DARJEELING, Observatory Hill top (Cave at)
27.041700,88.283300
Description
The venerated stone (note 1), from which Darjeeling (note 2) is suspected to have got it's name, was once sheltered in the cave at the western side of Observatory Hill (note 3) but in due course successfully moved (note 4) to the hill top, where the moderately profitable cult spot, venerated both by Buddhists (note 5) and Hindus (note 6), is centered till today on the Tibetan "thunderbolt" or modern Hindu Mahakal 'lingam'. The sacred site is variously called Mahakali Gufa or Maheshkala Gupha (Hindi, Nepali, etc) and rDo rJe gLing Phug (Tibetan) or simply Shiva Cave (town council authorities) and 'Cave on Observatory Hill' (English tourist leaflets, coffe-table books, and the like). SITUATION: The so-called 'cave' nowadays shown to visitors, has been constructed on top of Observatory Hill, which, consisting or gneiss, lies quite in the centre of Darjeeling and about 300 m north of Chowrasta along Bhanu Bakti Sanu. The steps leading to the hill top start were people sell religious commodities and paraphernalia on the roadside. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The object in question is not a subterranean feature at all but a rectangular, erected re-inforced steel concrete structure covered with visibly cheap toilet-wall tiles attached with low workmanship.
NOTE 1: »The crowning attraction of the hill was from time immemorial the stone cave of Mahakal (the god Siva, one of the Hindu Trinities representing the principle of destruction). The transcendental Stone (worshipped as Mahakal or Durjaylinga, the former meaning the Great Destroyer and the latter the Unconquerable) being a mundane manifestation of the god Siva, was in the beginning inside the cave, but was removed for the convenience of His devotees to the top of the hill, where the same is in possee on a mound. Orisons had been offered by the Hindu priests ever since 1815, if not earlier, that is to say, at least two decades prior to the year 1835 when the district was gifted by the Maharaja of Sikkim, to the East India Company« (BHANJA 1941). NOTE 2: The Tibetan rDo rJe gLing (pronounce Dörje Ling) or Thunderbolt Site, is better known by its modern name Darjeeling.NOTE 3: Compare the cave at –>Darjeeling (Observatory Hill west side). NOTE 4: To serve the requirements, desires and needs of relevant temple management's PPCs (pious paying customers). NOTE 5: »… Buddhists make quaint offerings and libations, often brought in enamelled iron kettles made in Birmingham, and set up poles and bamboos fluttering with string of flags, 'the horses of the wind', which transport their prayers to the gods« (O'MALLEY 1907, s.a. circa 1994: 186). NOTE 6: »Subject: (India-L) Durjaylinga. Many claims have been made to the origin of the name Darjeeling, but an Indian report from the 1940s was recently passed to me that stated the cave of Mahakal on Observatory Hill has been an auspicious site for Hindu pilgrims since at least 1815, and perhaps earlier. The cave contained a stone that represented the destructive aspect of Shiva, which the report advised was revered as Mahakal the Great Destroyer or Durjaylinga the Unconquerable. The words Mahakal and Durjaylinga were said to be Sanskrit« (Martins, Terry 2002.09.22, INDIA-L@rootsweb.com, sent: Sunday, September 22, 2002 10:55 PM; forwarded by Chris Smart 2002.09.26).
Documents
Bibliography 14/05/2016Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | DARJEELING, Observatory Hill: west side (Cave at) | ||
| 23.2 | KAHDO SANG PHUG | ||
| 26.5 | RAMMAN NATURAL BRIDGE | ||
| 28.9 | DRET GANG | ||
| 30.1 | TSE CHU PHUG | ||
| 30.1 | TSE CHU PHUG 2 | ||
| 30.8 | BE PHUG | ||
| 32.3 | SITHA LINGDING | ||
| 33.8 | BE PHUG 2 |