Gupteswar Cave Temple, Ramagiri, Odisha

Gupteswar Cave Temple, Ramagiri, Odisha

Gupteswar Cave Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located near Ramagiri Village in Boipariguda Block in Koraput District in Odisha, India. The temple is famously called as Gupta Kedar. The cave temple is situated on the slopes of a hill in the Ramagiri forest range.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2022/12/gupteswar-cave-temple-ramagiri-legends.html

The Cave Temple

The cave temple is situated on the slopes of a hill in the Ramagiri forest range. The cave is surrounded by a dense forest of Sal trees and flanked by the Kolab river. The cave can be accessed through flight of 476 steps flanked with rows of champak trees. It is a natural cave with stalagmites. The entrance of the cave is about 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide and 2 metres (6.6 ft) high.

The cave enshrines a 2 metres (6.6 ft) high lingam within a roughly circular chamber. The Linga is 10 feet in circumference. This Lingam is famously called as Gupteswar (means the Hidden God). It is aptly name as it was lying hidden in the cave for a very long period.  The Shiva Linga is said to be increasing in size. There are also several other caves nearby. There is a large stalactite inside the second cave.

People worship it as the udder of Goddess Kamadhenu and wait under it with outstretched palms to collect drops of water which fall only at long intervals. It is a long cave and expert guide is required to explore the cave. There is a way behind the Shiva Linga which takes one to the interior of the cave. The cave is famous for its underground water and the view of the fall from the extreme end of the cave.

Festivals

Shivaratri is the major festival celebrated here. The temple draws over 200,000 devotees from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Bol Bom Yatra is held in this place during the month of Sravana. Devotees walk to the Gupteshwar during Bol Bom yatra to bathe in the maha kund, and then chant near the Shiva Linga.

Prayers

People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the god and remain here for months in the hope of getting cured.

Connectivity

The cave temple is located at about 13 Kms from Ramagiri Junction, 35 Kms from Boipariguda, 45 Kms from Patraput Bridge, 55 Kms from Jeypore, 75 Kms from Koraput, 97 Kms from Jagdalpur Airport, 237 Kms from Visakhapatnam and 243 Kms from Visakhapatnam. There is no direct public transport available to reach this temple. Devotees need to hire vehicles from Jeypore or arrange their own vehicles.

Location