Question

The Somnath temple is located in the state of …………………….
A. Karnataka
B. Gujarat
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Kerala

Answer 1

Hint: The contemporary Somnath Temple was built over five years, between 1947 and 1951, and then President Rajendra Prasad opened it.

Complete step by step answer:
The Somnath Temple in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the west coast of Gujarat, India, is believed to be the first of twelve Shiva temples. It is an important place for worship and tourism in Gujarat.
History: According to popular tradition, it is believed that Somanath's first Siva temple was built at some unknown time in the past. Around 649 AD, the "King Yadava" of Vallabhi built a second temple on the same site. In 725 AD, Al-Junayd, the governor of Sindh Arabia, destroyed the second temple as part of his invasion of Gujarat and Rajasthan. In 815 AD, King Gurjara-Pratihara Nagabhata II built a third temple, a huge red sandstone structure.
Temple attack: Gujarat was raided by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1024, looting the Somnath temple and breaking its sacred jyotirlinga. Ghazni took away nearly 20 million dinars of wealth. According to historical records, damage to the temple by the temple is almost negligible, as there was a pilgrimage in 1038, which did not mention any damage to the temple. But Mahmoud allegedly killed 50,000 devotees who tried to defend the temple. The temple at the time of Ghazni's attack appeared to be a wooden structure, which is said to have decayed over time.
So, the correct answer is Option B.

Note: This temple has found references in the sacred texts of Hindus, such as Shreemad Bhagavat, Skandpuran, Shivpuran, and Rig-Veda. This marked the importance of this temple as one of the most popular places of pilgrimage in India.