हाल ही में, प्रधान मंत्री ने वेरावल में सोमनाथ मंदिर के निकट नए सर्किट हाउस का उद्घाटन किया । सोमनाथ मंदिर के बारे में निम्नलिखित कथनों में कौन-से सही हैं ?
- 1.सोमनाथ मंदिर ज्योतिर्लिंग देव-मंदिरों में से एक है ।
- 2.अल-बरूनी ने सोमनाथ मंदिर का वर्णन किया है ।
- 3.सोमनाथ मंदिर की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा (आज के मंदिर की स्थापना) राष्ट्रपति एस. राधाकृष्णन द्वारा की गई थी ।
नीचे दिए कूट का प्रयोग कर सही उत्तर चुनिए :
Read this question in English
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 Al-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:
(a) 1 and 2 only · (b) 2 and 3 only · (c) 1 and 3 only · (d) 1, 2 and 3
उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English
Answer: (a) केवल 1 और 2
Statements 1 and 2 are correct; statement 3 is not. The present Somnath temple was consecrated on 11 May 1951 by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President, not by S. Radhakrishnan.
- ✓ 1. Somnath, at Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Gujarat, is revered as the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
- ✓ 2. Al-Biruni, the scholar who came to Ghazni after Mahmud took Khwarizm and who travelled with Mahmud's army, wrote about the shivalinga worshipped at Somnath and about its destruction by Mahmud; NCERT quotes him on this.
- ✗ 3. The temple rebuilt after independence was consecrated on 11 May 1951, with President Rajendra Prasad performing the installation ceremony.
Remember · Somnath: first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, raided by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026, described by Al-Biruni; present temple installed by President Rajendra Prasad on 11 May 1951.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part II, Ch 1 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- PIB — Somnath Swabhiman Parv (10 January 2026) ↗ “Somnath is revered as the first among the 12 Aadi Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.”
- District Gir Somnath (Government of Gujarat) — History ↗ “On 11 May 1951, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the President of India performed the installation ceremony for the temple.”
- NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 4 “Let us also refer again to al-Biruni, who, after explaining the origin of the shivalinga worshipped”
- NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 4 “at the Somnath temple, recorded, "The image was destroyed by the Prince Mahmud. He ordered the upper part to be broken and the remainder to be transported to his residence, Ghazni.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part II, Chapter 1 “In 1017, when Sultan Mahmud invaded Khwarizm, he took several scholars and poets back to his capital, Ghazni; Al-Biruni was one of them.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·