अचलेश्वर महादेव , माउन्ट आबू
Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple (Achalgarh)
A temple more than 2500 years old. It is the only place on earth where the great toe of Lord Shiva is worshiped, that is estimated to be going to the centre of the earth. It is the proud possessor of the glory of rich mythology, theology, folklore and even history. Miracles happened in its hallowed precincts. It is none other than the Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple! Its Nandi, made of an alloy of five different metals, is credited with the marvel of repulsing the Muslim invaders by releasing millions of bumble bees to attack the Muslim marauders. They were the lessons learned by those in charge to preserve and protect the sanctity of the pristine temple that they devised a very injurious, albeit ingenious method of camouflaging the prominence and the eminence of the great temple.

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Mercifully, then the Yuvraj of Sirohi State somewhere in 1979, and chanced upon something looking like marble under a layer of lime, while he was taking his royal visitors around the lime layered temples.
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At all sites each column was warily detached. Painstakingly, it was repaired and refurbished, closest to its original glory and then with the same utmost care replaced on its own pillar in its true order. This could be abundantly observed at the Nandi corral.
The sanctum sanctorum was found to be built not with bricks or slabs of marble but with blocks of marble. As the cleaning was done a walking space was revealed between the exterior of the sanctum sanctorum and a jacket like walk outside it. It was a gallery like space meant for a walk round the temple termed parikrama. Amazingly, beautifully sculptured statues of Chamunda were found in a beautiful alcove on two of the walls, the rear and the left ones. They were smeared with vermillion, indicating they were then regularly worshiped in those halcyon days.
The Dashaavtar Temple left all the visitors spellbound. The canopy of the entrance had restored statues in various dance forms. The restoration was unnoticeable by even a trained eye. The restitution left all and sundry awestruck. Save and except one of the limbs of one of the statues, all other repaired limbs looked as the part of the primary creation. The one that could be noticed is an isolated example, was due to the different quality of marble, intentionally used to observe the difference.

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