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PLACES
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GHOTAN
Situated in 19° 20' north latitude and 75° 15' east longitude, Ghotan is a village in Shevgaon taluka, six miles to the north of Shevgaon, the taluka head-quarters. It covers an area of 8.3 square miles and has, as per the Census of 1971, a total population of 2,312 souls. The village has a post office and a primary school. Wells form the main source of water-supply to the village population.
The old Ahmadnagar District Gazetteer published in 1884 mentions the village as ' a market town with an old temple of Mahadeva'. The temple stands in the middle of the village in a square on one side of which is an old archway with a hanging bell. Passing under the archway steps lead to a court-yard in the middle of which is the temple surrounded by several smaller shrines. From outside the temple does not look old as brick parapet walls have been built round
the flat roof and the dome is white-washed. Passing a mutilated Nandi at the door the way leads to a hall with a carved stone ceiling resting on a row of carved stone pillars. A doorway at the other end of the hall leads down a flight of steps to the shrine and a pool both in utter darkness.
An annual fair is held in the village in honour of Mahadeva on Chaitra Shuddha 13 (March-April). About 1,500 people assemble at the time of the fair.
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