PATAL BHUVANESHWAR
Patal Bhuvaneshwar is a phenomenal place that is located in the state of Uttarkand. It is situated in the Pithorgarh district in the Kumaon region. The place has an intricate system of caves that are located in the village of Bhuvaneshwar. The entire system is complex and one can see many caves within caves in the place. These limestone caves are completely lit up using electric bulbs and they are generally safe. There are many stalagmites and stalactites that can be seen in these caves and walking through these can be a breathtaking experience. The complete network of caves has not yet been explored and there are many small passageways that can be found here.
The caves have to be reached by climbing down a set of 100 steps and one gets the feeling of entering the depths of the earth on reaching the inner sanctum of the place. Every stalagmite is said to resemble many gods, goddesses and other mythological creatures.
There is a family of priests who perform the religious activities in the place, and they are a storehouse of many tales and myths. This is an interesting way to spend time in this place as well.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Patal Bhuvaneshwar experiences a mild and pleasant climate through the year and one can visit the place at any point. The rainfall is quite extensive during the monsoon season and this might make travel difficult. The summers are very pleasant and the temperatures are rarely extreme. The winter season is also a popular time to visit and the conditions are refreshing.
The summer season is from April to June and the temperatures range from a minimum of 19°C to a maximum of 36°C. The humidity is limited and the place is generally dry during this period. The hottest month of the year is May.
Monsoon season in the region is from July to September and the place gets rainfall from the South West Monsoon. Rainfall is generally scattered over this period and the humidity also increases significantly during this time. The post monsoon months of October and November are pleasant and a good time to visit the place.
The winter season starts in the month of December and ends in February. Temperatures can be expected to fall to around 4°C during this time. Maximum expected temperatures during the winters season is around 25°C.
Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave
This mystical cave is 160m long and 90 feet deep where limestone rock formations have created various impressive stalagmite figures. Almost every god that you would have heard of resides in this mystifying cave. It is also believed that you can worship at Patal Bhuvaneshwar is equivalent to worshipping at Char Dham of Uttarakhand.
One can see the gateway of the great ages in Patal Bhuvaneshwar. There are four entrances inside the cave named as ‘Randwar’ ‘Paapdwar’, ‘Dharamdwar’ and ‘Mokshadwar’. The Paapdwar was closed soon after the death of Ravana and the Randwar, literally, the road to war, was closed down after the great Mahabharata war. At present only two gateways are opened. You can see the tongue of Kali Bhairav, Aravati of Indra, hairs of Lord Shiva and several other wonders inside the caves of Patal Bhuvaneshwar.
