Devsathan Baba Shivo Goran is a well-known Hindu temple situated in Samba Region of Jammu & Kashmir. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is venerated here as Baba Shivo Goran, this temple is among the region’s oldest and most esteemed shrines. It draws thousands of devotees from across India and beyond. In 13th century Jammu ,where not long ago the Bahubali King Maldev (ruled 1332-1361) of the Dev dynasty was establishing his capital. He not only built his court but also started the construction of the old city. The huge stone of Kali Janni Jammu in the old city is testimony of his bravery and foresightedness.

At the same time King Labhdev and Queen Kalli, belonging to the royal house of Kashmir, were leaving Kashmir for Jammu for some reason and King Maldev and King Labhdev/Raja Ladha were very close friends, hence Raja Maldev gave Raja Labhdev Sodha and Samotha jagirs near jammu hills and considerable part of these jagirs belonged to violence-loving Khard Khatri Rajputs who had been evicted from the jagirs on account of their bad conduct. The local Kharad Khatri Rajputs started hating raja labhdev.

Raja Labhdev and Rani had everything but no children, they showed their horoscope to Pandit who asked them to choose between throne or children, both renounced throne at the same time and started the difficult penance of Guru Gorakhnath and seeing their faith, Guru Gorakhnath blessed them with a son,who will be as divine as lord shiva.On destined time, a beautiful son was born and and as he was divine like shiva thus was named Shivo. This divine noble saint Shivo is the hero of our story today. When Shivo was young, his father passed away. His mother was raising him very affectionately. Meanwhile, King Maldev called him to his darbar. It was very difficult for him to go away from his mother every night he would come to their estate.

When he was coming to meet his mother on the third night he encountered a ferocious lion which he killed with a single blow and cut off its ears and kept it with him and hid it in the king’s room and at a certain time decided to show to King Maldev. He proved his bravery by showing lions ears, which pleased the king and he accepted Baba Shiva’s request to stay with his mother. He was divine because of the blessings of Baba Gorakhnath and he came back and started serving people and his glory started spreading far and wide.

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His only hobby was ,on his spare time he used to enjoy playing Iktara instrument and it is said that he used to play Iktara so beautifully that people from around came out of their houses to gather to hear and watch him ,quite a number of people who follow him belonged to Kharadkhatri Rajputs Women folk.

On side grief of losing the kingdom was making Kharad Khatri Rajput burning them from inside while the women of his household had begun to consider Baba Shivo as their guru,which was difficult for them to bear any more.

One day while baba shivo was busy in playing iktara they cut off his head and as He was a divine man , his torso walked without a head and stopped near the well near in Goran and died and this is where Baba Shivo or Baba Goran’s temple is situated.

The habitations of the Khatri Rajputs and those violent people were destroyed due to curse of killing the noble soul and the survivors from this Rajput clan changed their gotras to avoid the wrath.

There is a huge crowd here on Tuesdays and Sundays who visit Baba Ji’s sthan for fulfilment of their wishes.

How to reach Baba Shivo Temple, Samab, Jammu:

From Jammu it will take 40 mins to reach Samba, from here it will take 12-15 km to reach Sumbh and about 5 km away is the place of Baba Shivo or Baba Goran.

You can come here and visit this historical and religious place.

Source: Facebook Post by Ajay Khajuria