SHIKHAR NARAYANA GUFA
27.600000,85.266700
Description
A comparatively large, overhanging crag (rock shelter) with speleothems (note 1) shelters a relatively small temple cave, yet its sanctity, and, consequently, its importance … is very great (KIRKPATRICK, W J 1811: 75). ETYMOLOGY: So far, I saw the name of the cult spot called or transcribed, edited or printed as to be completed Seker-nerain KIRKPATRICK, W J (1811: 75) Sesa Narayana LEVI (1905-1908, 2: 400 after Bal yul gNas yig bZhugs so, s.a.)Shikha Narayana WIESNER (1976: 241) Shesh Naryan Sikh Narayan LEVI (1905-1908, 2: 400) SITUATION: About 14 km along the road south of Kathmandu city and within the temple precincts of Shikhar Narayan (note 2) at the village of Pharphing or Pharping (In Tibetan: Yangleshod) on the way to Dakshinkali (Dachinkalika) shrine. A causeway paved with stone slabs and framed by ponds on either side leads to stairs up to the temple. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1976: The shrine of Shikha Narayana is built in front of a cave at the bottom of a cliff with plenty of clea springs in the vicinity (WIESNER 1976: 241). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1985: Under the great abri [French for rock shelter] of the temple a linear cave only 2 m long and 1.6 m high housing Hindu saddhu can be found. The continuation of the cave is concealed behind a wall. The cave was outflow channel for karst spring now emerging from holes some 30 cm in diameter below the temple. The capacity of the spring reaches 6 l/sec. The existence of a larger cave system in this place is probable (CÍLEK et al. 1989). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1992: Both the Narayana Shikar Gufa and the –>Asura Gufa (Pharphing) consist of a meandering cave passage (1.5 m wide and 3 m high, dipping north) abandoned by flowing water. Both caves are obstructed 5 m in by an altar (note 3). CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore (note 4): Like –>Changu Narayan Shrine, the Shikhar Narayan has a supposed existence since pre-Vedic times. It is said to be the place where Lord Krishna (note 5) in the form of a tiger had caught hold of the dder of the celestial cow Kamadenhu which, scared by the tiger, was about to leave for heaven. Lord Krishna needed the milk of the cow to offer it to Gopaleshwor Mahadev a little away from the shrine. BLA-MA BSTAN-PO (1820 folio 7a) associates the teacher Padma-ka-ra with Yangleshod but the Bal-gnas (s.a.
Documents
Bibliography 06/01/2018History
Caves nearby
Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
---|---|---|---|
0.0 | ASURA GUFA, Pharphing / Yangleshod | ||
0.8 | HELGA HARTMANN | ||
2.5 | BASBARI | ||
2.5 | BASBARI 2 | ||
2.5 | BASBARI 3 (Cave at) | ||
2.5 | BASBARI 4 (Cave at) | ||
2.5 | BASBARI 5 (Cave at) | ||
2.5 | BASBARI 6 (Cave at) | ||
2.5 | BASBARI 7 (Cave at) |