History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s4.40

v3.c33.s4.40

Elliot has given extracts from many historians relating to this expedition which the curious reader may refer to, if necessary, but we do not think it necessary to summarise their accounts as they are mere embellishments of the story first given by Ibn Asir which is itself an exaggerated account. We, however, give this account in short. "The idol of Somnath was the greatest in India to which people came, especially on lunar eclipse nights. Souls of men went to this place, it was believed, when separated from the body. The temple was endowed with 10,000 villages (?). Water from the distant Ganges was daily brought with which the idol was washed. One thousand Brahmins performed the worship of the idol and introduced the visitors. Three hundred persons were engaged in shaving the heads and beards of the pilgrims. Three hundred women sang and danced at the gate of the temple. (Female singers and dancers, in ancient times, danced before Śiva idols as described by Kalidāsa in Meghadūta, a custom still prevailing in Śiva temples in the south, such as the Mangeśa temple in Goa territory). It was believed that Somnath was displeased with the idols of Hind for not opposing Mahmud who, when he heard this, resolved upon breaking the Somnath idol and proving to the Hindus that their gods were false and that they might embrace the true faith.