Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave

View from the end of the cave (March 2015)

The Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave ( Nepali गुप्तेश्वर गुफा Gupteśvar guphā ) is a show cave , which is located southwest of Pokhara in Nepal .

The length of the cave is given as 2,950 m to three kilometers, making it the longest cave in Nepal, but only a small section has been developed so far.

location

Stairs to the cave entrance (May 2016)

The karst cave is located in the limestone massif of the southern valley of the Seti Gandaki in the descent of its right tributary, the Pardi Khola , at about 980 m altitude. Pokharas Airport is two kilometers to the east .

description

Cave wall with sinter deposits (Jan. 2013)

The name denotes a district "Gupteshwor" and "Mahadev" means "great god" in Sanskrit . A wide, spiral staircase with over two hundred steps leads down to the approximately three meter wide and two meter high entrance of the two-part cave. The first hall is about 40 meters long and contains one of the main attractions, the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva . It consists of a mighty stalagmite that was moved from the depths of the cave to the entrance area in 1992. A Nandi statue can also be seen there, which the Indian pilgrims sprinkle with vermilion tikka powder. Anyone who donates a few coins receives a token. If you put this in the back of the Nandi, some of the holy water comes out of the udder. After a passage about 50 meters long, the second hall of the cave opens, which is 140 m long. There are impressive rock surfaces with sintered jewelry that has grown over a long period of time . There is an underground lake at the northern end of the cave, and a vertical crevice behind it reveals Devi's Fall through which daylight shines in.

history

The cave has been known for almost 600 years or at the latest since the 16th century. According to tradition, local cattle herders accidentally spotted them harvesting grass. After a tragic death occurred in Devi's fall in 1961, the cave was initially avoided. In the early 1980s it was gradually decided to use it for tourism. The current entrance was only created in 1991 and the cave has been equipped with electric lights for visitors. Local residents only charge half or a third of the entrance fee compared to what is required of tourists. Non-Nepalese pay an entrance fee of 100 rupees, which is about 1 euro. Part of the proceeds will be donated to local schools.