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Pataleshwar CaveNot really a cave at all...yet another construction carved from living rock. Located in the city of Pune in the Maharashtra district of India, Pataleshwar is a smallish example of the Maharashtran proclivity for carving the hell out of a hillside. The cave is essentially a Shiva temple and out buildings carved of living basalt. The black rock has been carved into pillars, seating areas, rooms, and so on. Notable is the heart of the cave, a cube-shaped room about 3-4 meters on each side, that houses a lingam. Apparently still visited by the faithful, the lingam is annointed with ghee and yogurt. A brass temple bell hangs outside the basalt entryway. Unlike other nearby 'caves', Pataleshwar is fairly simple...there are a very few ornate carvings, but mostly this cave represents the quick and dirty removal of big chunks of rock by dedicated men (probably) with large motor skills. If you are visiting, by the way, nobody in Pune knows where this cave is to be found. Best is to ask for Jangali Maharaj road. Follow it far enough and you'll find the place eventually. There are small signs on the road identifying it, in English, the kind nobody actually reads.
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