Banalingam
Banalinga is a sacred stone and symbol of worship for Shaivites. This stone is available majorly in the banks of river Narmada in India. For this reason, it is also called Narmada Banalinga or Narmadeshwara Shiva Linga. According to the Legend, there lived a king of Demon ‘Banasura’ and he possessed a city called ‘Tripura’. Lord Shiva himself destroyed the city with his divine Bow ‘Pinaka’ and the Arrow. Lord Shiva destroyed Tripura into numerous pieces and each of the piece has become a Shiva Linga. Since lord Shiva has destroyed the place belonging to Banasura, and each piece has become Shiva Linga, the name Banalinga has been given to this stone.
Banalinga can be called as Swayambhu, which means it is a naturally formed self-manifesting stone. This stone is considered to be a holy stone and is worshipped in many parts of the world. Banalinga consists of Crypto Crystalline Quartz and Chalcedony, which is a Gemstone material. This is elliptical in shape and exists in various colors. Each stone is unique in its own markings, which exist naturally on the stone. There are many types of Banalingas and it is all about the marking of the stone which classify the stones.
The Legend of “Siddhanta Sekhara” says that the Guardian Gods, also called as Loka Palas, have worshipped the sacred Banalingas gathered from the holy river Narmada. And the signs of worship exist to date. It is believed that, for instance, Banalinga worshipped by the lord Devendra, has the power to fulfill the desires and grant sovereignty.