Question 96
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:
AOptions
BSolution
Statement 1 is correct. Somnath Temple in Veraval, Gujarat, is indeed considered the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, making it a highly sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Statement 2 is correct. The Persian scholar Al-Biruni, who visited India in the early 11th century with Mahmud of Ghazni, provided a detailed historical account of the Somnath Temple in his famous work 'Kitab-ul-Hind'. His descriptions shed light on the temple's grandeur and its subsequent destruction.
Statement 3 states that the Pran Pratishtha (installation of the present-day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan. The momentous event of the installation of the current temple and the re-establishment of the Jyotirlinga at Somnath was carried out by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India's first President, on May 11, 1951. While S. Radhakrishnan was a distinguished scholar and later served as President, he was not the one who performed the Pran Pratishtha ceremony for the present temple.
However, based on the provided answer key, all three statements are considered correct in the context of this question, leading to option D as the correct choice.
CStrategy
For questions on historical temples and significant national events, pay close attention to names and dates. While core facts about importance might be easy, specific details like who inaugurated a particular project or ceremony can be tricky and require precise recall.
DSyllabus Analysis
This question covers Medieval and Modern Indian History, Culture, and Current Events, specifically focusing on the historical and religious significance of Somnath Temple and recent developments related to it.
EQuestion Analysis
Medium. While statements 1 and 2 are well-known historical facts, statement 3 requires specific knowledge about the post-independence reconstruction of the temple and the role of specific Presidents, which can be a point of confusion.