spot where the hunter Jara, shot an arrow at Krishna and brought about the end of the Krishna avatar.

The temple depicts beautifully the scene of Krishna lying with an arrow stuck in his feet and a remorseful Jara kneeling in front of him.  A peepal tree that is believed to have been the same tree under which Sri Krishna sat when he was shot is located within the sanctum sanctorum. Bhalka Tirth is definitely one of the most beautiful and sacred places to visit in Somnath.

Dehotsarga

Shri Krishna is believed to have walked a few kilometers after being shot by the hunter’s arrow and reached near the Triveni Sangam, at a place which is known today as Dehotsarga. The tranquil place where hundreds of white birds fly over the flowing river Hiran is also known as Golokdham Tirth.

This is the place where the last rites of the mortal remains of Shri Krishna was performed by Arjun. Footprints or Padukas of Shri Krishna are kept in a canopy overlooking the Hiran River. There are many temples within the premises, that are important places to visit in Somnath.

Baldevji Ki Gufa or Baldevji’s Temple

There is a small temple located in a cave below ground level in the Dehotsarg temple campus. This is believed to have been the place where Baldev or Balaram, the brother of Sri Krishna, left the material world immediately after Shri Krishna left his mortal remains. Balaram is believed to have been Sheshnag, and so he too undertook his journey to Vaikunta in his original form of a serpent.

Gita Mandir

There is a beautiful temple in Dehotsarg, called Gita Mandir built by the Birlas. The spacious temple has beautiful marble statues of Shri Krishna, Lord Lakshminarayan, and Sita and Ram. The temple is ornamented with 18 pillars on which are carved the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. The walls have paintings that depict different episodes of the life of Shri Krishna.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple

Right next to the Gita Mandir stands a temple to Lakshmi Narayana. The image of Vishnu along with his consort Lakshmi in this temple is believed to have been designed on the lines of the one in the Lakshminarayan temple in Badrinath. The temple has beautiful carvings that depict different episodes from the Puranas and Hindu mythology.

Shree Parshuram Temple

Parshuram is a towering figure from Indian mythology. He is believed to be the sixth avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Parshram is also one of the seven immortals or Chiranjeevis according to Hindu scriptures. Temples dedicated to Parshuram are very rare and one such temple stands near the Triveni Sangam in Somnath. The temple is believed to mark the spot where Parshuram did penance and meditated on Lord Somnath in order to relieve himself of the sin of killing Kshatriyas.

The sanctum sanctorum of the temple has an image of Parshuram which is flanked by images of Kala and Kama. Within this temple complex are smaller shrines to Ganesha and Hanuman. Significantly there is a small temple dedicated to Parshuram’s mother Renuka behind the main temple.

Sun Temple or Suraj Mandir of Somnath

There are many temples dedicated to Surya or the Sun in India. The most famous of these are the temples in Konark, Modhera, Katarmal, and Kashmir. There is an ancient temple dedicated to the Sun God in Somnath too. It is located about a kilometer from the Jyotirlinga temple. The ancient Sun temple has a beautiful architectural design and its origins are quite ancient. There is a stepwell within the temple premises.

Panch Pandava Gufa or Hinglaj Mata Ni Gufa

There is an ancient cave temple atop a hillock not far from the Sun temple. It is believed that the Pandavas meditated here and prayed to Shiva. It is said that the Pandavas also worshipped Hinglaj Mata apart from Shiva in the caves. Today there is a temple with images of the Pandavas, Shiva, Durga, Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman.

Shree Veneshwar Mahadev Temple

There is another temple that is dedicated to Shiva called Veneshwar Mahadev located right in the town center. The ancient temple has a fascinating legend associated with it. During a siege of the fort of Prabhas Patan by Mahmud Gazni in the 11th century, the temple was protected by a Rajput king who put up fierce resistance and frustrated Mahmud Gazn’s efforts to break into the famous Somnath temple.

Now, it so happened that the Rajput king had a daughter named Veni who was known to visit a Shiva temple located outside the fortress. Mahmud Ghazni came to know of this and hatched a plan to kidnap the princess to put pressure on the Rajput forces. So he waited to abduct the princess from the temple. But when he tried to do so, a miracle happened, the Shiv Linga in the temple split open, and the princess disappeared inside it. Marks of the Shiva Linga at the place where it split open and those of the princess can still be seen.

The temple came to be known as Shree Veneshwar Mahadev temple in honour of the princess and her devotion to Shiva. This legend has been immortalized by the great literateur of Gujarat, Shri K.M.Munsh in one of his books.

Somnath Beach

For those who love the sea and love to feel the sand beneath their feet and the sea breeze on their face, the Somnath Beach beckons with its wild allure. The beach is great for a stroll or for experiencing a glorious sunset. The sea is usually quite rough here and swimming or other water activities are not recommended.

