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| A morning view from Patal Bhuvaneshwar |
The Divine Cave A Mysterious Work of NatureRendezvous With the Gods Beneath the Earth
We left early in the morning from
Abbot Mount, Uttarakhand, a bit sad of leaving such a the pristine place but excited about our next mysterious destination of Patal Bhuvaneshwar, the abode of Gods, 90 feet deep and may be deeper taking us as if to the center of the earth!
By road we came to Lohaghat and then on NH125 to Patal Bhuvaneshwar, a distance of about 100 KIms which we covered in about 4 hours. What a beautiful journey and surroundings.
One cannot help but be enchanted with a backdrop of the lofty Himalayas, the deep pine forests, valleys stretching beyond where the eye can see, the landscape dotted with fresh water streams and crisscrossed with fields and charming little villages, grazing sheep and cattle. All this adds to the mythical and religious aura of the place.
It was a small village with awesome views of Himalayan peaks from where we walked down on a gradient of about 500 meters before we reached at the entrance of the cave.
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| Welcome gate |
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| Mysterious entrance of the cave |
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| Mysterious heavenly figures in the cave |
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| A pond inside cave |
Patal Bhuvaneshwar is not just one cave, rather a cave city
We had to deposit our passions including camera, mobile and leather items before we moved into the cave. Though exciting, the mouth of the cave, the drippings of icy water on steps, the chain which you hold while climbing down on the steps was a bit frightening but our eagerness to see and unfold the mystery deep in the earth overtook our fear we descended on the steps, praying and our guide Roop Kumar smilingly encouraging to move on.
Stunning! Amazing! These are the only two words which could explain our unforgettable experience
Patal Bhuvaneshwar is not just one cave, rather a cave city. Caves within caves, steps leading to another, each one unmasking deep secrets from within.
You have to descends nearly 100 steps into this narrow cave, to reach the sanctum sanctorum, which gives an overwhelming feeling that you are entering the centre of the earth.
Rather than writing the minute details of what we viewed, I’m giving below what would be relevant for readers:
About
Enshrined in mystery and mythology, Patal Bhuvaneshwar is one of the most mysterious and spiritual place of Uttarakhand. Situated at a height of 1350 mts is mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva. Patal Bhuvaneshwari has a cave located 13 kms from Gangolighat of Pithoragarh District in Uttarakhand state.
The subterranean shrine of lord Shiva is with sprawling interiors. Limestone rock formations have created various spectacular stalactite and stalagmite figures. The way to the cave temple is through a long, narrow tunnel. Inside the cave, the limestone formations have taken shape of many gods and goddesses of Hindu pantheon. The forms of other Hindu gods Ganesha, Sheshnag, Garurh, Shivling, Kal bhairav etc. are distinctly visible. It is believed that the cave is the abode of millions of Gods and Goddesses.
Brief history
It was discovered by the king Rituparna of Sun Dynasty in "
Treta Yug" as mentioned in
Skanda Purana, an ancient scripture. The mystical cave is 163 m long and more than 90 feet deep where limestone formations have created various impressive stalagmite figures. Almost every god that you have heard of resides in this mystifying cave. It is believed that a worship at Patal Bhuvaneshwar is equivalent to worshiping at Hindu shrines Char Dham of Uttarakhand. One can see the stages of our existence.
There are four entrances inside the cave named “Randwar”, “Paapdwar”, ‘Dhramdwar’
and ‘Mokshdwar’. The ‘Paapdwar’ was closed soon after the death of
Ravana and the ‘Randwar’ literally means road to war, was closed down after the great
Mahabharata war. At present only 2 gates are opened.
.The great
Adi Shankaracharya visited this cave in 1191. The priests of Patal Bhuvaneshwar from 20 generations are Bhandaris who live in nearby Bhuvaneshwar village.
Where To Stay
Set near the mystique of Patal Bhuvaneshwar, is 'The Parwati Resort'. The resort symbolizes the warmth and traditional hospitality of the people of Uttarakhand - The Abode of Gods. An unbeatable combination of comfort and elegance ?The Patal Resort' provides an ideal resting pad for anyone travelling to the mystical Patal Bhuvaneshwar. Set amidst the lush green forests is The Patal Resort, overlooking the breath-taking valley and the scintillating Himalayas.
Other enchanting places near Patal Bhuvaneshwar
Gangolihat- 14 kms from Patal Bhuvaneshwar. Gangolihat is rich in folk culture, music and religious traditions
Berinag and
Chaukori- 27 kms and 38 kms from Patal Bhuvaneshwar, these places offer the breathtaking views of the Himalayan peaks, Nandadevi and Panchachuli.
Gwaldam- A sleepy Himalayan town surrounded by apple orchards. The base for the trek to Roopkund.
Road distances
- Delhi to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 494kms (either via Almora or via Lohaghat)
- Khatima to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 190kms
- Jim Corbett National Park to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 263kms
- Almora to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 129kms
- Kausani to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 121kms
- Haldwani to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 205kms
- Nainital to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 197kms
- Bageshwar to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 84kms
- Ranikhet to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 175kms
- Moradabad to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 330kms (via Lohaghat)
- Champawat to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 107kms
- Lohaghat to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 94kms
- Mukteshwar to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 205kms
- Chaukori to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 42kms
- Dharcula to Patal Bhuvaneshwar - 139kms