SHRI SHARANGDHAR TEMPLE
SHRI BALAJI SANSTHAN 
MEHAKAR

Vishnu, appearing in the incarnation of Sharangadhara, put the demon to death, and the scene of the fight has since borne his name in the corrupted form of Mehkar. The myth ( old story)  connected with the name of Mehkar is that many thousand years ago there lived a demon by name Meghankara, who, like the giant Lonasura, devastated the surrounding country and threatened even the gods themselves. 

There are outside the town, traces of a Hemadpanthi temple ,which may be connected with the legend. 
A Muhammedan poet tells us that Mehkar is 795 years older than Hijra era. Mehkar is mentioned in the Ain-I-Akbari as the headquarters of a sarkar or revenue district. In 1769 the Peshva Madhav Rav accompanied by Rukn-ud-daula, the Nizam's minister, encamped at Mehkar while on his way to punish Janoji hosale for assiting in Raghnath Rav's insurrection.

Mehkar at one time gave its name to the district. Of the Hemadpanti temple mentioned above nothing is now left except the retaining walls at the site on which the temple stood. Close by is a partly ruined dharmashala which was probably merely a subsidiary building to the temple. It was used during fallen.

The temple of Balaji finely situated in the centre of the town with a magnificent view of the surrounding country was built at a cost of lakh and a half of rupees subscribed by the public to house an image of Vishnu which was found on the site in 1888 while some excavations were in progress. 

The image is of black marble, finely carved and is about ten and a half feet in height. Of its origin and date nothing is known. The temple has an extensive sabhamandapa, and close to it there is a big dharmashala.