[In Pics] Cave Temple Gupteswar Draws Devotees From Odisha And Outside On Maha Shivratri

Koraput: A long of devotees take the arduous path to the cave temple of Gupteswar in Koraput district to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.

Devotees from different corners of the district and neighbouring districts as well as states visit the popular temple to seek the Lord’s blessings.

Extensive arrangements have been made by the district administration in view of the crowd. The Debottar committee teams and the ODRAF men are on guard for the safety of the devotees who entered the cave temple after a gap of two years. The Mahadeepa here will be lifted atop the temple at 1 am, said temple authorities.

Meanwhile, a group of devotees from Nabaragnpur district have trekked a distance of about 110 km to pour holy water on the Shiva Linga in the cave temple.

The group, comprising of 10 devotees, walk four to five days to pour water on the Shivling, an annual ritual hey have been performing for the last 36 years. The travel route includes deep forests and hilly terrains but nothing deters them from taking up the annual padyatra for fulfilment of their wishes.

About 300 to 400 people journey on foot for Lord Gupteswar temple.

They could not come in the last two years due to COVID restrictions, they said.