जय सोमनाथ

by Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi

Jaya Somanath is a historical romance written by Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi. The shrine of Lord Somanath at Prabhas is a very holy place and people flock here for darshan and prayers. Chaula is a very young temple dancer when the story begins. She is just eighteen and has the honour of dancing in front of the Lord on an auspicious day. She is applauded by everyone. She comes across Bheemdev and falls in love with him. The temple is destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni and this book deals with the historical facts woven interestingly with a story.
Jaya Somanath is the story and heroism of Bheemdev and the love of the temple dancer Chaula for him. The story tells of the mortal crisis which Gujarat passed through when Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and destroyed the sacred temple of Somanath. It is a moving and fascinating story of Gujarat’s fight to save its honour.

Genres: History, Romance, Mystery, Epic, War

315 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1940

About the author

K.M. Munshi is one of Gujarat's most well-known literary writers. His historical novels have contributed profoundly to the sense of past that Gujarat lives with. A multi-faceted personality, he was a prominent lawyer, freedom fighter and politician. He was also the founder of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Reviews

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somnath Temple is an important pilgrimage and tourist spot of Gujarat. Destroyed and reconstructed several times in the past by several Muslim invaders (Mahmud of Ghazni, Allaudin Khilji and Aurangzeb) and Portuguese, the present temple was reconstructed in Chaulukya style of Hindu temple architecture and completed in May 1951. The reconstruction was envisioned by Vallabhbhai Patel and was completed under K. M. Munshi, the then head of the temple trust.

K.M. Munshi's historical novels are always so capturing. When it is the matter of description, Munshi is great! Very well characterization, awesome dialogues. Even the small characters roles are well played.

Okay now come to the book, story revolves around crisis which Gujarat passed through when Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and destroyed the sacred temple of Somnath. Jay Somnath is the story and heroism of Bheemdev and the love of the temple dancer Chaula for him. It is a moving and fascinating story of Gujarat’s fight to save its honour. This book deals with the historical facts woven interestingly with a story.

Despite of humiliation from the outsiders invaders as well as when construction of new temple decided, humiliation from inside pseudo secular invader, temple stood with pride. Salute to Munshi. Salute to Sardar Patel.
This book is prequel of Gujarat or Patan Trilogy by same author.

An excellent book. A must read for all Indians. This book is available in Gujarati, Hindi and English.

Jay Somnath!

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic!!
Read this one in English.

[Pradeep Rajput · Rating 4 out of 5]

