Patal Bhuvaneshwar Uttarakhand is one of the mysterious and enchanting aspects of tourism. It is a cave, temple, and tourist attraction that is a famous attraction in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. This cave is a hidden pilgrimage hotspot, located at around 1,350 m above sea level and mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva. Moreover, you will find here forms of Sheshnag, Kal Bhiarav, Ganesha, and other gods in Patal Bhuvaneshwar. Moreover, stalagmites and stalactites inside this cave offer a magnificent feast for your eyes.
Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave is around 160 m long and 90 ft deep, and you will have to cover the long narrow tunnel to get inside the cave. However, it would be a fantastic experience that becomes more impressive when you witness the limestone rock formation of stalagmite figures. Hence, this cave is known as Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave Temple, interconnected with Uttarakhand's famous Char Dham Circuit. There are four entrances for Patal Bhubaneswar, Randwaar, Paapdwar, Dharamdwaar, and Mokshadwar. Moreover, Paapdwar and Randwar are closed, and the remaining two are open to visitors.
History of Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave Temple
Adi Shankaracharya discovered Patal Bhuvaneshwar Gufa in 1191 A.D, and the history of this Gufa started from here. However, the colossal cave is believed to remain closed for ages, and now the Archaeological Survey of India of Dehradun Circle is protecting this gufa.
Legends & Mythology about Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave
According to the Hindu Legends, Patal Bhuvaneshwar Mandir was first discovered as the cave in Treta Yug by Rituparna, King of the Sun Dynasty. And it is said that King Nala, the friend of Rituparna, was defeated by his wife, Damyanti. And they went to the hinterlands of the Himalayas, and Nala took refuge in the woods. In one dream, a deer came into the dream of Rituparna and asked for chase it. In addition, in finding a beautiful deer that came into his sight, Rituparna accidentally reached the cave.
The doorman of the cave allowed the king to enter the cave, and Sheshnag greeted him in the cave. Apart from this, another story is associated with this cave. That story depicted that Pandavas in this cave performed their penance in front of Lord Shiva before starting their final journey to the Himalayas.
