Shree Veneshwar Mahadev temple, dedicated to Lord Shiv –located in center of town opposite the Somnath Trust Dharamshala Gate, can also be reached Westerly from Dholeshvar mandir on a narrow path. The Rajputa "Vaja" clan was in charge of Somnath during the Muslim desecrations. As the legend goes, when Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Somnath in 1025 AD, the king gave him a tough resistance. As the king was not surrendering, Mahmud of Ghazni hatched a new plan. He found out that the king had a daughter named Veni who used to pay a visit to this Shiva Temple stationed outside the fort wall of Prabhas Patan every day. Mahmud of Ghazni decided that he would kidnap Veni and then force the king to yield. When the soldiers of Gazani attempted so later, the Shiv ling spontaneously got divided and the princess got buried into it. The Shiv temple here since then is known as "Veneshwar temple". The prints of the Veni as well as the marks of the Shiva Lingam being split open can still be seen on the Lingam here. This incredible episode of Princess Veni’s deliverance is eulogized in his novel by the prolific Gujarati novelist K M Munshi.