Place in the news
Somnath Temple
GS1 Art and culturePrelims and Mains
- Why in news
- On 8 May 2026, PIB published a feature on the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, which marks 1,000 years since the first recorded attack on the temple (1026) and 75 years since its reopening (11 May 1951). PM Modi is to visit the temple on 11 May 2026.
- What it is
- Somnath is a Shiva temple at Prabhas Patan on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat. It is counted as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times over centuries. The present temple was built after Independence, following Sardar Patel's resolve, in the Kailash Mahameru Prasad style.
- Location
- The temple stands at Prabhas Patan on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, by the Arabian Sea.
- Rank among Jyotirlingas
- It is placed first among the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva in the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram.
- First recorded attack
- The first recorded attack was in January 1026. Destruction recurred between the eleventh and eighteenth centuries.
- Present temple
- The present temple is in the Kailash Mahameru Prasad style. President Rajendra Prasad consecrated it on 11 May 1951.
- Swachh Iconic Place
- Somnath was declared a Swachh Iconic Place in 2018.
Don’t confuse with Somnath vs Dwarka: Both are in Gujarat, but Somnath is the Jyotirlinga site on the Saurashtra coast at Prabhas Patan. Dwarka is the Krishna centre in Devbhumi Dwarka district.
Places in the news: 26 Prelims questions since 2013, rising (12% of news questions in 2022–26); they test location and why it matters.
Why it matters
- Shows how heritage restoration is tied to national identity and post-Independence cultural confidence.
- Combines pilgrimage with sanitation, sustainability and local employment, as in the Swachh Iconic Place work.
Problems
- Heavy pilgrim footfall strains waste, water and coastal infrastructure.
- Commemorative narratives of history can become contested and need careful, evidence-based handling.
Way forward
- Balance development and heritage conservation, as in the 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi' approach.
- Keep crowd, waste and coastal management plans in step with pilgrim growth.
Put in your answer
Swachh Iconic Place: Somnath was declared a Swachh Iconic Place in 2018, an example of sustainable pilgrimage management.
- 2022Prelims Q96Which statements about Somnath Temple are correct: Jyotirlinga, Al-Biruni, Radhakrishnan consecration
- 2014Prelims Q44What does 'Panchayatan' refer to in cultural history of India
- 2026Prelims Q4Which listed temples have a Nagara-style shikhara
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Heritage place on the syllabus. Places and culture almost never reach Mains, and this release has few testable facts, so no practice question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.