>Lancepark at 08:08, 3 August 2021

2021-08-03T08:08:12Z

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{{short description|Shrine in Odisha, India}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Gupteshwar Mahadev
| image = Gupteshwara Shiva-lingam.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Odisha#India
| map_caption = Location in [[Odisha]]##Location in India
| coordinates = {{coord|18.822571|82.167325|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline}}
| country = India
| location = [[Odisha]]
| district =
| locale = Kathakunta, [[Jeypore]]
| elevation_m = 698.96
| deity = [[Shiva]]
| festivals = [[Mahashivaratri]], [[Shravan]]
| architecture = Cave Temple
| temple_quantity = 2
| creator = Veer Vikram Dev
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = mid 17th century
}}

'''Gupteswar Cave''' is a cave [[shrine]] dedicated to [[Shiva]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Gupteswar|url = http://orissadiary.com/orissa_tourism/temple/Gupteswar.asp|website = orissadiary.com|access-date = 2015-11-19}}</ref> It is a pilgrim site situated about {{cvt|55|km}} away [[Jeypore, Koraput District]] in the state of [[Odisha, India]]. It is a [[limestone]] cave, and its main attraction is the gigantic [[Shiva Linga]] which is said to be increasing in size. It is believed that the cave was discovered by [[Lord Rama|Rama]] and re-discovered in the reign of Maharajah Veer Vikram Dev. In the holy month of Shravan, the cave is visited by devotees who walk to the shrine bare-footed with decorated bamboo palanquins called "Kanwadiya" and bathe in the maha kund before worshipping Lord Gupteshwar. There are 200 steps to reach to the Shiva linga temple. Its entrance is about {{convert|3|m|ft}} wide and {{convert|2|m|ft}} high.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Incredible India {{!}} Gupteshwar|url=https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/koraput/gupteshwar.html|access-date=2020-07-05|website=www.incredibleindia.org}}</ref>

==Legend==
Surrounded by a dense forest of [[sal tree]]s and flanked by the [[Kolab River|Kolab]] river, a {{convert|2|m|ft}} high [[lingam]] stands in the cave. The shrine is called "Gupteswar" which means the "God in hiding" because the [[lingam]] remained undiscoverable for a long time. One can reach it by climbing the 200 steps flanked with rows of [[champak]] trees. 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 is associated with the Hindu god, [[Lord]] [[Shri]] [[Rama]]. The nearby hill has been named "Ramagiri". According to tradition, the lingam was first discovered by Lord Rama when he was roaming in the [[Dandakaranya]] forest with wife [[Sita]] and brother [[Lakshmana|Lakshman]], and named the deity in the cave as "Gupteshwar". The poet [[Kālidāsa|Kalidas]] too, described the scenic beauty of Ramgiri forest where the cave temple is referred to in his famous ''[[Meghadutam]]''.

However, as the time passed, the [[temple]] was again lost in obscurity but in the 17th century, the [[Shiva]] [[lingam]] was discovered by a hunter who then informed about it to Maharajah Veer Vikram Dev, who was the king of that region and recently shifted his capital from Nandapur to the newly formed, [[Jeypore]]. King Veer Vikram paid a visit to the cave and was mesmerized by the grandiosity of the majestic [[Shiva-lingam|lingam]] and the magnificent natural surroundings. He appointed priests in the cave temple and started a tradition of making a foot journey to the cave of Lord Gupteswar during the holy month of [[Shraavana]] which is performed by the people of the erstwhile kingdom to this day. Since then the lingam has been worshipped by the tribes and locals 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.

[[File:Sabari river bank located near Gupteswara.jpg|thumb|Sabari river bank, Gupteswara]]

==References==
{{Commons category|Gupteswar Cave}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.orissatourism.net.in/Temples_and_monuments_in_odisha/gupteswara_temple_koraput_odisha.html the stalactite worshipped in hindu lore]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Shiva temples in Odisha}}
{{coord |18.822571|82.167325|display=title}}

[[Category:Tourist attractions in Odisha]]
[[Category:Caves of Odisha]]
[[Category:Hindu cave temples in India]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Koraput district]]

Gupteswar Cave - Revision history

>Lancepark at 08:08, 3 August 2021