GANESH GUFA, Mana

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 28/03/2016

A kind of a »cave« (or modified natural rock shelter, is reputed to have been the troglodyte home of Ganesh, the scribe of Vyas. SITUATION: In an unidentified spatial relation »close« to the –>Vyas Gufa at the village of Mana (N30°46': E079°29'), which lies about 3 km (SHARMA 1994) or 5 km (SHIPTON 1939) north of Badrinath (N30°44': E079°29') at the "sangam" (confluence) of the Alaknanda and Saraswati rivers, the "tirtha" (sacred bathing place) called Keshavaprayag (Keshav Prayag). APPROACH: Following the Saraswati upstream, first Ganesh Gufa, then –>Vyas Gufa and finally (beyond Mana gorge) –>Muchukund Gufa is reached. Compare –>Garur Gufa and the Cave on the –>Saraswati Nadi. CULTURAL HISTORY -- religious folklore: »Vyas Gufa (cave), Ganesh Gufa, Bhimpul and Vasudhara Falls are within the range of 3-6 km. All these destinations are famous for their links with Hindu mythology and form part of the pilgrimage to Badrinath« (traveliteindia.com/guide/state/uttaranchal.asp accessed 22.08.2004).