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Jata Shankar, Pachmarhi
In short
One of main attraction points of the beautiful surroundings of Panchmarhi town is a natural monument, site of legends and shrine – Jata Shankar.
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Religion
Map of the site
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In detail
Legend
Legend goes that the Bhasmasur was a devotee of Shiva and wanted to get a special ability – to turn anyone in ashes by touching the head of a victim by hand. After long entreating Shiva agreed. But now the former devotee turned into an enemy – Bhasmasur wanted to test this ability on Shiva first.
Shiva escaped through a tunnel from Tilak Sindur and finally reached a remote cave – Jata Shankar. While running through the cave he lost his hair.
Shrine and tourism
Nowadays Jata Shankar is a famous destination for tourists – as it is usual in India, people appreciate the tangency of religion and natural beauties. Especially many pilgrims come here during the Maha Shivratri festivity in February. Dramatic scenery around the cave is often used in Indian movies.
Important part of the experience is the path towards the cave shrine with numerous small shops selling herbs and medicines. Near the cave there are two small ponds fed by springs – one is fed by cold spring, another one – by hot spring. Here originates Jambu Dwip stream.
Cave itself is hidden in a deep ravine. Enormous, seemingly loose rocks are perched in a ravine above the heads of visitors.
Dripstone formations inside the cave helped to create the legend. At the ceiling there is a formation that resembles a group of snakes – it is considered to represent the hair of Shiva but also – a hundred-headed divine snake Sheshnag.
Cave contains numerous stalagmites – revered as lingams. Some count even 108 such natural lingams here.
Linked articles
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Caves
Every year there are reported exciting discoveries of new caves and discoveries of new qualities such as cave paintings in the ones known before. But there still is a feeling that our knowledge covers just a small part of all these monuments of nature.
Though, those which are known to us, offer a surprising diversity of unusual features and impressive sights.
Hindu shrines
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions – possibly the oldest one among contemporary religions and Hindu temples belong to the most impressive religious buildings in the world.
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