Mehkar is a place of great historical antiquity in Maharashtra. It is located 63 km southwest of Buladana on the banks of Penganga River.
4th Century AD Narasimha Temple - The murti worshipped in the temple is that of Narasimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple is known as Prahlad Varad Shri Laxmi Narasimha Mandir. Shri Shyamraj Maharaj Pitale discovered the murti underground in 1479.
Story of Mehkar
Thousands of years ago there live a demon named Meghankar, who savaged the country. Therefore Vishnu, appearing as the incarnation of Sarangdhara killed him. Mehkar is the corrupted version of the name.
Hemadpanthi style of temples is located in the vicinity of Mehkar. But majority of them are dilapidated beyond recognition. The area was frequently ravaged by Islamic forces especially by Aurangzeb.
The place finds mention in the Matsya Purana, Padma Purana and Skanda Purana. Madhavrao Peshwa camped at Mehkar in 1769 AD.
The temple of Balaji known as Shri Sharangdhar Mandir is located in the center of Mehkar town.
During the reign of Aurangzeb’s time, many murtis of Hindu gods and goddesses were deliberately buried to save them from sacrilege. One such murti is currently installed in the famous Shri Sharangdhar Temple, the murti of God Vishnu is made of black marble and finely carved. It is a huge image, sanding 10.5 feet high and probably belonging to the medieval period.
Some of the Important Temples At Mehkar
Haran Tekdi - The belief is that Lord Rama during his exile period caught hold of a deer here. There is an old temple here.4th Century AD Narasimha Temple - The murti worshipped in the temple is that of Narasimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple is known as Prahlad Varad Shri Laxmi Narasimha Mandir. Shri Shyamraj Maharaj Pitale discovered the murti underground in 1479.