The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the new Circuit House near Somnath Temple at Veraval. Which of the following statements are correct regarding Somnath Temple?
1. Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.
2. A description of Somnath Temple was given by Ali-Biruni.
3. Pran Pratishtha of Somnath Temple (installation of the present day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Civil Services Exam Official 2022 Prelims General Studies held on 5th June

Answer 1

The correct answer is 1 and 2 only.

Key PointsSomnath Temple:

Somnath Temple is located at the shore of the Arabian ocean on the western corner of the Indian subcontinent in Gujarat State.
Somnath temple is first among the twelve Aadi Jyotirlingas of India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
It was mentioned by the Arab traveler Al-Biruni in his travelogue, influenced by which Mahmud Ghaznavi attacked the Somnath temple in 1024 with his five thousand soldiers and looted its property, and completely destroyed the temple. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
The modern temple was reconstructed with the resolve of Sardar Patel who visited the ruins of Somnath temple on November 13 1947.
The then-President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, did the Pran-Pratistha at the existing temple on 11 May 1951. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Hence correct statements are 1 and 2 only.

Additional Information

List of 12 Jyotirling Temples in India

Al-Beruni

Alberuni was a renowned philosopher, a mathematician as well as a historian.
He came in contact with Mahmud when he had invaded Khiva and he was presented to him as prisoner.
In his seminal piece Tahqiq-i-Hind, he portrays the social, political, religious and economic condition of the then India.
Here, we are giving Alberuni’s description of India to understand the socio-political-economical situation of that era.