सोमनाथ मंदिर पर ग़ज़नवी का हमला बहुत से इतिहासकारों द्वारा शोध का विषय रहा है, जहाँ कुछ का मानना है कि राजपूत योद्धाओं ने ग़ज़नवी के अमीर की सेना से भय के कारण अपने गढ़ छोड़ दिये और किसी सुरक्षित जग़ह जाकर सरण ले ली, वहीं मुंशी जी 'जय सोमनाथ' में ये दावा किया है कि महमूद को मार्ग में बहुत से राजपूतीं तलवारों का सामना करने मिला। लोहकोट, मुलतान, सपादलक्ष और घोघगढ़ के मार्ग में उसे दिक्कतें आयीं, जहाँ लोहकोट और मुलतान सहजता से गज़नी के आधीन हो गए वहीं सपादलक्ष और घोघागढ़ में सेना का सामना करना पड़ा।
घोघागढ़ के सामने जब मुहमद की सेना पहुँची, तो उसने उस गढ़ को जीतने में समय की बर्बादी समझी क्योंकि उसे जल्द से जल्द प्रभास पाटण पहुँचना था। पर घोघागढ़ का चौहान इतनी सहजता से उसे वहाँ से निकलने नहीं देना चाहते थे, क्योंकि सोमनाथ के पिणाकपाणी उसके आराध्य देव थे, और आमीर उनके आराध्य को लूटने और मंदिर ध्वस्त करने सेना लेकर जा रहा था। घोघगढ़ में आठ सौ राजपूत थे, तीन सौ दूसरे और सात सौ स्त्रियां, घोघा चौहान ने उन्हीं आठ सौ राजपूतों और अन्य को लेकर साका करने की ठानी और लाखों की आमीर की सेना पर टूट पड़ा, एक - एक राजपूत ने पाँच पाँच मलेक्ष् मारे, और अंत में वीरगति को प्राप्त हुए। वहाँ घोघा चौहान को वीरगति प्राप्त करते देख महल की स्त्रियों ने भी जौहर किया, और कैलाश को प्राप्त हुईं।
दूसरी तरफ़ जब आमीर की सेना रेगिस्तान में प्रभास का मार्ग ख़ोज रही थी, तो उन्हें घोघा चौहान का बेटा सज्जन चौहान मिला जिसने आमीर की सेना को रेगिस्तान में भटका दिया, और उस रेत के बबंडर में आमीर की सेना का एक दस्ता धूल में दब गया, लगभग है, हज़ारों की सेना को धूल में गढ़ा छोड़कर गज़नी के आमीर ने जैसे तैसे अपनी जान बचाई। वहीं सज्जन चौहान भी उसी रेत में दब गया। उसके बाद लोगों ने वहां घोघा चौहान के भूत को सोमनाथ की ओर जाते देखा और घोघाबापा के भूत की अफवाह गांव गांव फैलने लगी।
आमीर की सेना रेगिस्तान के तूफ़ान से जो बच निकली वो ज़ल्दी से ज़ल्दी प्रभास की ओर बढ़ने लगी, मार्ग में पाटण को ध्वस्त करती हुई वह प्रभास के मुखाने आ खड़ी हुई, वहां उसे पाटण के महाराज भीमदेव की तीरंदाजों का सामना करना पड़ा। पहले दिन का युद्ध भीमदेव के पाले में रहा, दूसरे दिन आमीर की सेना कोई मौका नहीं छोड़ रही थी और आमीर भी सामने बढ़कर उनका नेतृत्व कर रहा था। वहीं एक गद्दार के कारण आमीर की सेना को सोमनाथ के गुप्त मार्ग का पता चल गया और वे सोमनाथ के भीतर घुस आये, और उस दिन की लड़ाई में भीमदेव घायल हुआ व आबू का परमार मारा गया और लाट के राय भी कैलाश को प्राप्त हुये। आमीर ने मंदिर के मुख्य पुजारी का शीस धड़ से उड़ा दिया और गदा के वार से ज्योतिर्लिंग के टुकड़े कर दिए।
घायल भीम को सामंत चौहन जो सज्जन चौहान का पुत्र और घोघाबापा का पौत्र था वहां से निकाल कर खम्बात ले आया, और वहां घायल भीम का स्वास्थ्य ठीक होने पर उन्होंने पुनः आमीर पर हमला किया, और इस बार थकी हुई आमीर की सेना रेगिस्तान के मार्ग से भाग खड़ी हुई। भीमदेव ने पुनः प्रभास पाटण का निर्माण करवाया और इस बार भव्यतम सोमनाथ मंदिर का निर्माण किया।
वहीं कहानी में आमीर के हमला करने से पहले के सोमनाथ का दृश्य भी है जहां नर्तकियों का जीवन है उनके रहन सहन और मंदिर प्रांगण में नृत्य करने का चित्र भी है। उन्हीं नर्तकियों में चौला भी है और उसकी माँ गंगा भी, गंगा नर्तकियों की मुखिया है और नृत्य और संगीत की छोटी से छोटी बारीकियों की उसे पहचान है। चौला भगवान भोलेनाथ को रिझाने के लिए ही नृत्य करना चाहती है।
मंदिर में बहुत सी कुप्रथाओं का भी प्रपंच था जिन्हें लेकर मंदिर के मुख्य पुजारी गंग सर्वज्ञ भी चिंतित रहा करते थे। इन्हीं सब की और मुंशी जी ध्यान आकृष्ट करते हैं और कहानी कहते चलते हैं।

[Nipesh Pandya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book,
even though Munshiji never believed about attack. he has beautifully written this event.
chracters Gang, Chaula are superb.
war description is also very good.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

jai Somanth (Hardcover) by K M Munshi- is a sad story of sack and destruction of Somnath Temple siuated at Prabhas Patan by hoards of Mahmud of Ghazni. King Bhimdev of Prabhas Pagan fought vailant battle but was outmatched by better war resources and number of soldiers in the army of Mahumd of Ghazni. Ghazni also encouraged traitors to help him win the war. Indian traitors opened a tunnel to reach the Somnath Temple fortress. After this ti is a sad story of genocide, destruction of Shiva Idol, loot of weath and women, loading them on camels- horses and sent to Ghazni.
Chauhan Rajput Ghogha Baba planned to stop the army on the way to Somnath. Fighting between the unmatched well. The author is master of words in creating alive a scene of war. Deavdasi has been described. It is a historical novel and depicts the pride of India though we lost the war but fought valiantly. it is quite a good read book for all.

[dunkdaft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheer brilliance....

Though it scores a bit less when compared to legendary Patan trilogy, as a prequel to that or as a standalone story,Jai Somnath is definitely a captivating war drama which makes you wonder, how religion had always shaped civilizations and eons....

Munshi has mastered the art to depict amazing women characters. First Minal, Manjari and Ranak. And now here, Chaula. A beautifully rendered painting in words of a devdasi who is madly in love with the God of the gods, Shiva.

[Akash Joshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book. The ending was sort of tragic for my senses. But the grasp of the author in history and his skill in weaving out a tale worth reading out of it is just amazing. He portrays the story of how Gujarat united to fight against an invader who was hellbent on destroying Somnath.

