| Al-Biruni,
who accompanied the Sultan on this expedition, gives some details about the location of
the site and also repeats the Puranic legend regarding the origin of the temple. Taking these descriptions to be literally true, Dr Nazim had
identified a place near Bhidia temple as the original site of Somanatha.2 This place is
situated along the sea nearly a mile to the west of the present temple and thus falls far
beyond the fortifications, whereas it is definitely known that the shrine of Somanatha lay
with in a strong fortress which the Sultan had to besiege prior to its capture.3
2 Muhammad Nazim, op. cit., pp. 213-14.
3 Ibid., p. 117, Gardizi, op. cit., p. 86. |
