Somnath Temple Doors: The Sikh Ruler Who Restored India's Glory, Where Are They Now?

• The Somnath Temple, a sacred Jyotirlinga in Prabhas Patan, Gujarat, faced repeated destruction by Muslim invaders like Mahmud Ghaznavi.
• During these invasions, the temple's grand sandalwood doors, adorned with silver and ivory, were plundered and taken to Afghanistan.
• Approximately 700 years later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire, is believed to have brought these historic doors back to India in the early 19th century.
• Due to the Somnath Temple being in ruins at the time, the doors were reportedly installed at the 'Darshan Deorhi' entrance of Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar around 1800 AD.
• The historical debate continues regarding the doors' true origin and journey, reflecting India's complex history, faith, and spirit of reconstruction.

Why It Matters: Maharaja Ranjit Singh is credited with retrieving the Somnath Temple doors, now believed to be at the Golden Temple.