[Yuvraj Zala · Rating 4 out of 5]

historical novels has its own joy....

[Vigyan Om · Rating 5 out of 5]

जय सोमनाथ।

यह मात्र पुस्तक नहीं है, ग्रंथ है, महाकाव्य है। मुंशी जी ने जो लिख दिया है वह शब्द दर शब्द आँखों के समक्ष घटता दृश्य होता है।
अहो घोघाराणा, वाह रे सामंत, भीमदेव, सज्जन सिंह! क्या अद्भुत रचना है। ऐसा सजीव चित्रण विरले ही मिले।
अवश्य पढ़िए।

ये अद्भुत पुस्तक है। मुंशी जी कलम के धनी थे। ऐसी रचना जो घटनाओं को मन पर उकेरती आगे बढ़े बड़ी कम मिलती है।

गंग सर्वज्ञ का चित्रण हो या विमल देव का सब कुछ सर्वश्रेष्ठ है।

[Jay Mehta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. I read the Gujarati version of the book. It depicts the resistance of Gujarat against the attack on Somnath Mandir. It's a story of valor, sacrifice, strategy, and unity of the kingdoms.
Very little is written about the history of Gujarat. This was reinforced when I listened to Vikram Sampath in a podcast iterating the same. In that sense, this is a very good read in terms of understanding what happened and how warriors from every region of Gujarat - Kutch, Saurashtra, Patan, Abu, Dwaraka, Daman, etc. contributed to the resistance. Especially the valor of Ghogha Rana, Sajjan Chauhan doesn't allow you to put the book down even for a second.
Great work by a prolific writer. Must read for every Bharatiya, especially Gujaratis.

ઉત્તમ વાંચન. મેં પુસ્તકનું ગુજરાતી સંસ્કરણ વાંચ્યું. તે સોમનાથ મંદિર પરના હુમલા સામે ગુજરાતના પ્રતિકારને દર્શાવે છે. તે બહાદુરી, બલિદાન, વ્યૂહરચના અને રાજ્યોની એકતાની વાર્તા છે.
ગુજરાતના ઈતિહાસ વિશે બહુ ઓછું લખાયું છે. જ્યારે મેં વિક્રમ સંપથને પોડકાસ્ટમાં આવું જ પુનરાવર્તન કરતા સાંભળ્યું ત્યારે આ વાત વધુ મજબૂત થઈ. તે અર્થમાં, શું થયું અને ગુજરાતના દરેક પ્રદેશ - કચ્છ, સૌરાષ્ટ્ર, પાટણ, આબુ, દ્વારકા, દમણ વગેરેના યોદ્ધાઓએ પ્રતિકારમાં કેવી રીતે ફાળો આપ્યો તે સમજવાની દ્રષ્ટિએ આ ખૂબ જ સરસ વાંચન છે. ખાસ કરીને ઘોઘા રાણાની બહાદુરી, સજ્જન ચૌહાણ તમને એક સેકન્ડ માટે પણ પુસ્તક નીચે મૂકવા દેતા નથી.
એક ફલપ્રદ લેખક દ્વારા મહાન કામ. દરેક ભારતીય, ખાસ કરીને ગુજરાતીઓએ વાંચવું જ જોઈએ.

[Aman Desai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another classic from enigmatic and ever brilliant K.M. Munshi. This is a prelude to the famous Patan Trilogy. A fine mixture of history and myth. As the author, himself confesses in the preface of the book, saying that the attack of Mahmud of Gazanavi is disputed and not entirely clear based on the historical mentions. Although, he has taken a prevalent narrative of the event and has weaved beautiful characters of Chauladevi, Gang Sarvagna, Bhimdev, Samant Chauhan, Shivrashi and others around the sacking of prosperous Somnath temple. The narrative boils the blood and fills every cell in the body with an immense pride over our ancestors and their valiant resistance to the foreign invaders over thousands of years. This land is ever grateful to those sons of soil who laid their lives for honor of their clan, sanctity of their women and the holiness of their mother land. The repeated sacking and rebuilding of Somnath temple is a telling example of how resistant we are as a society, and speaks volumes of our culture.

A brilliantly written book with soulful characters and a breathtaking narrative. This epic from Munshiji is a must read.

[Ayush Sen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good , mostly fictional with few historic face

I bought these book to read the golden historical era of somnath ,but mostly content is fictional, although its interesting as a novel but sometimes i feel like author is very much limited to Patan(Gujrat) only, there is no much description of a huge kingdom their diplomacy,spy, how they work, how cordination happen with other allies kingdom e.t.c e.tc, because as per writer it was a huge war but all these points are missing. which can easily read in book like chaawa, shriman yogi e.t.c.. but at last its a decent novel

[Phalguni Bhatt]

I wish i can actually read this book

[Braj Kishore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't read the book please guide me for the same