Supreme power exists even in this Kali Yug

Many people doubt whether God or the Supreme power exists in this Kali Yug or not. The answer is ‘yes’. Some elderly people say God’s power was in full swing in the Satya Yug. It narrowed down to a small extent in the Tretaya Yug. It further reduced in the dwapara Yug. And in the ongoing Kali Yug there is hardly any power of God. Even I know about some societies which prove – there is nothing called God; everything is just science. But there are many instances for which science does not have an answer. Why the lights are naturally burn in the Jwala Devi temple days and nights? How people know about Veda even in this twenty first century? Why man is still mortal despite the latest technology? In this article I would like to establish another truth regarding presence of the Supreme power even in this Kali Yug.

Yesterday I watched an episode of Amar Chitra Katha in TV. Tales from mythology are the subject of Amar Chitra Katha. The tale I watched was as follows:

Once two devas visited Lord Vishnu’s abode in the milk ocean (Khir Sagar) and found Him sleeping. They got astonished about how the God, who brings up the creation, can sleep. Anyway, when they were about to leave the place Lord Brahma arrived. He too found Lord Vishnu sleeping and waited for a while when He awoke. But till then Brahma was angry because He was not welcome properly. He wanted an answer about the disrespect and in return Lord Vishnu replied that He does not deserve the same. Soon the two Gods were in fight to decide who is mightier. Seeing the creator and operator of the universe in fight the two devas left the place to approach Lord Shiva to intervene. When Brahma and Vishnu were applying their weapons to each other in the space a gigantic beam of fire intervened. Now, Brahma decided to find the upper end of the huge fire beam and Vishnu went to find the lower end. Both of them measured thousands of light years but in vain. Yet, Brahma found a lady named Ketaki (a flower) who requested to stop the fight. Brahma agreed but with the condition that she will present herself as a witness before Lord Vishnu and state that Brahma found the upper cap. She did accordingly. Now, Lord Shiva emerged out of the fire beam and conveyed His dissatisfaction on the quarrel between the two Gods of the trinity. In between Vishnu had already realized that He should not have fought. He got down from His carrier Garuda and expressed sorry for His deed with joint palms but Brahma did nothing. Finally, Lord Shiva announced the verdict. He said, “Ketaki (flower) will no more be used in the worship of Lord Shiva and no people will worship Lord Brahma.”

In today’s time we have seen plenty of temples dedicated to different Gods, but have you seen a Brahma temple? I don’t think there is a Brahma temple anywhere. In Ranipur Jharial of Odisha, in the middle of the Chausathi Yogini temple an idol is there, which some people believe as the statue of Lord Brahma. But there is no solid evidence to its support. Now, one can argue it is just a tale, which is a fiction. I accept. But in this twenty first century when people set up a lot of temples to worship different Gods, why no one does build a Brahma temple? Because it is due to the curse of Lord Shiva narrated in the tale. And so it is proved that even in this Kali Yug the Supreme power exists very well.

Gupteswar cave shrine in Koraput

Koraput in southern Orissa is blessed with natural resources, picturesque landscapes, lush green hills and a plethora of caves. One of these caves houses lord Gupteswar. Named after Lord Gupteswar, an incarnation of Lord Shiva, one can witness a gigantic Shiva Linga in the cave. People pay visit and worship the Linga, Lord Gupteswar. Since the Linga is in a secret place (secret means gupta in Odia language) the lord is called Gupteswar (Ishwar is God; the God at a secret place) which is believed to be growing in size over the years. Besides the Linga, there are other attractions in and around this limestone cave that lure visitors.

Lord Gupteswar in Koraput Photo: Suryanarayan Panda

Legend

As per mythology, Gupteswar was first discovered by Lord Rama when he was roaming in the Dandakaranya forest along with Sita and Lakshman during his fourteen year hermitage. But, if historical evidence is anything to go by, the place was discovered by a tribal hunter in the 19th century, after which the tribal people of the area started worshipping Lord Gupteswar.

Location

The way leading to Gupteswar

The Gupteshwar cave is situated about 55 km away from Jeypore, the nearby town in Koraput district, 12 km away from Ramgiri junction, 34 km from Boipariguda and 43 km from the Patraput Bridge. The cave is in the Ramgiri forest range.

Popularly known as ‘Gupta Kedar’, Gupteswar is a natural cave with stalagmites. The shrine is called ‘Gupteswar’, which means the ‘Hidden God’. One can reach the Linga by climbing the 200 steps. There are champak trees by the side of the steps. The entrance to the cave is about 3 metres wide and 2 metres high.

There are also several other caves nearby. Inside the second cave there is a large stalactite. People worship it as the udder of God Kamadhenu (the divine cow described in mythology) and wait under it with outstretched palms to catch drops of water that fall only at long intervals.

