Patal Bhubanashwar (पाताल भुवनेश्वर) is a limestone cave
temple 14 km from Gangolihat.
It is in Pithoragarh district of Uttrakhand and is located in the village
Bhubaneswar.
Legend and folklore have it that
this cave enshrines Lord Shiva and thirty three koti Gods (33 crores of gods in
Hindu Culture ).
(Here I want to add that in Sanskrit
Koti means type or Prakar and counting number crore both comes.
Why we think of
crore only and not think about types of God which feels much relevant. (Think
once.)
The cave is 160 m long and 90 feet deep from the point of
entrance.
Limestone rock formations have
created various spectacular stalactite and stalagmite figures of various hues
and forms.
This cave has a narrow tunnel-like opening which leads to a number
of caves.
The cave is fully electrically illuminated. Built by the flow of
water, Patal Bhubaneswar is not just one cave, rather a series of caves within
caves.
"He
who wants to feel the presence of eternal power should come to the sacred
Bhuvneshwar situated near the confluence of Ramganga, Sarayu and
Gupt-Ganga."
-Manaskhanda,
Skandapuran, whose 800 verses refer to Patal Bhubanashwar.
Patal Bhuvneshwar is a completely thrilling
experience.
If you are a devotee or an adventurer, it’s a fulfilling experience
for both kinds of travelers.
You have to take a guide at the entrance of the
cave (you can't do it without one) and he takes you in the underworld and
guides you through it.
Inside visitors will find naturally made
structures like entire Shiva family including Lord Shiva, Ma Parvati, beheaded
Ganesh, the Char Dhaams, the Mount Kailash, Adishesha Naag, creation of the
universe, entire pantheon of 33 koti Gods and Goddesses.
The coming down of
Ganga, sages in their deep penance and description of four yugas (ages).
Including the indicator when the present age, Kaliyuga will come to an end with
destruction of the world and coming of Satyuga.
It takes more than an hour to
get the entire narrative inside the cave.
The
first human who entered this cave was king "Rituparna" of Suraya
Dynasty during the "Tretayuga".
It is said that during his visit, he
had encountered several demons and "Sheshnaag" himself acted as his
guide.
One can see the gateway of the great ages in Patal Bhubanashwar.
There
are four entrances inside the cave named as ‘Randwar’ ‘Paapdwar’, ‘Dharamdwar’
and ‘Mokshadwar’.
The Paapdwar was closed soon after the death of Ravana and
the Randwar, literally, the road to war, was closed down after the great
Mahabharata war.
At
present only two gateways are opened.
You can see the tongue of Kal Bhairav,
Aravati of Indra, Snowy hairs of Lord Shiva and several other wonders inside
the caves of Patal Bhubanashwar.
In
"Dwaparyuga" this cave was rediscovered by the Pandavas.
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