Deo Somnath Temple

¤ Temple of Lord Shiva

Deo Somnath stone temple located 24 Km from Dungarpur is dedicated to Lord Shiva

Deo Somnath is famous for its spectacular 12th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This stone temple is an exact replica of the original Somnath Temple in Gujarat. Invaders from across the western borders of India, the first being Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025, repeatedly plundered the original temple, carrying away its vast treasures. The fear of further destruction by the invaders led the devout and devoted Hindus to build a duplicate copy in the inland.

¤ Resembles Khajuraho Temples

The Deo Somnath Temple also resembles one of the stone temples at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. The temple has a massive elephant carved out of stone at its entrance and a stone Nandi (Lord Shiva’s bull) faces the main shrine. The temple walls have panels of handprints perhaps of the women who immolated themselves as sati. Sati comes from the Sanskrit word satya or truth, which is attributed to a woman who has followed the right and virtuous path by immolating herself on the funeral pyre of her husband. The ceiling of the corbelled dome is a fine piece of architecture resembling the ceilings of the Jain temples in Ranakpur. It is an exquisite example of the complexities and delicacies of stone carving. The pillars are carved with various patterns, the walls with their panel of sculpted figures, stuccos and several inscriptions all add to the charm of this ancient temple.