KAPILESHWAR CAVE, Kelod

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A fabulous, sacred underwater cave is reputedly hidden below the waters of a closed depression (stilling basin, pool, well; in German: Tosbecken) at the foot of an unidentified water fall (no name mentioned) on a stream (no name mentioned) at one Kapileshwar mandir (note 1). SITUATION: West of Kelod (note 2) and at a linear distance of about 80 km east of the Shiva Cave at Salbardi. Somwhere around here, On a big mountain rock by the side of which flows a stream which falls from a height of 6.096 metres (about 20 feet). The fall has created a fairly big pool [in German: Tosbecken] and it is said that there is a hidden an inaccessible cave inside (maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer accessed 2005.12.19). CAVE LEGEND - religious folklore: A legend says that there was a mendicant who used to live in the above-mentioned cave and that he had a cow. That cow always used to go grazing along with the herd of cattle from the village. One day the cowherd followed the cow to ask wages for havin looked after the cow. The cow suddenly jumped into the pool and the cowherd had to return disappointed. The next day to his surprise, he noticed the same cow in the herd and this time he caught the cow's tail on arriving at the pool. On reaching the cave he saw a mendicant and the Dhuni [sacred fire pit]. When the cowherd explained the purpose of his visit, the mendicant took a few live coals from the Dhuni extinguished and put them in the blanket of the cowherd. The cowherd on coming out threw away the coals but the one which got stuck accidentally was found to be a piece of gold on reaching home. The shepherd repented for what he had done and tried to find out the mendicant and the cow but neither could be seen. Nobody has ever been able to fathom the contents of the cave. It is from this incident that the temple is named as Kapilesvar.A fabulous, sacred underwater cave is reputedly hidden below the waters of a closed depression (stilling basin, pool, well; in German: Tosbecken) at the foot of an unidentified water fall (no name mentioned) on a stream (no name mentioned) at one Kapileshwar mandir (note 1). SITUATION: West of Kelod (note 2) and at a linear distance of about 80 km east of the Shiva Cave at Salbardi. Somwhere around here, On a big mountain rock by the side of which flows a stream which falls from a height of 6.096 metres (about 20 feet). The fall has created a fairly big pool [in German: Tosbecken] and it is said that there is a hidden an inaccessible cave inside (maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer accessed 2005.12.19). CAVE LEGEND - religious folklore: A legend says that there was a mendicant who used to live in the above-mentioned cave and that he had a cow. That cow always used to go grazing along with the herd of cattle from the village. One day the cowherd followed the cow to ask wages for havin looked after the cow. The cow suddenly jumped into the pool and the cowherd had to return disappointed. The next day to his surprise, he noticed the same cow in the herd and this time he caught the cow's tail on arriving at the pool. On reaching the cave he saw a mendicant and the Dhuni [sacred fire pit]. When the cowherd explained the purpose of his visit, the mendicant took a few live coals from the Dhuni extinguished and put them in the blanket of the cowherd. The cowherd on coming out threw away the coals but the one which got stuck accidentally was found to be a piece of gold on reaching home. The shepherd repented for what he had done and tried to find out the mendicant and the cow but neither could be seen. Nobody has ever been able to fathom the contents of the cave. It is from this incident that the temple is named as Kapilesvar.