By Japan K Pathak Presented here are the historical details that throw light on how India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed President Rajendra Prasad's decision to attend the installation ceremony of Somnath shiv linga, scheduled to take place on May 11, 1951. Rajendra Prasad was not Nehru's first choice for the post of President: Mathai in his book Mathai in his book Reminiscences of the Nehru Age writes: Nehru did not like the idea of Rajendra Prasad as President becau...Read More

By Japan K Pathak Jawaharlal Nehru had as a Prime Minister asked the ministry of Information & Broadcasting to tone down the Somnath Shivalinga installation ceremony. On April 28, 1951, about a fortnight before installation ceremony (11 May) of new Shivalinga at reconstructed Somnath temple, Nehru had written a letter to RR Diwakar, then Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and asked him to 'tone down the description of what happens at Somnath in radio broadcast'. Nehru h...Read More

By Japan K Pathak It was this day in year 1951 when then President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad installed the idol of Somnath in the Somnath temple in Prabhas Patan town of Gujarat. The installation ceremony took place in presence of Shri Kanaiyalal Munshi, Jam Saheb of Jamnagar, Saurashtra State Chief Minister Dhebarbhai among others. Dr. Rajendraprasad performed installation ceremony of Somnath Jyotirlinga at 9.47 am amid chanting of Vedic mantras. About one lakh people were present on t...Read More

Somnath Series by Japan K Pathak In this series, I intend to cater various articles on Somnath temple, covering the period between its last destruction and final reconstruction. To clear any doubts or to obtain more details, you can reach me at my email address japanpathak [at] deshgujarat [dot] com. In the previous article which was the fourth article in this series you read how Mahatma Gandhi favored the restoration of old Somnath temple which was in ruins. Gandhiji however objected any po...Read More

Somnath Series by Japan K Pathak In this series, I intend to cater various articles on Somnath temple, covering the period between its last destruction and final reconstruction. To clear any doubts or to obtain more details, you can reach me at my email address japanpathak [at] deshgujarat [dot] com. In the previous article which was the third article in this series you read how in 1947 when the rule of Britishers and Nawab came to an end ,  Sardar Patel, Gadgil, Jam Saheb and others paid v...Read More

  Somnath Series by Japan K Pathak In this series, I intend to cater various articles on Somnath temple, covering the period between its last destruction and final reconstruction. To clear any doubts or to obtain more details, you can reach me at my email address japanpathak [at] deshgujarat [dot] com. In the previous article which was the second piece in this series you read how Somnath temple continued to stay in ruined condition for a period of roughly two and half centuries post it...Read More

  Somnath Series by Japan K Pathak In this series, I intend to cater various articles on Somnath temple, covering the period between its last destruction and final reconstruction. To clear any doubts or to obtain more details, you can reach me at my email address japanpathak [at] deshgujarat [dot] com. In the previous article  which was the first article of this series you read how last demolition of Somnath temple took place as per the instructions issued by then ruler Aurangzeb. Post its...Read More

Somnath Series by Japan K Pathak In this series, I intend to cater various articles on Somnath temple, covering the period between its last destruction and final reconstruction. The first article of this series covers the last destruction of Somnath temple under the rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Those interested in further reading can also go through the latter half of the article which is about Gujarat under Aurangzeb. References  are checked and rechecked before putting in this article....Read More