The temple of Deva Somanath is situated on the bank of river Som. It is about 24 kms south east from Dungarpur and is connected by Pakka- road. It is a massive structure built in the 11th -12th century CE. It is built of white stone having a boundary wall on its four sides. The temple has got 3 gates, with two storey Jharaokhas, garbhagriha, antarala, sabhamandapa and an entrance porch. The mulaprasada is deep and one has to get down a few steps to reach there. A Shivaling is enshrined there. The sabhamandapa is richly decorated with several pillars and toranas. Due to heavy flood in 1875 CE, the water had seeped into the third storey of the temple and has damaged it badly. Some toranas were smashed, while others were broken. Only 4 toranas are now standing. These toranas were built during the reign of Maharawal Gaippa, Somdas and Gangadas. These have inscriptions of their queen and others. The sabhamandapa is quite high. The temple is built by joining pieces of stones, without using mortar. The shikhara of the temple is lofty. A reservoir exists behind the temple, from which the water used to reach the temple through a channel built of marble, but after the flood of 1875 CE, this arrangement also disrupted.
The temple was raided on Chaitra Budi 2, VE 1530 (1473 CE) by Sultan Gayasuddin Khilji of Malawa, causing tremendous loss to it. This grand temple of Shiva is enclosed by a prakara and pertains to the 12th century CE style of Malwa, built of huge slabs of micaceous schist and gneiss. The three-storey temple has imposing appearance.The temple appears to have been constructed by the Rajput rulers of Banswara. There are two inscriptions in the temple, one by Maharawal Sansmal (1586 CE) and the other by Maharawal Gopinath .
