Prelims 2022 · Q96
MediumThe 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:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
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). Permalink ·