Gupteswar is a famous cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located near Jeypore, India, at the top of a limestone hill which is about 500 metres above sea level.
Surrounded by a dense forest of sal trees and flanked by 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 1000 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.
Gupteswar is a cave temple located on the banks of Kolab River, about 80 km from Koraput, in Koraput District, Orissa. Situated on a lime stone hill amidst scenic bliss, the cave shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple houses a sacred swayambhu Shivling called Gupteswar, which literally means the ‘Hidden God’. Shivratri is the major festival celebrated here amidst much pomp and splendor.
The fame of the temple is not restricted to Orissa but it is also well known in other parts of the country. The people of Chhattisgarh refer to the shrine by the name ‘Gupta Kedar’.
Gupteswar can be reached through a forest tract which starts from the east of the Ramagiri Hill up to a distance of 19 km.
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 Dandakaryana 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 Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh. People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the God and remain here for months in the hope of getting cured.
How to get there
This is located 60 km south-west of Jeypore. You can get there either by bus or taxi. October to March is the best time to visit this place.
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