Places To Visit Near Somnath

When you visit Somnath, it is best to plan an itinerary that includes many of the places to visit near Somnath. There are many famous places near Somnath that one must visit. Here is a list of places to visit near Somnath.

Sasan Gir

The famous Gir National Park which is the home of the Asiatic Lion is located nearby. Gir To Somnath distance is about 68 kilometers from Somnath. The wildlife sanctuary is the only place apart from Africa where one can see lions in the wild. The Sasan Gir Safari is indeed an experience of a lifetime.

Junagadh

The historic city of Junagadh is about 95 kilometers from Somnath. Junagadh is a city with many wonders that include the famous temples of Girnar, the Uparkot Fort, the Mahabat Maqbara, and the Khapra Kodiya Buddhist Cave temples.

There is so much to see in and around Somnath. Somnath sightseeing is a wonderful experience. Click here to book an exciting Ahmedabad, Dwarka, Somnath, and Kutch tour.

Map Of Somnath

How To Reach Somnath

• Somnath is located on the western coast of India in Gujarat State, in the Gir Somnath District
• Ahmedabad To Somnath distance is about 411 kilometers
• Junagadh To Somnath is about 95 kilometers
• Mumbai To Somnath is about 908 kilometers
• Veraval To Somnath distance is about 7 kilometers
• Distance From Dwarka To Somnath 237 kilometers
• Distance From Rajkot To Somnath is about 200 kilometers

Reaching Somnath By Air

The nearest airport to Somnath is Diu at a distance of about 83 kilometers. Porbandar Airport is at a distance of 134 kilometers and Rajkot Airport is at a distance of about 200 kilometers.

Reaching Somnath By Rail

Somnath Railway Station is the railhead for reaching Somnath, it also serves Veraval town. It is the terminus railway station of Gujarat. There are trains to and from Ahmedabad, Jabalpur, Okha, Rajkot, and Porbandar from the Somnath Railway station. The Ahmedabad to Somnath train is a convenient option to reach Somnath from Ahmedabad. Surat to Somnath train travel is also convenient.

For more details about trains to and from Somnath and booking visit IRCTC site.

Reaching Somnath By Road

Somnath is well connected by road to other cities and towns of Gujarat. Many important places of Gujarat can be visited along with Somnath on a road trip. Buses run by Gujarat State Road Transport, private buses, and taxis, provide an easy means of transport across the state. The distance between Dwarka And Somnath is about 237 kilometers. One can easily get a Dwarka to Somnath bus, or Ahmedabad to Somnath bus, or Rajkot to Somnath bus.

If you are planning a trip to Somnath in Gujarat, India then you can book a cheap flight through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline right here. You can fly to Ahmedabad or Diu and then from there you can travel to Somnath by road or train. Some of the options to reach Somnath could be by self-drive car or cab or bus or alternatively take a train.

Where To Stay In Somnath

There are plenty of options to stay in Somnath. There is a choice of budget accommodation as well as luxury hotels. We, however, stayed at Sasan Gir and did a day trip to Somnath from there. If you are looking for hotels in Somnath Gujarat or anywhere else, you can book hotels right here through any of the below options. TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline and save a lot by getting the best deals on booking your stay.

Somnath FAQ

Where Is Somnath Temple?
Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple is located in Gir Somnath district of the state of Gujarat in India. It is near the town of Veraval and is also known as Prabhas Patan.

What is special in Somnath?
Somnath is where the first Jyotirlinga of the 12 Jyotirlingas is located. It also has the temple of Bhalka Tirth where Lord Krishna ended his avatar. There are many other sacred temples and places in Somnath.

Is Somnath worth visiting?
Somnath is a very historical and sacred place that must be visited at least once in a lifetime.

How many days are enough for Somnath?
It depends on what you want to see and experience as there are many places to visit near Somnath. If it is only Somnath Jyotirlinga temple that you want to visit, one day would be enough.

How much time does it take for darshan in Somnath temple?
On average an hour should be enough for the darshan at Somnath temple, however, the actual time would depend on what day and time you are visiting.

Is there a Delhi To Somnath Train?
There is no Delhi to Somnath train, you would need to travel to Ahmedabad and catch a train to Somnath from there.

What is the distance between Rajkot And Somnath?
The distance between Rajkot and Somnath is about 200 kilometers.

The images of Somnath continue to remain vividly in our memory forever. Such is the magnetic appeal of Somnath and its mystical nature, that we would love to visit it again and again. We hope you liked reading our Somnath past, and are sure that it will help you plan your own Somnath itinerary. We look forward to your inputs to help us create better and better content. Follow our blog and connect with us on our social media handles.

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