Surya Deva - सूर्यदेव One of the most popular deities, especially in kingdoms whose monarchs claimed

Surya Deva - सूर्यदेव

One of the most popular deities, especially in kingdoms whose monarchs claimed royal descent the solar lineage of Shri Ramachandra the Suryavamsha (सूर्यवंश)!

A distinctinctive feature of the iconography of Surya in western India was a depiction of the deity as wearing what look like shoes. This has led to the speculation of Scythian (शक) influence on both the iconography and the popularity of this deity.

Gujarat, circa 7th Century CE (at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya)