GORAKHNATH GUMPHA, Trimbak

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A tiny, much modified natural temple cave in Deccan Traps basalts is used as a place of pilgrimage (note 1) sacred to the Hindu sorcerer saint Gorakhnath (Goraknath). Compare the nearby –>Vriddha Ganga Gumpha (ca. 500 m south-east) and –>Gahininath Gumpha (ca. 200 m south-east). SITUATION: Half an hours' hike up south-west from Trimbak (note 2) and its popular Hindu temple Trimbakeshwar (note 3) to the approximately 250 m wide base of a magnificent cliff exposing Deccan Trap basalts above a north-east facing, vertically 150 m (estimated) high scree slope, complete with palki (note 4) service. The three sacred cave sites up here (Vriddha Ganga Gumpha, Goraknatha Gumpha and Trimkak Cave 2) are all visible from far away as the temple buildings and open air rock surfaces are white-washed in contrast to the dark natural surface colour of the basalt. The three sites are reached by a well-paved path, which ascends across well-laid steps and is flanked on both sides by a near continuous seres of stalls and shacks dedicated to selling dreadfully sweet sugar cane juice or refreshing Chal Jeera (note 5), devotional CDs, pious DVDs, empty water bottles and other religious paraphernalia pleasing Indian tastes. The first, most south-easterly cave reached –>is Vriddha Ganga Gumpha, the second (central one) is –>Gahininath Gumpha and the third, most north-westerly, is –>Goraknatha Gumpha. SITUATION 2: DUTT, Manvesh (s.a. circa 2005), literally quoted, places the Gorak Nath cave on the Brihmagiri Mountain. SITUATION 3: BRIGGS (1938: 121) places this Goraknath cave high upon the hillside. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: MATE (1988: 147) calls Goraknath Gumpha a small crevice. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: A natural, north-east facing, vaulted cave entrance (originally up to 2 m wide and 1.5 m high), which has been closed off with a plastered wall except of an iron door, leads to a roundish chamber (about 2 m wide and 1.15 m high) in basalt with encroaching walls covered with a thick coating of shining pink coloured enamel paint. Put up on the artificially levelled floor is a bathroom tiles covered structure housing an idol representing the Hindu sorcerer saint Goraknath (note 6). What at a first glance looks like a small, continuing gallery (1 m wide, 0.7 m wide) with a cross-section resembling a horiontally mirrored letter U, runs after a metre (or so) into a rounded end, where another idol is put up. CULTURAL HISTORY - folklore: According to MATE (1988: 145-146, 156-157) spent Gorakhnath (about 1100-1200 AD), the founder of the Sampradaya school of Hindu believers, his early years in this -gumpha“ (Marathi = cave), meditating and attaining final knowledge. His pupil Gahininath had also stayed several years in Gorakhagumpha (Gorakhnath Gumpha). In the village below is the source of the river Godavari (–>Vriddha Ganga Gumpha), the kunds (in this case artificial water reservoirs) named after Rama and Lakshmana and a Rama temple erected by one Ghanekar in around 1858.es of stalls and shacks dedicated to selling dreadfully sweet sugar cane juice or refreshing Chal Jeera (note 5), devotional CDs, pious DVDs, empty water bottles and other religious paraphernalia pleasing Indian tastes. The first, most south-easterly cave reached –>is Vriddha Ganga Gumpha, the second (central one) is –>Gahininath Gumpha and the third, most north-westerly, is –>Goraknatha Gumpha. SITUATION 2: DUTT, Manvesh (s.a. circa 2005), literally quoted, places the Gorak Nath cave on the Brihmagiri Mountain. SITUATION 3: BRIGGS (1938: 121) places this Goraknath cave high upon the hillside. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: MATE (1988: 147) calls Goraknath Gumpha a small crevice. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: A natural, north-east facing, vaulted cave entrance (originally up to 2 m wide and 1.5 m high), which has been closed off with a plastered wall except of an iron door, leads to a roundish chamber (about 2 m wide and 1.15 m high) in basalt with encroaching walls covered with a thick coating of shininges of stalls and shacks dedicated to selling dreadfully sweet sugar cane juice or refreshing Chal Jeera (note 5), devotional CDs, pious DVDs, empty water bottles and other religious paraphernalia pleasing Indian tastes. The first, most south-easterly cave reached –>is Vriddha Ganga Gumpha, the second (central one) is –>Gahininath Gumpha and the third, most north-westerly, is –>Goraknatha Gumpha. SITUATION 2: DUTT, Manvesh (s.a. circa 2005), literally quoted, places the Gorak Nath cave on the Brihmagiri Mountain. SITUATION 3: BRIGGS (1938: 121) places this Goraknath cave high upon the hillside. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: MATE (1988: 147) calls Goraknath Gumpha a small crevice. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: A natural, north-east facing, vaulted cave entrance (originally up to 2 m wide and 1.5 m high), which has been closed off with a plastered wall except of an iron door, leads to a roundish chamber (about 2 m wide and 1.15 m high) in basalt with encroaching walls covered with a thick coating of shining pink coloured enamel paint. Put up on the artificially levelled floor is a bathroom tiles covered structure housing an idol representing the Hindu sorcerer saint Goraknath (note 6). What at a first glance looks like a small, continuing gallery (1 m wide, 0.7 m wide) with a cross-section resembling a horiontally mirrored letter U, runs after a metre (or so) into a rounded end, where another idol is put up. CULTURAL HISTORY - folklore: According to MATE (1988: 145-146, 156-157) spent Gorakhnath (about 1100-1200 AD), the founder of the Sampradaya school of Hindu believers, his early years in this -gumpha“ (Marathi = cave), meditating and attaining final knowledge. His pupil Gahininath had also stayed several years in Gorakhagumpha (Gorakhnath Gumpha). In the village below is the source of the river Godavari (–>Vriddha Ganga Gumpha), the kunds (in this case artificial water reservoirs) named after Rama and Lakshmana and a Rama temple erected by one Ghanekar in around 1858.