Tips for visitors

Carry a powerful torchlight with you. It is better if each member of your team carries torchlights. There are local kids who will show you the different formations inside the caves for a meager Rs 10. The Gupteswar cave is quite long and you need to hire an expert guide to explore it. You’d have to climb around 170 steps to reach the entrance to the cave.

How to reach

Entrance to the cave

There is no direct public transport available to reach Gupteswar. So, you have to hire vehicles from Jeypore. After travelling 12 km from Jeypore you will have to cross the Patraput Bridge. After crossing the bridge, you will reach a Y junction. The straight road from there will lead you to Gupteswar. Before reaching Gupteswar, there is a tradition of offering a branch of leaves in the local temple (the reigning deity of which is Goddess Dalkhae) for a safe journey. There is no night stay facility nearby. Only a tourist guesthouse of Orissa tourism located nearby but that too is not functioning for long.  

What the locals say:

Suryanarayan Panda

The place is located amidst thick Sal forests. Due to its traditional association with the Ramayana, the place has become a centre of pilgrimage in the neighbouring tracts of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Although it does not have any archaeological relic the giant Shiva Linga rising to a height of six feet within a roughly circular chamber has become the main centre of attraction. The Linga is 10 feet in circumference. Another interesting sight is the cave from where water drops fall, which is popularly regarded as the udder of Kamadhenu.

Pritidhara Samal

As per legend, Lord Rama had worshipped the Linga in Gupteswar in the mythological age. But in the modern age a tribal man from the Durua caste first discovered the Linga and intimated the then King of Jeypore Maharaja Vikram Dev. The king arranged for worship. The Duruas first used to worship in the shrine. But a few years back Brahmins demanded the right to worship and a conflict erupted. A temporary solution was struck, but the tussle is still continuing. The road leading to Gupteswar is in a deplorable state. If the government takes necessary steps to improve facilities, Gupteswar can be an important tourist attraction in the state. The serene Sabari River flows nearby and the atmosphere is heart-touching. Also, deforestation has taken a heavy toll and no step has been taken to restore the scenic beauty of the place. There is no sophisticated eatery nearby, although there are small hotels that offer hygienic food to the visitors.

Nrusingha Behera

Koraput district is like Shimla. Unfortunately, many Oriyas do not know this. Gupteswar is a unique tourist destination. One can only feel the effect only after entering in to the cave. The giant Shiva Linga is the centerpiece of attraction. People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the God and stay back for months in the hope of getting cured. The caves apart, strolling by the riverside is also a great experience. The caves are more or less like the Bora caves in the Orissa-Andhra border.

Photos: Suryanarayan Panda

Jaykara Sherawali da – Bol sache darwar ki jay

Baishno Devi Maa

Devotees of Baishno Mata must have heard the slogan ‘Jaykara Sherawali da’ in ‘jagaratas’, to which every one present there answer together, ‘Bol sache darwar ki jay’ in loud and clear voice. It is a popular slogan and known to most of the devotees. In case anybody stranger to it, here is the explanation.

Jaykara means praising someone for His/Her good deed in loud voice. In this contest the ‘jaykara’ is meant for Durga Maa, who use to sit on a lion (lion is called sher in Hindi and Sherawali means the lady, who is the mistress of lion). The word ‘da’ in punjabi means ‘ka’ in Hindi which means ‘of’ in English. The slogan is heard in Baishno Devi, the abode of Baishno Mata. And since this place is dominated by Punjabi population, the words related to the Goddess are also in their language. When someone asks the other devotees to praise the mother Goddess with ‘jaykara Sherawali da’, then others should shout ‘bol sache darwar ki jay’ raising their two hands. Raising the hands symbolizes surrender. If we will surrender ourselves completely to the God with raising hands then only She/He will take care of us. Recall, till the moment Draupadi was trying to save her covering her hands the God did not came. But once she left everything on God and prayed Lord Krishna with raising hands, at once the lord tood incarnation as sarees and the strong couldn't pull her saree with his best effort.

Now come to what ‘Bol Sache Darwar Ki jay’ means. Darwar is the court of the king where every subject gets justice. Goddess Durga or Baishno Devi, who is the mistress and ruler of the universe also provides justice in Her ‘darwar’ or court. And the worldly court of justice may punish an innocent and leave a wrongdoer, but the Goddesses’ court is always true. It always offers the deserving prize or punishment. Hence devotees love to prasie about the greatness of the mother Goddess uttering ‘Bol Sache Darwar Ki Jay’ in loud voice. I have heard, Goddess Baishno Devi loves to hear the slogan from Her devotees and in return blesses them.