Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple at Prabhas Patan in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat is the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and one of the most heavily visited Shaiva temples in India. The temple opens daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM with general darshan free for all visitors. Three formal aartis are conducted at 7:00 AM, noon and 7:00 PM. An evening Light and Sound Show runs from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with a break during the monsoon. The temple is administered by the Shree Somnath Trust. This article covers timings, aarti schedule, festival days and the practical points for an overnight pilgrim.
Daily timings
- Darshan: 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, continuous
- Morning aarti: 7:00 AM
- Noon aarti: 12:00 PM
- Evening aarti: 7:00 PM
- Light and Sound Show: 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM (except monsoon months)
- Entry fee: none for general darshan
The sanctum stays open continuously through the day; the three aartis interrupt darshan briefly. Live darshan is also broadcast on the temple’s official video stream, useful for confirming sanctum activity before arrival.
The Jyotirlinga and its history
Somnath is listed in the Shiva Mahapurana as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The site’s antiquity is established in Sanskrit literary references from the Mahabharata onwards; the Prabhas Patan coast is associated with Krishna’s final episode in the Mausala Parva. The temple has a documented history of multiple destructions and reconstructions: by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026, by the Delhi sultanates and the Mughal forces in later centuries, and at least three full reconstructions in the medieval and early modern periods.
The present temple, in the Chaulukya (Solanki) style, was built between 1947 and 1951 under the chairmanship of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with the consecration of the linga performed by President Rajendra Prasad on 11 May 1951. The Shree Somnath Trust, established in the same period, administers the temple to date.
Special poojas and online booking
Reserved sevas are offered for advance booking through the official trust portal. Each carries a published fee and a scheduled slot:
- Rudrabhishek: abhishekam with Vedic recitation
- Jal Abhishek: water libation
- Panchopachar: five-fold formal offering
- Maha Mrityunjay Jap: recitation of the Mrityunjaya mantra
- Laghu Rudra: abridged Rudra-recitation seva
The trust operates the online booking at somnath.org. Wheelchairs and golf carts are available free at the main gate for senior citizens and those with mobility limitations; a lift inside the temple complex serves the upper darshan platform.
Festivals worth planning around
- Maha Shivaratri (February–March): the central annual festival. All-night abhishekam and continuous darshan. Pilgrim attendance routinely exceeds 500,000 on the night.
- Shravan month (July–August): each Monday is heavily observed. Pilgrim arrivals double on the four Mondays of the month. The route to the temple from Veraval bus stand is barricaded for crowd management.
- Karthik Purnima (November): full-moon procession with the utsava deity.
- Somnath Anniversary (11 May): the date of the 1951 consecration; commemorative observances at the temple.
An opinion on the best time of day
For what it’s worth, the 7:00 PM evening aarti is the single most rewarding window at Somnath. The temple is on the Arabian Sea coast, the priests perform the aarti with the sound of the surf behind them, and the floodlit gopuram is visible against the sea. The morning aarti at 7:00 AM is quieter and the photography opportunity at sunrise is excellent, but the energy of the evening is the experience that most first-time pilgrims describe later. The noon aarti is the quickest of the three and the least scenic.
Reaching Somnath
- By rail: Somnath railway station (SMNH) and Veraval (VRL) are both within 7 km of the temple. Veraval has more long-distance services.
- By air: Diu airport (90 km) is the closest. Rajkot (200 km) and Ahmedabad (400 km) airports have more frequent flights.
- By road from Ahmedabad: 400 km, about 7 hours via NH 947. GSRTC and private operators run overnight buses.
- By road from Dwarka: 230 km, about 4.5 hours. Many pilgrims cover Somnath and Dwarka in a single multi-day trip.
- Local transport: the temple is in walking distance of most hotels in Veraval and along the Somnath beach road.
Common questions
Can I carry a phone or camera into the sanctum?
Photography is restricted inside the temple sanctum and at the main inner darshan area. Phones and cameras must be deposited at the security check counter before entering. The outer prakara, the gardens and the seafront are open for photography. The Somnath Trust enforces the rule strictly; bag inspection is conducted at the main entrance.
Where to stay overnight?
The Somnath Trust operates a guest house complex (Sagar Darshan, Maheshwari Bhavan, Lilavati Sadan and others) within walking distance of the temple, bookable through the official trust portal. Private hotels of various tiers line the Somnath–Veraval road; budget lodges through to four-star properties are widely available. For Maha Shivaratri and the Shravan Mondays, book at least six weeks ahead.
What is the dress code?
Traditional Indian dress is preferred but not mandatory. Visitors are admitted in shirts and trousers, salwar-kameez, sarees and dhotis. Shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops are discouraged at the sanctum; some pilgrims carry a shawl to cover at the inner darshan. Footwear is removed at the cloakroom near the main gate.
One limitation worth noting
Aarti times and seva fees are published on the Somnath Trust website and are revised periodically. The Light and Sound Show schedule changes seasonally; it is suspended for most of the monsoon (typically June through September). Pilgrim numbers on Mondays during Shravan and on Maha Shivaratri can extend the darshan queue to several hours, well beyond the published 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM window in practical terms. The trust’s website is the authoritative source for current schedules.
For background and current schedules, see the official Shree Somnath Trust website and Somnath Temple on Wikipedia.
