GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Gokarna

कागेश्वरी मनोहरा नगरपालिका (काठमाडौं - NP)
27.733300,85.400000
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 15/07/2016

A supposed cave in the forested area near the village of Gokarna (cow ear), 9 km north of Kathmandu, where KNAB (1990 following a local youngster) saw dolines (closed depressions, sinkholes) behind a wall (not trespassed) in a area that may represent Gokarna Ban, a reserved forest / sacred grove (beware of access restrictions). CULTURAL HISTORY - cave legend: A mythical history associated with this Gupteshwara (literally "hidden Lord" and possibly indicating a Shiva lingam) is narrated in the "ancient" chronicle PARBATIYA (s.a. in: WRIGHT 1877 edited 1990: 112 after: SINGH & GUNANAND 1877) which relates to the Kirati Rajas, who claim to have reigned Nepal since the commencement of the Kali Yuga, the current 432'000 year long aeon: The Kirati Rajas »lived in an inaccessible durbar, built in the jungles of Gokarna. The Kiratis began to kill the jackals which infested the place, and these animals took refuge at Gupteswara, on the banks of Bagmati.«

Documents

Bibliography 15/07/2016
  • Knab, Oliver 1990; Parbatiya, s.a. in Wright, Daniel 1877 edited 1958, 1990, 1993.

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
1.4GANESH GUFA, Gokarneshwar
2.5SUNTAKHAN GUPHA
3.5MATRIKAS, Sundarijal (Cave of the)
4.7TARAGIRI (Cave on)
5.0SUNDARIJAL TUNNEL
6.1SURJEGHATAKO OTAR
6.3SANKHU CAVE 1st
6.3SANKHU CAVE 2nd
6.3SANKHU CAVE 3rd