MAHABALESHWAR MANDIR

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The naturally occurring lingam (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 851; LONELY PLANET, South India 2001: 212) or naturally formed lingam (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 755) in the Mahabaleshwar Mandir at the Kshetra Mahabaleshwar (Old Mahableshwar) is considered a lingam but not a calcite formation and a relatively unattractive lump of knobby laterite, which is about a metre across and, at it's best, a span high, in shape reminiscent of a shrivelled cow's turd.SITUATION: The Mahabaleshwar Mandir is one of the two old temples (–>Panchganga Mandir) in the suburb Old Mahabaleshwar, which lies north of Venna Lake and about 5 km or 6 km along the road approximately north from the MSTC (Maharashtra State Transport Corporation) bus stand (N17°55'31.6”: E073°39'26.3” ±10.2 m, WGS84, H.D. Gebauer 2007.02.14) at Mahabaleshwar town (N17°55': E073°40': 1370 m asl, Everest 1830, IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 16: 424).