About this stamp
The First of the Twelve Jyotirlingas
The Somnath Temple at Prabhas Patan, near Veraval on the coast of Gujarat, is revered as the first of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva. It is regarded as one of the earliest centres of Shaivite worship and is mentioned in ancient religious traditions and Puranic literature.
On the western coast
Its location on India’s western coast placed Somnath on historic maritime and trade routes, linking the temple to wider networks of faith, learning and community life.
A Thousand Years of Resilience
1026 CE
In 1026 CE Mahmud of Ghazni led an expedition to Somnath, during which the temple complex was attacked and destroyed.
Destruction and rebuilding
Over the following centuries the site went through repeated cycles of destruction and reconstruction, supported by successive rulers, patrons and local communities. Worship at the site continued through it all. Visiting in the 1890s, Swami Vivekananda described temples like Somnath as symbols of India’s resilience and enduring faith.
Reconstruction after Independence
After Independence, rebuilding the temple was taken up as a national effort to preserve India’s cultural heritage. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a pivotal role in starting the work, alongside K. M. Munshi and other leaders.
Inauguration, 11 May 1951
The restored temple was inaugurated on 11 May 1951 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India.
Architecture
The present temple is built in the Chaulukya (Solanki), or Maru-Gurjara, style of western India. Its plan follows the classic sequence of a garbhagriha (sanctum), a sabhamandap (assembly hall) and a nrityamandap (dance hall), crowned by a tall shikhara topped with a kalash.
Somnath Swabhiman Parv
The year 2026 marks a thousand years since the attack of 1026 and seventy-five years since the restored temple was opened in 1951. Both anniversaries are being observed as the Somnath Swabhiman Parv.
The Commemorative Stamp
India Post issued the stamp on 11 May 2026, 75 years to the day after the temple’s inauguration, to honour Somnath’s historical, cultural and spiritual heritage and its standing as an emblem of resilience and faith.
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