Somnath Temple, Prabhas Patan
The first of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, on the Arabian Sea coast in Gir Somnath district, run by the Shree Somnath Trust. The Trust publishes darshan from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, three aartis a day, and a light and sound show in the evening. Entry is free. The rule most likely to catch you out is not the dress code but the ban on electronics, which is absolute and includes phones and smartwatches.
Also searched for as Somnath Mandir, Somanath Temple, Shree Somnath.
Sources checked 1 September 2026
The temple in facts
Background rather than schedule. None of it changes week to week, which is why it sits here while the hours sit on their own page with the date they were read.
| Fact | What is published |
|---|---|
| DeityWikipedia, Somnath temple | Shiva |
| StatusWikipedia, Somnath temple | The first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva |
| WhereWikipedia, Somnath temple | Prabhas Patan, Veraval town, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat |
| Administered byWikipedia, Somnath temple | Shree Somnath Trust |
| Present templeWikipedia, Somnath temple | Completed in May 1951 |
| ArchitectureWikipedia, Somnath temple | Maru-Gurjara style of Hindu temple architecture |
Somnath timings, in outline
One long darshan window with three aartis inside it, and a light and sound show after dark that runs on its own schedule and stops for the monsoon.
What is enforced at the gate
The Trust publishes two rules about how you turn up, and one much stricter rule about what you carry.
- Mini skirts and disrespectful dress are not permitted.
- Smoking is not allowed within the vicinity of the temple at any time.
- Footwear must be removed before entering the temple. A shoe house is available near the cloak room and the service is free of cost.
Who may enter, and with what
The electronics rule at Somnath is stricter than at most temples and is worth reading before you leave the hotel, not at the gate.
| Rule | What is published |
|---|---|
| ElectronicsShree Somnath Trust, frequently asked questions | All electronic and electric equipment and gadgets are strictly prohibited, including mobiles, cameras, smartwatches, laptops, tablets and calculators. |
| Entrance feeShree Somnath Trust, frequently asked questions | Entrance is free of cost. |
| FootwearShree Somnath Trust, frequently asked questions | Removed before entering. A free shoe house is available near the cloak room. |
| PrasadShree Somnath Trust, frequently asked questions | The Trust runs online prasad booking through a separate site, somnathprasad.com. |
What this page does not know
Listed rather than quietly omitted, so you can see the shape of the gap before you plan around it. Every one of these is something another page would happily fill in with a plausible answer.
- Whether the aarti times shift with the season or on festival days. The Trust publishes them as fixed times without qualification.
- The price of the light and sound show, and whether it needs booking.
- Which months the Trust treats as the monsoon for the purpose of suspending the show.
- Cloak room opening hours, which matter because the electronics ban makes a cloak room visit compulsory.
- Whether any dress rule applies beyond the two the Trust states.
- Wheelchair access and any assisted route through the temple.
If you have stood at this gate recently and can fill one of these in, especially with a photograph of a notice board or a link to an official announcement, send it. It is checked against the temple and published with a new date.
Questions about visiting
Answered from what the temple publishes, with the gaps left as gaps.
What are the Somnath Temple timings?
The Shree Somnath Trust publishes darshan from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Unusually for a large temple, no midday closure is published, so the window runs continuously through the day.
When is aarti performed at Somnath?
The Trust publishes three aartis a day: 7:00 AM, 12:00 noon and 7:00 PM. They are published as fixed times rather than windows, and they fall inside the darshan block rather than closing it.
Is there an entry fee at Somnath?
No. The Trust states plainly that entrance is free of cost. Paid bookings on the Trust's own site are for rooms, pooja and prasad, and nothing about entering the temple is sold.
Can I take my phone into Somnath Temple?
No. The Trust prohibits all electronic and electric equipment, listing mobiles, cameras, smartwatches, laptops, tablets and calculators. This is stricter than at most temples and is the rule most likely to disrupt a visit.
Where do I leave my phone and shoes?
A cloak room handles belongings and a shoe house near it takes footwear, free of cost. Because the electronics ban is absolute, the cloak room stop is part of the visit rather than optional.
What is the dress code at Somnath?
The Trust states that mini skirts and disrespectful dress are not permitted. It also bans smoking within the vicinity of the temple at any time. No further dress detail is published.
What is the light and sound show?
An evening show the Trust runs from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with one stated exception: it does not run in the monsoon or rainy season. Its price and whether it needs booking have not been verified here.
How do I get prasad from Somnath?
The Trust runs online prasad booking through a separate site, somnathprasad.com. What is distributed at the temple itself, and when, has not been verified here.
Where exactly is Somnath Temple?
At Prabhas Patan near Veraval town, in Gir Somnath district, Gujarat, on the Arabian Sea coast. The present temple was completed in May 1951 in the Maru-Gurjara style.
Who runs Somnath Temple?
The Shree Somnath Trust. Every timing and rule on this page comes from the Trust's own published answers rather than from a travel page.
Is Somnath one of the Jyotirlingas?
Yes. It is described as the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, which is why it carries the footfall it does despite its distance from any large city.
Can I rely on these timings on the day?
They are standing hours rather than a daily schedule, which makes them more stable than most, but standing is not permanent. Festival days and temple events move them, and the Trust's own page is the place to confirm.
Need the timings in full?
The timings page carries the whole published schedule, block by block, and what to check before you travel.