Khudiya Rani
Cave, Bagicha, Jashpur
(A blog by
Jitendra Nakka)
Introduction
Somewhere
I had heard that, the most beautiful places in the world are located somewhere
in the most challenging locations. I, too, came across the same experience,
when I visit the marvel”Goddess Khudiya rani cave”of Jashpur. There are
very places in world where a cave is worshipped as an abode of Goddess
Shakti(Goddess Durga) instead of Lord Shiva. Khudiya rani is one such cave.
Jashpur, one of the most promising districts in respect of tourism, has the potential to attract any tourist in terms of religion, mythology, history, archeology and tourism.
Final Chamber of Goddess Khudiya Rani cave
Jashpur, one of the most promising districts in respect of tourism, has the potential to attract any tourist in terms of religion, mythology, history, archeology and tourism.
Where and How to
reach?
Khudiya
rani comes under Bagicha block of Jashpur District. Jashpur, one of the most
promising districts in respect of tourism, has the potential to attract any
tourist in terms of religion, mythology, history, archeology, custom,
tradition, culture and tourism.
Khudiya
rani is situated at Chhichhali(R) village of Bagicha block
of Jashpur. From Bagicha, one has to travel nearly 18-20kms to reach Chhichhali(R)
village. From where, again a fierce traverse tests the patience of a
rider/driver to descend down to a slope of nearly 300-450
upto 5km to reach this marvel, which is popularly known as Goddess Khudiya
Rani Cave.
As
the site is quite sloppy, it is advisable to visit this site in months of
winters and summers, irrespective of the fact, that it is opened in rainy
season too. Bagicha, the block HQ, is the best lodging and boarding site
available nearby, some of the good hotels provide you exciting packages of tour
and travels of nearest tourist places. Raigarh and Ambikapur are the nearest
railway stations available nearby whereas Ranchi(Jharkhand) and Raipur are the
nearest airport available.
Salient
Features:
Features outside
the cave:
It
feels awesome being at Khudiya rani. The respective place is famous, not only
for cave, but also for waterfall and the geological features existing here.
Khudiya cave lovation (Panoramic View)
Just
getting down the high slope to reach this exotic place, one has to descend down
a no. of 300-400 stairs which are very long, with a slope of nearly 30-40
degree again. In the last stairs series, one can observe thin waterfalls
emerging out from rocks. They can be understood as springs too.
Just
around Khudiya rani cave, all the rocks are undulated and folded, making it
more challenging for tourist to stand quite in a single place. One has to keep
moving to make upto this sacred cave. Just 200 ft infront of this cave, we can
observe a small waterfall formed from the brook emerging out from the interior
of the cave, along with a channel arriving from the back of this sacred cave.
Both the channels mix with each-other and form a small brook to descend down
from a height of nearly 15-20 feet to form a small but beautiful waterfall.
Waterfall outside cave
Waterfall (Lateral View)
Just
above the left entrance of cave, a group of priests reside and offer prayers
and rituals in the name of devotees who visit this divine place for bestowing. Here
the cave is worshipped as an abode of Goddess Shakti(Goddess Durga)
instead of Lord Shiva.
Features inside
the cave:
Khudiya
rani cave has two entrances, out of which the left entrance is the main one.
The cave is nearly 100 ft long, divided into two chambers connected by a comparatively
thin horizontal shaft, where the first chamber is nearly 50 feet long and 30
feet wide, shaft is nearly 7ft wide and 30ft long, followed by last chamber
which is 20 ft long and 10-15 ft wide. Though the cave is granitic in nature,
but still due to infilteration of yearly flooding, it exhibits some of the structures
like speleothems e.g. cave draperies and flowstones etc.
First Chamber
Horizontal Shaft
Horizontal Shaft
Horizontal Shaft
Horizontal Shaft
Cave Draperies
Flow-stones
Cave Exit
Cave Entrance (Internal View)
To the very last of final chamber, there lies
a small hollow cavity like chamber(spring) from where water comes out
and forms a small brook. In the right side of last chamber, two hollow chambers
are located supported by thin rock columns, which are revered as incarnation of
Goddess Shakti(Goddess Durga). The reason may be the ‘brook’
coming out of the cave, as water is considered as the source of life.
Cave spring
Author(Right) with his staff Mr. Surya Prakash Sao and Mr. Jagdeep Bhagat(Left)
Conclusion:
Khudiya
rani is a must visit site and an ideal picnic destination. Numerous devotees
visit this sacred site every day. I went
this site with my office colleagues and staff and gained some ever-lasting memorable
experience. I extend my invitation to you also. Do visit this divine marvel. Do
visit KHUDIYA RANI CAVE
Last
but not the least my special thanks to Mr. Surya Prakash Sao and Mr. Jagdeep
Bhagat of Jashpur for their perseverance, coordination and help, they provided
me and my colleagues during this visit.
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