Somnath
The Somnath Temple on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat is one of the most historically significant and emotionally powerful temples in all of India. Destroyed and rebuilt seventeen times across a thousand years — most famously by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025 AD — the current temple was consecrated in 1951 and stands as a symbol of resilience and faith. Its location on a rocky promontory directly above the Arabian Sea, with nothing but open ocean between it and Antarctica, is extraordinary.
The evening light and sound show at 8 PM narrates the full history of Somnath's destruction and reconstruction — an incredibly moving account. No photography inside the temple sanctum; the exterior and ocean-facing platform are very photogenic.