Somanātha and other mediaeval temples in Kāṭhiāwād / by Henry Cousens, M.R.A.S., late superintendent, Archaeological Survey of India, Western circle.

  • Henry Cousens
Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Somanātha and other mediaeval temples in Kāṭhiāwād / by Henry Cousens, M.R.A.S., late superintendent, Archaeological Survey of India, Western circle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    35/324 (page 19)
    to come and destroy the temple, before which, it was said, the Raja of Pattan daily sacrificed a Musalman.1 An account of this expedition is thus given in the Rauzat-us-Safa of Mir- khond :2 “ Somnath is the name for an idol which, according to the Hindus, was lord of all idols.Historians however agree that Somnath was an idol in a temple situated on the sea-side, which idol the Hindus wor¬ shipped, especially at the time of eclipse, and they believe too, that the souls of the deceased came to Somnath, on first leaving the bodies they had occupied, and were there assigned to fresh bodies. They also believed that the sea wor¬ shipped Somnath, and the rise and fall of the tide was considered to be proof of this. Prom the most distant parts of India pilgrims used to come to wor¬ ship at this shrine : 10,000 villages were assigned for its support, and there were so many jewels belonging to it, as no king had ever one-tenth part of it in his treasury. Two thousand Brahmins served the idol,3 and a golden chain of 200 muns supported a bell-plate, which, being struck at stated times, called the people to worship ; 300 shavers, 500 dancing girls and 300 musicians were on the idol’s establishment,4 and received support from the endowment and from the gifts of pilgrims. The Ganges is a river to the east of Dehlee near Kanouj, which the Hindus believe to flow from heaven, and into which they throw the ashes of the burned dead, conceiving that by so doing the sins of their lives are washed away. Brahmins, drowning themselves in this stream, believe that they secure eternal beatitude. Distant as the river is from Som¬ nath, still there were pilgrims employed in continually bringing its water thither, so that the idol might be regularly washed with it. “ In Hejira 416 Mahmud Ghaznavi invaded India and destroyed all idols; whereupon the Hindus said, that the idol Somnath had in its anger caused their destruction, otherwise the destroyer would have perished. Mahmud hear¬ ing of this, resolved to proceed against Somnath itself, thinking that, if that most sacred image should be destroyed, the Hindus would more readily turn to Islam. “ On the 10th Shaban 416 (12th Oct. 1025), the king moved with 30,000 mounted warriors, lightly equipped to Multan, where he arrived in the middle of Ramzan (Nov. 1025). There, finding that between him and Somnath lay a wide desert, without water or forage, he assigned to each trooper two camels, and beside loaded 20,000 with supplies and water. Having thus passed the desert, he came upon a country full of strong forts (Ajmere), the holders of which mostly submitted; whereupon the king ordered the men to be put to death, and the women and children to be made captives, and he destroyed all the idols. Thence advancing, he came to Bhuwara [in Ferishta, ‘ Nihurwala ’], which was deserted by its chief and garrison,5 and Mahmud establishing a depot there, continued his march, destroying all the idols and temples as before, 1 Indian Antiquary, VIII, 163. 2 This work was compiled by order of Amir ‘Ali Sher between the Hijera years 900 and 902 (A.D. 1494 and 1496). It is in seven volumes, the account of Somanatha being in the fourth. 3 Ibni Asir (A.D. 1121), one of the earliest and most reliable writers, says one thousand. H. C. 4 Ibni Aair says, 350 singers and dancers. H. C. 5 This was, of course, Nehrvala or Anhijlavada-Pattan, whose chief, at that time, was Bhima Deva I. H. C. D 2