Mahabaleshwar Temple

The Mahabali or Mahabaleshwar Temple is another example of the Maratha heritage of Mahabaleshwar. Built by the Chanda Rao More dynasty in the 16th century, the temple is built in the South Indian Hemadanta style of architecture.

The temple is enclosed by a 5 feet wall and is divided into two areas, the inner and outer rooms. The inner room or the sanctum sanctorum has Shiva as its presiding deity, with a black stone lingam (stone incarnation of Lord Shiva) as its central figure. You’ll find several carvings of Shiva’s vehicle, the sacred bull and Kalbairav, his bodyguard. The temple also houses Shiva’s bed, damru and trishul, dating back 300 years. Legend has it that the bed used to be crumpled in the morning, indicating Shiva’s presence during the night at the temple. An important temple on any Shiv-bhakt’s pilgrimage plan, this temple has a serene, tranquil ambience that will transport you to higher realms of spirituality.The main draw is the ancient Mahabaleshwara Temple with its 6-foot-tall linga, of which only the tip can be seen.

Good for: God Lovers Nirvana Seekers

Entry fee: no entry fee

Timings:
All days of the week
5:00 AM – 12:00 PM
4:00 PM – 9:00 PM

How to Reach:
About 6 km from the main city, this temple in Old Mahabaleshwar is easily accessible by road.