Question

Who was the ruler of Gujarat, when Mahmud Ghazni plundered Somnath temple?
(a)Bhimdev Solanki
(b)Prithviraj Chauhan
(c)Harshavardhana
(d)Maharana Pratap

Answer 1

Hint: -He was the grandson of the Chalukya King, Chamundaraja.
-He had three sons – Mularaja, Kshemaraja and Karna.
-Mularaja died young and Kshemaraja rejected his father’s throne. Hence, Karna was the one who succeeded this king.

Complete answer: Bhimdev Solanki, also known as Bhima I was a ruler of the Chalukya Dynasty (or the Solanki Dynasty) who ruled present-day Gujarat. He was the grandson of the Chalukya king, Chamundaraja. Chamundaraja had three sons. Durlabh Raja, Vallabha Raja and Nagaraja. Vallabharaja succeeded to Chamundaraja’s throne but he died of smallpox after being the king for even less than a year. He was succeeded by his brother Durlabh Raja. Durlabh Raja ruled for 14 years and died. Since both Vallabharaja and Durlabh Raja died childless, it was Nagaraja’s son Bhimdev, who succeeded to the throne.
Bhimdev ruled from 1022 to 1064. It was during his reign that Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Gujarat. Mahmud set forth from Ghazni on October 18th, 1025. It was only three years into Bhimdev’s reign and his capital lacked forces and fortifications. Mahmud of Ghazni reached the capital (Anahilapataka) in December 1025. It was all very sudden and Bhima did not have any other option but to escape and abandon his capital.
Mahmud stayed at Anahilapataka for a few days to rest and to refill their supplies and then left for Somnath Temple. On their way, they were faced by soldiers at Modhera and a town called Delvada. Mahmud and his army massacred anyone that came in their way. Finally, they reached Somnath Temple on 6th January 1026, plundered it and took away a booty of two million dinars.
Thus, the correct answer is Option (A), Bhimdev Solanki.

Note: -Bhimdev rebuilt the Somnath Temple after it was plundered and destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni. It was later invaded plenty of time by many rulers and was destroyed repeatedly.
-Recently in 1950, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ordered a reconstruction of the Somnath Temple, which was completed in 1951 after his death in December 1950.
-During his reign he also constructed the Modhera Sun Temple.
-Currently, this temple is protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India