Question

Mahmud Gazni plundered the Somnath temple in Kathiawar in
A. A.D 1020
B. A.D 1025
C.A.D 1030
D. A.D 1029

Answer 1

Hint:The Somnath temple is an enormous temple situated in Prabhas Patan in the city of Saurashtra situated on the western coast of Gujarat. It is believed to be the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is an important pilgrimage and tourist spot of Gujarat. Several invaders have made a huge amount of destruction of the structure. First major incident happened in 1025 . The modern structure was a reconstruction that happened in 1951 under the orders of Home Minister of India Vallabhbhai Patel.

Complete answer:
The temple of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site since ancient times. The fact that it is near a Triveni Sangam (the confluence of three rivers: Kapila, Hiran and the mythical Sarasvati) made it more popular among the believers. The temple is made for the moon god, Somnath. And the name of the land, Prabhas, meaning lustre, as well as the alternative names Someshwar and Somnath ("the lord of the moon" or "the moon god") arise from this tradition.
The major attack of the Somnath temple happened during the reign of Bhima I in 1025 . When the Turkic Muslim ruler Mahmud of Ghazni came to Gujarat, he decided to attack the Somnath temple and break its jyotirlinga. He took possession of a total worth of 20 million dinars by doing this. even though the damage to the temple by the attack was noted as minimal since there were proofs of pilgrimage in the temple in 1038 , which make no mention of any damage to the temple. However, the Turko-Persian literature has noted that the attack was a huge one which "electrified" the Muslim world.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note:The temple is built in such a position that there is no land in a straight line between the shore of Somnath until Antarctica, on the Bānastambha erected on the sea-protection wall, such an inscription in Sanskrit is found. The Bānastambha notes that at that particular longitude it is at a point on the Indian landmass, which is the first point on land in the north to the South Pole.