Sonkansari Temple, Ghumli, Gujarat

Sonkansari Temple, Ghumli, Gujarat

Sonkansari Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Ghumli Village in Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat, India. The Temple Complex is situated on a hill summit to the south western side of Navlakha Temple.

Legends

A daughter with only 2 teeth was born to Shankhodwar Bet ruler Dudanshi Vadhel at the end of 13^th Century CE. An Astrologer predicted that she would bring ill fortune to the family. The family decided to put the infant girl in a wooden box and threw her in sea. The wooden box containing the child reached the coast of Miyani port where a Kansara (copper smith) found it. As the Kansara was childless, he brought up her as his own daughter. He named her as Son. When she reached puberty, she was very beautiful.

Miyani ruler Prabhat Chavda wished to marry her, but she refused. The Coppersmith and her daughter Son left Miyani in anticipating backlash from the ruler. Both of them migrated to Ghumali. Son decided to marry Rakhayat Babaria, Ghumli ruler Bhan Jethwa's brother-in-law son. When the marriage ceremony is over, the dacoits arrived and looted cows & cattle’s from the marriage place. Rakhayat went to fight with dacoits, but he was killed in action. Son Kansari decided to perform Sati.

Ghumli ruler Rana Bhan Jethwa sent message to Son Kansari not to be Sati and ordered her to marry him. She refused to marry Rana Bhan Jethwa. Son Kansari took refuge under Bardai Brahmins of Ghumli. Bhan Jethwa ordered Bardai Brahmins to surrender Son Kansari but Bardai Brahmins refused. Ghumli ruler Bhan Jethwa sent soldiers against Bardai Brahmins In 1315 AD. Thousands of Brahmin sacrificed their lives to protect Son. Son Kansari performed Sati and she cursed, Ghumali will be destroyed forever. Sindh prince Bamanioji invaded Ghumali & destroyed it forever in 1316 AD.

History

Ghumli was the capital of Saindhava dynasty which ruled western Saurashtra from middle of eighth century to middle of tenth century. The Saindhava Copper plates and several inscriptions mention Bhutambilika, Bhumilika, Bhutambilimandal, Bhutambilyan, Bhumbhall Bhubhrutpalli, Bhumbhiliya. It was later corrupted into Bhumli and then Ghumli. Bhutambilika / Ghumli was capital city of 12^th century Rajput Jethwa dynasty of Gujarat. The dynasty extended from today’s Porbandar to Morbi.

According to book 'Makardhwajvanshi Mahimala' Morbi area of Saurashtra was under rule of 12^th century Jethwa Kings of Ghumli. Ghumli was declared as second Capital by Jethwa dynasty, in 1220 by Rana Shiyaji, who took the title of Rana of Ghumli and shifted capital from Shrinagar. The 12^th and 13^th century Jethwa rulers of Ghumali were under rule of Gujarat's Solanki / Vaghela Kings at Patan.

Jadeja Jam Unaji came from Sindh and attacked Ghumli in 1309 but was defeated later in 1313 his son Barmaniyaji Jadeja attacked and defeated Rana Bhanji Jethwa. On the same night Goddess Ambaji came in his dream and told him that, as she has granted the wish of his father to conquer Ghumli, he should make a temple in her name. So Bamaniyaji built the Temple of Ambaji on the hill in the middle of Ghumli and named it as Ashapura Mata Temple. He completely destroyed Ghumli and turned it into ruins.

Rana Bhanji Jethwa fled Ghumli and shifted to Ranpur. It is said that Ghumli was destroyed due to curse of a Sati named Son with whom Rana Bhanji Jethwa fell in love. The Story of the bravery of Bardai Brahmins & their final stand for the protection of Son Kansari is narrated in a book of Zaverchand Meghani. A historical Gujarati novel 'Sati Sonal Ni Sakhate' was written by Devkumar Modha published at Porbandar in 1970 AD.

The Temple

The Temple Complex is situated to the south western side of Navlakha Temple. It is situated on a hill summit. The temples in these complex care situated around a pond called Sonkansari Pond. The larger ones consist of a square shrine with a long mandapa and the smaller ones of a cell and a porch. The mandapas have fallen. This is a Sindhava era temple, built in the middle of 9^th Century A.D., of which only sanctum with shikara remains. The hill around the temple is known as Son hill.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 1 Km from Ghumli, 8 Kms from Bhanvad Bus Stand, 9 Kms from Bhanvad Railway Station, 42 Kms from Porbandar Airport, 42 Kms from Porbandar, 88 Kms from Jamnagar, 146 Kms from Rajkot Airport and 361 Kms from Ahmedabad. The temple is situated on Porbandar to Jamnagar Route via Bhanvad.

Location | Photos