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SOMNATH

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Originally appearing in Volume V25, Page 394 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SOMNATH , an See also:

ancient decayed See also:city of See also:Kathiawar in the See also:province of Bombay, See also:India. Pop. (19o1), 8341. It is situated on a See also:bay of the Arabian See also:Sea. The See also:port, which is called Verawal, is distinct from the city proper (See also:Deva-Pattan, Somnath-Pattan, or Prabhas). The latter occupies a prominence on the See also:south See also:side of the bay, is surrounded by massive fortifications, and retains in its ruins and numerous tombs many traces of its former greatness as a commercial port. But the city was most famous for the See also:temple just outside its walls in which stood the See also:great idol or rather columnar See also:emblem of See also:Siva called Somnath (See also:Moon's See also:lord), which was destroyed by Mahmfid of See also:Ghazni. The famous " See also:Gates of Somnath,” which were supposed to have been carried off by Mahmud to Ghazni, had probably no connexion with Somnath. They are built of deodar (II ft. in height and 91 in width) and are richly carved in geometric Saracenic patterns. The gates were attached to the See also:building covering Mahmud's See also:tomb at Ghazni until their removal to India, under Lord See also:Ellenborough's orders, on the evacuation of See also:Afghanistan in 1842. They are now contained in the See also:arsenal at See also:Agra.

End of Article: SOMNATH

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