46th Annual Conference of AOMSI

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams, shrines which are said to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The temple is situated on the side of the holy river Shipra. The presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu, deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams that are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.

Omkareshwar Temple

Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is located in Khandwa in Indian state Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river at Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh, India; the shape of the island is said to be like the Devanagari ॐ symbol.

There are two main temples of Lord Shiva here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkara or the Lord of the Om sound") located in the island and one to Mamleshwar (whose name means "Immortal Lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas") located on the south bank of Narmada River on the mainland.

Maheshwar Fort

Maheshwar is a town in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh state, in central India. It is located on State Highway-38 (Barwaha- Bandheri Highway), 13.5 km east of National Highway 3 (Agra-Mumbai highway) and 91 km from Indore, the commercial capital of the state. The Town lies on the north bank of the Narmada River. It was the kingdom of Chaktavartin Samrat Sahastraarjun, Kartavirya Arjuna a Heheya king. Lately, after many years, it was the capital of the Malwa during the Maratha Holkar reign till 6 January 1818, when the capital was shifted to Indore by Malhar Rao Holkar III.

Lalbagh Palace

Lalbagh Palace is a residence of the Holkar Maharaja of Indore State in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Construction began in the late 19^th century and was completed in 1926. It was built in the Italian Renaissance Revival architecture style. It is inscribed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a protected monument. It will be renovated by the World Monuments Fund.

Kanch Mandir

Kanch Ka Mandir, literally Temple of Glass, is a famous Jain temple in Indore, built by Sir Seth Hukumchand Jain. The construction began sometime around 1903.

Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site in central India that spans the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, as well as the historic period. It exhibits the earliest traces of human life in India and evidence of Stone Age starting at the site in Acheulian times. It is located in the Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh about 45 kilometres (28 mi) south-east of Bhopal. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of seven hills and over 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km (6.2 mi). At least some of the shelters were inhabited more than 100,000 years ago. The rock shelters and caves provide evidence of, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, a "rare glimpse" into human settlement and cultural evolution from hunter-gatherers, to agriculture, and expressions of prehistoric spirituality.

Some of the Bhimbetka rock shelters feature prehistoric cave paintings and the earliest are about 10,000 years old (c. 8,000 BCE), corresponding to the Indian Mesolithic. These cave paintings show themes such as animals, early evidence of dance and hunting. The Bhimbetka site has the oldest-known rock art in India, as well as is one of the largest prehistoric complexes.

Bhimbetka rock art is considered oldest petroglyphs in the world, some of these similar to aboriginal rock art in Australia and the paleolithic Lascaux cave paintings in France. Of the 750 rock shelters, only 12 to 15 are open to visitors.

550 million years old Dickinsonia fossils of extinct genus of basal animals has been found at Bhimbetka.