January 2026

In short: India's historical anniversaries, discoveries and heritage news this month — distilled for SI/Constable Prelims.

Current Affairs — India › History · 9 min read · Free to read · English & Telugu

Bilingual study notes for the Andhra Pradesh Police SI & Constable exams (SLPRB AP) by AP Police Hub, a product of Anvil Academy.

India observed 'Somnath Swabhimaan Parv', marking 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's 1026 CE attack on Somnath Temple — with a freshly spotlighted 12th-century Bhadrakali Inscription confirming the Solanki dynasty's role in the temple's medieval revival — while archaeologists in north Kashmir's Zehanpora unearthed Kushan-era Buddhist stupas dating to the 1st-3rd century CE, fresh evidence of Kashmir's place on the ancient Silk Route.

January 2026 — At a Glance

January 2026 carried no dedicated History section in either major monthly digest — but two genuinely separate, substantial stories surfaced. India observed 'Somnath Swabhimaan Parv' to mark 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's first attack on Somnath Temple in 1026 CE, and the occasion brought renewed attention to a 12th-century Bhadrakali Inscription at Prabhas Patan that records the Solanki dynasty's role in the temple's medieval revival. Separately, archaeologists announced the discovery of Kushan-era Buddhist stupas at Zehanpora in north Kashmir's Baramulla district — fresh physical evidence of the region's ancient Gandhara-Buddhist heritage and its place on the Silk Route toward Kandahar.

Six things to remember

Somnath Swabhimaan Parv — marks 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's first attack on Somnath Temple in 1026 CE.
Somnath Temple was looted/destroyed a total of 17 times across history — most recently by Aurangzeb's order in 1706.
Post-Independence reconstruction was initiated in 1947 by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; the rebuilt temple was consecrated on 11 May 1951 by President Dr Rajendra Prasad.
The Bhadrakali Inscription (1169 CE) at Prabhas Patan records Solanki king Kumarapala's spiritual guru and the temple's revival under Solanki patronage.
Zehanpora, Baramulla (Kashmir) — newly discovered stupas date to the Kushan period (1st-3rd century CE), on the ancient Silk Route toward Kandahar.
Maru-Gurjara (Solanki) architecture — originated in 6th-century Rajasthan-Gujarat; its vocabulary includes the jharokha, chhatri, haveli, jaali and baoli.

1. Somnath: 1,000 Years Since Mahmud of Ghazni's Attack

Somnath Temple — an ancient pilgrimage site

Location — At Prabhas Patan, near Veraval, Gujarat — a site of ancient pilgrimage importance because of its Triveni Sangam (confluence of the Kapila, Hiran and the mythical Saraswati rivers).
Jyotirlinga status — Regarded as the first of Lord Shiva's 12 Jyotirlingas, and among the most venerated.
Architecture — The present temple is a fine example of Maru-Gurjara architecture (also called the Chalukyan or Solanki style) — built in the 'Kailash Mahameru Prasad' form with three principal parts (garbhagriha, sabha mandap, nritya mandap); its shikhara rises 150 feet, topped by a 10-tonne kalash.
Historical references — Kalidasa's Raghuvansham (5th century) describes Somnath-Prabhas as a revered Shiva shrine; Al-Biruni's Kitab-ul-Hind (11th century) praises the temple; Amir Khusrau's Khazain-ul-Futuh (13th century) records the temple's destruction by Alauddin Khilji's forces.

A cycle of destruction and rebuilding

1026 CE — Mahmud of Ghazni's attack — During the reign of Bhima I, the Turkic Muslim ruler Mahmud of Ghazni attacked Somnath Temple, looting it and breaking its jyotirlinga.
Repeated destruction — The temple was destroyed again in 1297, 1394, and finally on the orders of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in 1706; across its history it was looted a total of 17 times.
Ahilyabai Holkar's rebuilding — In the 18th century (around 1783 CE), Ahilyabai Holkar had the Somnath Temple rebuilt.
Post-Independence reconstruction — After Independence, reconstruction work began in 1947, initiated by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister; the rebuilt temple was consecrated on 11 May 1951 by President Dr Rajendra Prasad.
January 2026 — Somnath Swabhimaan Parv — India observed 'Somnath Swabhimaan Parv' to mark 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's 1026 CE attack.

The Bhadrakali Inscription — a 12th-century record of the temple's revival

What — An important 12th-century epigraphic record, dated 1169 CE, inscribed on a wall of the ancient Bhadrakali Temple at Prabhas Patan, Gujarat; it confirms Somnath Temple's historical and architectural development under Solanki (Chalukya) patronage.
Content — A eulogy of Acharya Bhava-Brihaspati, the spiritual guru of Solanki king Kumarapala; it narrates the temple's mythical history across four ages, recording that it was successively built in gold, silver, wood, and finally stone by Bhimdev Solanki.
Significance — Highlights the Solanki dynasty's role in Somnath's medieval revival, especially the 12th-century efforts of King Kumarapala.

Maru-Gurjara architecture (Solanki style) — a quick vocabulary

Origin and peak — Originated in the 6th century CE in the Rajasthan (historically Marudesh) and Gujarat (historically Gurjaratra) region; reached its zenith under the Chalukya (Solanki) dynasty of Gujarat.
Jharokha, Chhatri — Jharokha — a projecting stone window or overhanging balcony, supported on brackets or corbelled masonry. Chhatri — an umbrella-shaped dome or pavilion, used as a memorial marker at cenotaph sites.
Haveli, Jaali, Baoli — Haveli — a grand mansion belonging to elite families, built around a central courtyard. Jaali — a perforated stone lattice window with geometric or calligraphic patterns. Baoli — a stepped, tiered well used for groundwater access.

2. Archaeology: Kushan-era Stupas at Zehanpora, Kashmir

A new discovery on Kashmir's Silk Route

What — Archaeologists recently discovered stupas (man-made mounds) at Zehanpora, Baramulla district, north Kashmir — a find that underlines Kashmir's rich Gandhara-Buddhist heritage and its historical role as a centre of Buddhist culture and learning.
Dating — The stupa structures found here date to the Kushan period (1st-3rd century CE).
Location significance — The site lies on the ancient Silk Route toward Kandahar, connecting Kashmir to Central Asian trade and cultural exchange networks.
Other finds — Excavations also revealed evidence of wooden superstructures, an urban settlement complex possibly including chaityas (prayer halls) and viharas (monasteries), and Kushan-era pottery and copper artefacts.

The Kushan Empire and Gandhara-Buddhist heritage — quick context

Kushan Empire — Ruled large parts of Central Asia and the northern Indian subcontinent from the 1st to the 3rd century CE; its most celebrated ruler, Kanishka, was a major patron of Buddhism, under whom the Fourth Buddhist Council is traditionally said to have been held.
Gandhara art — A Greco-Buddhist artistic style blending Hellenistic and Indian traditions, which flourished under Kushan patronage across the northwest subcontinent — the Peshawar-Taxila region and Kashmir among its major centres.