Monday, 17 December 2018

Patal Bhubanashwar Cave - “Light House of Life, human Knowledge and Wisdom”. Part 2.





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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