PAHARPANI GORAKH BABAJI GUFA

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

What appears to be a cave or rock shelter in gravitationally dislocated boulders interpreted BUTALIA (2005) as an ancient sacred Himalayan mahagufa (note 1) because of mind soothing associations with awe inspiring authorities and due to fabulous tunnels which connect underground to far away places of greater renown. SITUATION: At an unidentified location but apparently not far from the border of Almora and Nainital (Naini Tal) districts and a kilometre in an unspecified direction below an unidentified road-head at Paharpani (note 2), which BUTALIA (2005) places at travelling distances of 10 km from Managher (towards Padampuri on the road to Bhimtal N29°21': E079°34'), 3 km from Motia Pathar, 6 km from Punagarh, 7 km from Gajaar, 8 km from Durganagar, 10 km from Sahar Phatak, 13 km from Mournaulla, 18 km from Airi Deo, 26 km from Siddha Beri Chula and 40 km (note 3) from Devi Dhura (N29°25': E079°52') in the west of Lohaghat (N29°25': E080°06'). Dr. Trilochan ARYA (1993: 86, a school teacher (principal), mentions Pahar Pani in a litany reeling off a trekking route, which runs from Almora via Paudhar to Lamgarha (sic!) and continues from Laugasha (sic!) via Ganga Nagar, Pahar Pani, Bhatalia, Ramgarh and Ghorkhal to Nainital but the trekking can be started from Nainital to Almora in the same way. CAVE DESCRIPTION: Since … locals do not venture beyond the entrance to the mandir from where they offer worship it is no problem to assume that the chief gufa is deep and the path is narrow and perilous [mind your head] … In the mandir there is a dhuna or sacred firepit, a small idol of Devi, and symbols of Ganesh-ji, Bhairav Nath and a Shiva lingam from Alaknanda, Badrinath … An ancient diya is also at the dhuna (BUTALIA 2005). CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore: In this mahagufa [grand cave, great cavern], there are several caves nearby, which can be used for purposes of intense sadhana. The chief gufa is deep and the path is narrow and perilous [mind your had]. As is customary, locals do not venture beyond the entrance to the mandir from where they offer worship. In the mandir there is a dhuna or sacred firepit, a small idol of Devi, and symbols of Ganesh-ji, Bhairav Nath and a Shiva lingam from Alaknanda, Badrinath, which have been established and spiritually awakened by Babaji. An ancient diya is also at the dhuna (BUTALIA 2005). Currently, it is one of Maharishi Gorakh Babaji’s main tapasya- sthals. Nearby is his small kutia and also the yagyasthan where he has held yagyas for the villagers. Since Babaji started spending time here at regular intervals and performed different anusthans for the nearby villagers, the local people are now aware of the gufa (BUTALIA 2005). Fabulous speleography: As is spoken of Patal Bhuvaneshwar or the maha-gufa beyond Haat Kalika in Pithoragarh district, which has now been made public by the government and there is a kmVN [Kumaon Mandal Yatri Nivas] Rest House nearby, there are supposed to be pathways fabulous tunnels] from Patal Bhuvaneshwar to several places of pilgrimage including Kashi [note 4] and Hairdwar [note 5]. So also it is said that there are yogic marg [fabulous tunnels] or pathways from the Paharpani gufa which lead to Haridwar [N29°58': E078°10'], Kumaon Kailash, etc. It must be realised that these margs [roads] are for yogis and siddhas, and not for the general public, and come within the mystical realms of Shambala and Gyangunj (BUTALIA 2005).ad]. As is customary, locals do not venture beyond the entrance to the mandir from where they offer worship. In the mandir there is a dhuna or sacred firepit, a small idol of Devi, and symbols of Ganesh-ji, Bhairav Nath and a Shiva lingam from Alaknanda, Badrinath, which have been established and spiritually awakened by Babaji. An ancient diya is also at the dhuna (BUTALIA 2005). Currently, it is one of Maharishi Gorakh Babaji’s main tapasya- sthals. Nearby is his small kutia and also the yagyasthan where he has held yagyas for the villagers. Since Babaji started spending time here at regular intervals and performed different anusthans for the nearby villagers, the local people are now aware of the gufa (BUTALIA 2005). Fabulous speleography: As is spoken of Patal Bhuvaneshwar or the maha-gufa beyond Haat Kalika in Pithoragarh district, which has now been made public by the government and there is a kmVN [Kumaon Mandal Yatri Nivas] Rest House nearby, there are supposed to be pathways fabulous tunnels] from Patal Bhuvaneshwar to several places of pilgrimage including Kashi [note 4] and Hairdwar [note 5]. So also it is said that there are yogic marg [fabulous tunnels] or pathways from the Paharpani gufa which lead to Haridwar [N29°58': E078°10'], Kumaon Kailash, etc. It must be realised that these margs [roads] are for yogis and siddhas, and not for the general public, and come within the mystical realms of Shambala and Gyangunj (BUTALIA 2005).