Patal Bhuwneshwar
He who wants to feel the presence
of eternal power should come to the sacred Bhuwneshwar
situated near the confluence of Ramganga, Sarayu and Gupt-Ganga.
-Manaskhanda, Skandapuran.
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Patal Bhuvneshwar, one of the most fascinating places of the Kumaon region, is a limestonecave temple 14 km from Gangolihat (52 Kms. from Haridarshan Resort) in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state in India. It is located in the village Bhuwneshwar. Legend and folklore have it that this underground cave enshrines Lord Shiva and thirty three crore Gods. 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. |
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There is a folklore that the Pandava brothers passed their time here during banishment. It is built due to the flow of water. It cut the rocks in such a fascinating way that it looks like that any artist had mode those entire statues within the cave & on its wall. It has some cave opening and it is believed that these opening will be close as the centuries pass on. As per believe, some doors which are now closed were opened thousand of years back. It is yet not been fully explored. It is also believed that the this cave is internally connected to the four abodes /seats (Char Dham).
This underground cave of Patal Bhuwneshwar has a vertical 160 meter long and 90 feet deep tunnel-like path to go inside. The temple is amidst a thick forest of oak and deodar. To reach the temple one has to pass through a natural cave, which is very narrow. It makes the visit a thrilling experience for the traveler.