Editing Somnath temple (section)

===Artwork===
The rebuilt temple as found in the ruined form in the 19th century and the current temple used recovered parts of previous temple with significant artwork. The new temple has added and integrated the new panels with a few old ones, the color of the stone distinguishing the two. The panels and pillars with historic artwork were and are found in the south and southwest side of the Somnath temple.{{sfn|Cousens|1931|p=16}}

In general, the reliefs and sculpture is mutilated, to the point that it is difficult for most to "identify the few images that remain" on panels, states Cousens.{{sfn|Cousens|1931|p=16}} An original [[Nataraja]] (Tandava Shiva), albeit with chopped arms and defaced, can be seen on the south side. A mutilated [[Nandi (mythology)|Nandi]] is to the right. To the left of this are traces of Shiva-[[Parvati]], with the goddess seated in his lap.{{sfn|Cousens|1931|p=16}} Towards the north-east corner, portions of panels in a band similar to ''[[Ramayana]]'' scenes in historic Hindu temples can be traced.  Sections can be seen with "beautiful vertical mouldings, on either side of the main front doorway", states Cousens, and this suggests that the destroyed temple was "exceedingly richly carved". The temple likely had a galaxy of Vedic and Puranic deities, as one of the partially surviving relief shows [[Surya]]'s iconography – two lotuses in his hand.{{sfn|Cousens|1931|p=16}}

The older temple featured an open plan, with great windows that allow light into the mandapa and circumambulation passage. The intricate and detailed artwork inside and on the pillars of Somnath temple were quite similar to those found in the [[Luna Vasahi temple]] at [[Mount Abu]].{{sfn|Cousens|1931|p=17}}