Question

Why were the temples first targets of the conquerors?

Answer 1

It was the trend to demonstrate power and resources by building large temples. The rulers often invested a lot in the decoration and maintenance of the temples. So the foreign conquerors made them the target first. The most prominent example of it was the temple of Somnath in Gujarat which was looted several times by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazani who came from Afghanistan. Much of the wealth he carried away was used to create a splendid capital city at Ghazani.