God
The main deity of this temple is Lord Mahabaleshwar who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The 6 feet long Swayambhu Shivalinga is known as the Mahalingam.
Best Season To Visit
The best season to visit the temple is Winter season. The best months to visit are September to February.
Weather
Highest - March to May (39°C during day and 22°C during night)Average - May (35°C during the day and 25°C during night)Lowest - December to February (34°C during day and 16°C during night)Monsoon season - June to September
Dress Code
- For men the dress code is Shirt & Trouser, Dhoti or Pyjamas with upper cloth.
- For women the preferred dress code is saree or half-saree with blouse or chudidhar with pyjama and upper cloth.
- Shorts, mini-skirts, middies, sleeveless tops, low-waist jeans and short-length T-shirts are not allowed.
Do's & Dont's
- Do bathe and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
- Do respect ancient customs and co-piligrims while at temple.
- Smoking and drinking is prohibited in this temple.
- Chewing betel leaves, tobacco, gutka and spitting inside temple is strictly prohibited.
transport connections
| Name | Distance | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
 Old Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand |
6.8 KM | 1800221250 |
 Mahabaleshwar Railway Station |
5.7 KM | 139 |
 Pune International Airport |
130 KM | 020-26685599 |
Architecture
The temple is enclosed by a 5 feet wall and is divided into two areas, inner room and outer room. The temple also houses a square shaped raised platform. The sanctum sanctorum has Shiva linga made of black stone, which is 500 years old swayambhu lingam. This self-originated lingam is in the shape of Rudraksha and is called Mahalingam. The trishul of Lord Shiva along with his Damru, Rudraksha and one bed has been preserved in this temple and these are around 300 years old. The Atibaleshwar temple is on the left hand side and Mahabaleshwar temple is on the right hand side. The height of doors are low and there is full darkness inside the temple.
Religious Significance
The story is timed around the creation of the world when during the Padma Kalp, Lord Brahma was meditating in the forests of Sahyadri for the creation of human beings. Two demon brothers named Atibal and Mahabal were troubling the sages and other beings in the region. They are believed to have appeared from a Shivalinga that Ravana tried taking to Lanka with him. Their wrongdoing had reached maximum extent, and Lord Vishnu had to fight them to protect the beings of the region. But he was able to kill only Atibal, as Mahabal was blessed that he couldn’t be killed by anyone without his own will. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu prayed to Lord Shiva and Goddess Aadimaya to help them get rid of Mahabal. Goddess Aadimaya mesmerized Mahabal with her beauty and asked him to surrender to the Gods. He agreed to lay down his life with a condition that Lord Shiva will reside with him forever in this region. Lord Shiva appeared as a Shivalinga in the shape of a Rudraksha to stay with him and the entire region was named Mahabaleshwar to honor Mahabal. The Mahabaleshwar Temple houses a bed, Trishul, Damru and Rudraksha for this very reason. According to folklore, the temple is visited by Lord Shiva every night as the bed is found crumpled every morning.
History
The recorded history of Mahabaleshwar dates back to 1215 C.E. As per folklore, the event was held on 6th January 1665, during which Shivaji donated gold equal to the weight of his mother.
Temple Timings
| Day | Timings |
|---|---|
| All Days | 06:00 AM - 07:00 PM |
Tours
Airports
| Airport Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Shamshabad | 40 KM |
| Lorem Ipsum | 12 KM |
Railway Stations
| Railway Station Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Secunderabad | 10 KM |
| Nampally | 12 KM |
| Begumpet | 6 KM |
| Lingampally | 20 KM |
Bus Stations
| Bus Station Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| MGBS | 35 KM |
| CBS | 28 KM |
| kukatpally | 20 KM |
| Lingampally | 30 KM |
| Uppal | 35 KM |
Private Transports
| Transport Name | Distance | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
| Private Transport | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
Local Transports
| Transport Name | Distance | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
| Local Transport | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
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Nearest Attractions
Natural Attractions
ELEPHANTS HEAD POINT
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It is situated at an altitude of 1290 m
Hill Station
MAHABALESHWAR HILL STATION
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It is famous for beautiful Strawberry farms and Waterfalls
Fort
PRATAPGAD FORT
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Lohagad Fort is one of the Hill forts of Maharashtra
Boating
SHIVSAGAR BOATING
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Water sports like kayaking are extremely popular here
Trekking
CHANDAN VANDAN FORT TREK
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Chandan and Vandan are adjacent forts and has two entrances
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