Shiva's symbol--the "lingam" with which Vishnu began the Creation--is worshiped by everybody, apparently.

It is the commonest object in Benares.

It is on view everywhere, it is garlanded with flowers, offerings are made to it, it suffers no neglect.

Commonly it is an upright stone, shaped like a thimble-sometimes like an elongated thimble.

This priapus-worship, then, is older than history.