PATAL BHUWANESHWAR CAVE

Patal Bhuwaneshwar

Is a limestone cave temple 14 km from Gangolihat in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state in India. It is located near the  village Guptari.. Legend and folklore have it that this underground cave enshrines Lord Shiva and thirty three crore Gods. 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. 

Upto 1987, people went inside burning 'chilukas' ( Pine wood pieces finely cut) since there was total darkness inside.As a result,the walls are all covered & smeared with black soot.After arrival of 7 Garhwal Rifles & help provided by the Garuda Division,the first generator was installed in end of 1987.Now it is electrically illuminated.

Built by underground the flow of water, Patal Bhuvaneshwar 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.

The Legend has It.

The first human to discover this cave was Raja Ritupurna - a king in Surya Dynasty ruling Ayodhya during the Treta Yuga. The story starts with Ritupurna and King Nala. It is said that once, King Nala was defeated by his wife, Queen Damayanti. In order to escape his wife’s wrath & confinement, Nala requested Ritupurna to hide him. Ritupurna took him to the forests of the Himalayas and asked him to stay there. While going back home he was fascinated by a deer which ran into the woods.The King went after it. He could not find it and took rest under a tree. He had a dream where the deer was asking Ritupurna not to chase him. As he woke up ,he still saw the deer around & started following him. 

He reached a cave where a guard was standing. After inquiring about the cave he was allowed to go inside. Right at the entrance, Ritupurna met Sheshnag  ,who agreed to take him inside.

What a great & heavenly sight it was  ! He saw all the 33-crore gods and goddesses including Lord Shiva Himself. It is said that after his visit, the cave was closed for posterity with a prediction in the Skandpurana that it shall reopen only  in Kaliyuga. 

Shankarcharya (in Kalyug), during his short visit to Himalayas re-discovered this cave in 1191 AD. Since then regular worship and offerings are being made at this place.That was the beginning of the modern pilgrimage history.

According to belief King Rituparna of the Sun dynasty (Surya Vansha) discovered the cave in ‘Treta yug’. It has been described in the ‘MANAS KHAND’ of ‘SKAND PURAN’. 

The cave, it is believed, is connected by an underground route to Mount Kailash. 

It is also said   that Pandavas, left for  their last journey to the Himalayas after meditating here.The cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Almost every god that you would have heard of ,resides in this mystic cave. It is also believed that your  worship at Patal Bhuvaneshwar is equivalent to worshipping  Char Dhams of Uttarakhand.

The priest family are the 'thakur' Bhandaris  who have been  performing religious rites at Patal Bhuvaneshwar ever since the time of the Adi Shankaracharya-more than 20 generations in the line. They are a treasure house of legends, folk lore, anecdotes and information about this holy place. It is also believed that this cave is internally connected to the four abodes /seats (Char Dham).This wonder is believed to be as old as the earth itself. It has been mentioned in detail in the 103th chapter of Manaskhand of "Skanda Purana". 

The first human who entered this cave was king "Rituparna" of Suraya Dynasty during the "Tretayuga". During his visit, he had encountered several demons.

"Sheshnaag" himself acted as his guide.

One can see the gateway reflecting great ages in Patal Bhuvaneshwar. 

There are four entrances inside the cave known 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 open.

 You can see the tongue of Kali Bhairav, Indra, Jatas of Lord Shiva and several other forms of gods inside the caves . 

The motorable road ends half a kilometer short of  the cave entrance. 

You have to descend nearly 100 steps into this narrow cave, to reach the Sanctum - Sanctorum, which gives an overwhelming & great feeling that you’re entering the centre of the earth.