BISHANKHU NARAYANA GUFA
27.605600,85.376400
Description
A steep path ascends to natural temple cave is not only sacred to »Bishnu«, the Hindu god Vishnu but also associated with the legend of Bhasmasur (note 1). SITUATION: At the village of Bandegaon (also: Baregau) east of the Kathmandu - Godavari road, and in a hillock in the ridge parting the Godavari area from the Valley itself. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The nearly impenetrable 'cave' is represented by a narrow vertical rift (5 m high but at its most only 15 cm to 17 cm wide) used as a dwar (note 2). There is a small circular chamber of about a metre in diameter at the top, which is fence off with a beautiful, antique and excessively heavy chain-net secured with a exceedingly heavy padlock. Inside this cavelet rest low stalagmite bosses (speleothems) venerated as linga, which is surrounded and topped with offerings or their remnants: Butter-lamps, burned incense, red tika-powder, aluminium coins (small change, if not smallest change), etc. CULTURAL HISTORY: »The cave belongs to a series of four important Narayana/Vishnu shrines in the Valley« (WIESNER 1976: 221). »Though it is one of the most famous Vishnu sanctuaries in the Valley it consists only of a natural cave …« (ANDERSON 1988: 124).
NOTE 1: Bhasmasura (also: Basmasur, Basmansur, Bhasmansur, Vashmasur, Vrashasura) is a 'raksha' or demon (in Sanskrit: asura): »Shiva took shelter here from the demon Bhasmansur whom he gave the power to turn living beings into dust only by touching them with his hand. Shiva talked the demon into touching his own forehead and Bhasmansur turned to dust himself. The hill neighbouring the cave is said to consist of the demon's ashes« (WIESNER 1976: 221). NOTE 3: »A l'aide d'un escalier on accéde à un trou dans le rocher. De là on doit se glisser par un passage étroit entre deux rochers -- test et élimination des péchés« (STEIN 1988: 16 note 43). If the rift part is intended as a dwar to gauge the size of one's sins, it must be a hyper-Victorian device. I found the site as such as a quiet and beautiful place to visit, which offers a good starting point for walks in the vicinity. For sure, however, the "cave“ (crack) cannot be penetrated by grown up humans but , perhaps, by children and lean dwarfs.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Godawari | ||
| 8.6 | PHARPHING TUNNEL | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI 2 | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI 3 (Cave at) | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI 4 (Cave at) | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI 5 (Cave at) | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI 6 (Cave at) | ||
| 9.3 | BASBARI 7 (Cave at) |