Somnath Fair

       Somnath celebrates a large fair on the day of the full moon of Kartik Purnima in November/December. Maha Shivratri in the month of March is also a major festival here.
  

       The Somnath Fair held on Vishuwat Sankranti day is celebrated in the Shiva Temple at Masi, Almora. It is a famous fair of Pali Pachhaun. here aren't very many Forts and Monuments in Somnath to boast of but the one that is sure to attract your attention when on a Tour to Somnath is the Junagadh Gate. It is in fact one of the foremost Tourist Attractions in Somnath. It is believed that it was through the Junagadh Gate that Mahmud of Ghazni entered this shore town to loot the magnificent Somnath Temple and raze it to the ground. The gate thus has a fair amount of historic significance.
      The Junagadh Gate was not spared of his wrath either, he broke parts of it is as well when he was out to demolish the magnificent Shaivite temple. When visitors enter the temple town of Somnath through Veraval, which in fact is the nearest rail head to Somnath, they have to enter it through the Junagadh Gate. This triple gate is an ancient structure that dates back to more than a thousand centuries.


     Just a km from the Junagadh Gate is Mai Puri. Currently a mosque, Mai Puri was formerly a Sun Temple and is also believed to be quite old. Veraval is merely 6 km from Somnath. It was previously a fortified port town. Belonging to the royal family of Junagadh, it was home to quite a few impressive structures. Most of them including the walls of the fort have been pulled down but of the little that remains the Junagadh Gate is certainly very striking. The intricate carvings on the Junagadh Gate are indeed quite remarkable.