Visiting Somnath during Shivratri

After spending a couple of days in Ahmedabad, we continued on our next leg of the journey to Porbandar to explore the coastal peninsula of Saurashtra. I had always wanted to experience visiting Somnath during Maha Shivratri to witness how grand the festivities are. Our journey time from Ahmedabad to Porbandar was cut down to just an hour-long flight rather than eight to nine hours on the road and we had Trujet to thank for it. We had a great experience flying with Trujet and you can read about it here.

Porbandar has an interesting history due to connection with Harappan maritime activities however it is more famous for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Kirti Mandir, the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi is an interesting place to visit and it delves deeper into Gandhiji’s personal life. There are many temples in Porbandar as common to this region. Porbandar lies in between Dwarka and Somnath and after a journey to Porbandar, the city is a perfect base to explore the surrounding areas.

Our plan was to first head to Somnath during Shivratri, explore Diu and Gir on the next days. On our way back to Porbandar, we also wanted to explore the city of Junagadh. And if time permits we wanted to visit Dwarka on a day trip from Porbandar. Quite an ambitious plan for five days but that is all that we had.

Visiting Somnath

Somnath is about 130 kms from Porbandar and traveling to Somnath by road is an adventure in itself. We passed through arid landscapes and small villages that gave us a glimpse into authentic rural Gujarat. We stopped at a Dhaba (roadside restaurant) for breakfast and had ‘chane poori’.

One plate had 10 fluffy pooris, a bowl full of delicious chane (chickpeas curry), papad and pickle. And can you believe one plate of this sumptuous meal just costs INR 20! Roadtrips do have their benefits, don’t they! We reached Somnath in a little more than three hours and after having a rich Gujarati Thali for lunch we proceeded for sightseeing.

Bhalka Tirtha

Our first stop was Bhalka Tirtha, located in Veraval. This is an important pilgrimage as per Hindu religion as it is believed that Lord Krishna was hit by an arrow by mistake by a hunter, after which he is said to have departed from the earth for his eternal abode.

There is a modern beautiful temple with a marble statue of Krishna. The stump of the ancient tree under which he was resting can also be seen preserved in the temple. The hunter, Jara’s statue can be seen kneeling with folded hands seeking forgiveness from Krishna.

Triveni Sangam

As the afternoon was turning into evening, we asked our driver what would be a good place to watch the sunset. He said the Triveni Sangam ghat and Somnath beach. And rightfully, Triveni ghat showed us one of the most beautiful evenings of our trip.

The confluence of three rivers Hiran, Kapil and Saraswati along with the sea and can be seen if you take a 10-minute boat ride from the ghats. A dip in the waters here is considered to be very holy. The ghats are not very clean with hundreds of birds flying around as people feed them. However, the whole chaos creates an Instagram worthy scene if you can capture it right.

Somnath Beach

We headed to the beach next just in time to see the setting sun and it was another beautiful sight. The beach is next to Somnath temple which is the highlight of Somnath darshan. An inscription in the temple says that if you draw a straight line between the two points, there is no land between the temple and the South Pole – Antarctica.

The temple is believed to be the first one of twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva. An important Hindu pilgrimage, I was pleasantly surprised to see how organised and clean the temple and the complex was even though we were visiting Somnath during Shivratri. Just next to the temple complex there was a small carnival and a huge stage set up for cultural programs on the occasion of Shivratri.

Somnath Temple

Somnath temple also has an interesting history. The temple is believed to have been looted, destroyed and resurrected seventeen times. Still standing tall it definitely is one of the best stories of how the voice of reconstruction was stronger than the power of destruction. The current temple has been built in the Chalukya style of temple architecture and is a sight to behold especially during the evening when it is light up against the twilight skies. Visiting Somnath in the evening also guarantees an amazing seaside view from the temple complex.

After a quick security check, we entered the temple complex. Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the temple. So if you are planning to visit Somnath temple but need to keep your phone, deposit it in the entrance locker and collect it on your way out. We joined the queue at the entrance of the temple for darshan and there was the sound of holy slogans in the air. Even with a large crowd, the peace that you feel once you reach the prayer room is quite evident. We stayed back for the evening aarti which was a wonder to watch and be a part of. Once the prayers were over, we gradually descended the steps and sat back in the gardens to relax. I am not very religious but in that moment, sitting in front of such grandeur with the sound of waves and low Sanskrit chants in the background, I felt the divine presence.