Dear All, The concept that shivalingam is a symbol of fertility is not a newone.
i happened to read "Volga mudhal Gangai Varai" a Tamil translation of Hindi book written by "Rahul Sankrutyayan" which actually traces the Socalled aryan history of the movement from Central asia to The Gangetic Plains.
Its a book which lends support to the theory of socialism and criticises our society which have been ruled by dynasties rather than democracies.
The Book actually supports that the shivalingam is the symbol of fertility and the symbol of coitus between shiva and shakti.
But , i visited a Place called "Dhyana Lingam" which is at the foothills of "velingiri hills" near coimbatore built by "isha dhyana maiyyam" of "guruji Jaggi Vasudev"
There there is a big Lingam around which is built a big dome where one can sit and meditate. When asked as to why the lingam was chosen as an object to mediate i was told by the local swamiji there that the lingam is not a representation of any relgious deity.Rather it isa source of power.
i was told that the shape of the lingam ensures that whatever power we give to the object by chanting the mantras, remains there for atleast 1000 years that too when the lingam is made of Granite stones.It was amazing and he told that the powers have been "aavaahanamned" in that lingam so that the power is enshrined in the lingam for a longer time. And that is why a lingam has been erected instead of any other deity.