Shri Kaleshwar Mandir, Hindu temple in Nerur, Sindhudurg district, India.

Shri Kaleshwar Mandir is a Hindu temple in Sindhudurg district featuring a central sanctum where a black Shivling rests on a raised platform called Shalunka. The space is surrounded by stone-carved deities that form part of the temple's architectural design.

The temple is 700 to 800 years old. According to legend, a brahmin dug into the ground and found a natural lingam, an emblem of Shiva; the temple was founded on that spot and the lingam is now enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum. The deity is the village god Shree Kaleshwara, also called Kaloba.

The temple becomes a focal point during Maha Shivaratri when religious rituals, local fairs, and traditional music performances transform the space into a center of spiritual gathering. Visitors witness how the community expresses its faith through these seasonal celebrations.

The temple lies in Nerur village, in Sindhudurg district, at coordinates 16.00306, 73.63694. Visitors remove their shoes and wear modest clothing before entering. The five-day Mahashivaratri Utsava, with its chariot procession and fair, draws crowds from great distances, so expect the village to be busy then.

The lingam is a natural one, found when a brahmin dug into the ground; the temple was founded on that spot and the lingam now stands in the sanctum sanctorum. The deity is the village god Kaleshwara, called Kaloba by locals, and the village is Nerur in Sindhudurg district.