Breakfast and into the car by 7:00 a.m. for the ride to Gupteswar Cave. Gupteswar is a famous cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and located at the top of a limestone hill about 500m/1,600′ above sea level…View image. A big Shiva festival is held at Gupteswar (usually in February) and thousands of pilgrims come to the cave from all over Orissa and India. In 2009, the Shiva Festival was going to take place in two weeks and vendors had begun to set up their stalls in preparation…View image. It gets so crowded that pilgrims usually have to walk for miles from where transportation lets them off because of traffic congestion along the road.

The route was very beautiful on twisting roads through dense forests of Sal trees, a few with animist altars containing offerings to various deities, and a stop to pile leaves in front of another altar that the locals believe will ensure a safe journey.

Dalkai Shrine for a safe journey in Orissa, India
Down the steep hill safely, Deepak parked the car and we walked down to the Kolab River first to watch a few local women, men and pilgrims bathing in a safe, fenced off area of the river. …View image.. The current (and rapids) is very strong and people drown during monsoon season if they venture outside this area. There are also supposed to be Crocodiles in the Kolab River but we didn’t see any.

bathing in the Kolab River at Gupteswar, India
Back to the cave entrance, Bibhu bought coconut and little oil lamps to be used as offerings inside the cave and we began climbing the 195 steps up to Gupteswar Cave lined with Champak Trees. The shrine (a 2 meter/6′ high lingam) is called gupteswar which means hidden god. so named because it was lying hidden in this cave for a long time.

Inside Gupteswar Cave Shrine, Orissa, India 

stairs leading to Gupteswar Cave Shrine, India
At the top of the stairs, and then down more steps into the shrine itself where a priest helped us light oil lamps for prayers and tied a red string on our wrists.

TIP: Watch the very low ceiling entering the cave.

Beggars lined both sides of the steps and Bibhu said it was customary to drop money or rice into their plates. I disagreed. How do you decide which of the perhaps 50 beggars to give to? Deepak managed to navigate the downhill portion to Gupteswar (or rather our little car managed) but it was a different situation going back up the hill. No go. The strong smell of rubber burning, a little pushing, but the Ambassador refused to move uphill. Rocks under the back wheels while Deepak pondered…View image. Finally, a local, Bibhu, and Deepak did more pushing uphill until the Ambassador got some traction and we could continue on our way.

On the way back to Jeypore for lunch, we stopped in the Dhuruba village of Siribeda where we spent quite a bit of time. This village was immaculate and interesting with villagers going about their daily chores…

the yard didn’t look like much, but there wasn’t a crumb to be seen anywhere, India
…weaving fences, and putting on a new roof…View image, and even a school…View image. The local teacher invited us into the school to meet the children, grades 1-6 with 120 students. The tribal people feel no need for education but he does his best and you must remember that the average income in India is $500-600 a year. For the majority of the tribal children, 6th grade will be the end of schooling and only a few will go higher. The teacher’s wife also teaches at the school. What would any trip be without an opportunity to share my world famous version of “Head, shoulders, knees and toes” with the children? Great fun and then they serenaded us with one of their songs.

The return to Jeypore was on the same road we took to Gupteswar for lunch before continuing back to Rayagada for one last evening.

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