Know about Gupteshwar, a cave shrine of Lord Shiva

New Delhi: Surrounded by dense green forests, gurgling mountain streams and the serene river Kolab, Gupteswar would have shone on the tourism Map of the country.This place is famous for its religious significance of the place, which houses the famous hidden cave temple of Lord Shiva.It is a limestone cave discovered some time ago and has a number of scenic spots around. The main attraction is the gigantic Shiva Linga which is said to be increasing in size.Pilgrims from all over the country come here during the Sravana period, because the yearly BolBom yarta is held in this place. Devotees walk to the Gupteshwar during BolBom yatra to bathe in the maha kund, and then chant near the Shiva Linga.The cave is more or less like the Bora caves ( India - Odisha and Andhra border ). But this Gupteswar cave is special for the underground water and the view of Davis fall from the farthest end of the cave. It is really worth seeing. It is a natural cave with Stalagmites. One has to reach the end to view the superb scene.Surrounded by a dense forest of sal trees and flanked by the Kolab river, a 2m high lingam stands in the cave. The shrine is called "Gupteswar" which means the "Hidden God". It is so named because it was lying hidden in the cave for a very long period.One can reach it by climbing the 200 steps flanked with rows of champak trees. The entrance of the cave is about 3 m wide and 2 m in height. There are also several other caves nearby. Inside the second cave there is a large stalactite.People worship it as the udder of God Kamadhenu (the divine cow) and wait under it with outstretched palms to collect drops of water which fall only at long intervals. Popularly known as "Gupta Kedar" in the vicinity, this sacred place, endowed with unusual natural beauty, is associated with Shri Rama of the epic Ramayana. The nearby hill has been named "Ramagiri". According to mythology, the lingam was first discovered by Lord Rama when he was roaming in the then Dandakaranya forest with wife Sita and brother Laxman, and later worshipped it calling it "Gupteswar".The poet Kalidas too, described the scenic beauty of Ramgiri forest where the cave temple is referred to in his famous Meghadutam. However, with the passing of time, the temple was abandoned. Later, in the last part of the 19th century, a hunter of the Ramgiri area found the lingam. Since then the lingam has been worshipped by the tribes of Koraput region. In Shivaratri (a Hindu festival) Gupteswar Temple draws over 200,000 devotees from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the God and remain here for months in the hope of getting cured.The shrine is located at a distance of 80 kms. From Koraput and 55 kms from Jeypore amidst a thick growth of forest.The place can be approached by forest tracks, which start, from the east of the Ramagiri hill up to a distance of 19 kms.The cave shrine containing the Shiva Lingam is noticed at a height of 151 metres higher than the surrounding countryside.The Gupteswar temple draws over two lakh devotees from Andhra Pradehs, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh apart from the state, during Maha Shivaratri. Devotees also visit the area all-round the years.How To ReachNearest Airport - Bhubaneswar (700 kms.)Nearest Railway Station - Koraput (P.H.)Road Net Work-There is a good motorable road. The shrine is located at a distance of 80 kms. From Koraput and 55 kms from Jeypore.