Shivkhori is also one of the famous cave shrines, located in village Ransoo of Pouni block in tehsil Reasi of the Udhampur district, for Hindus devoted to Lord Shiva. Shiv Khori is at a distance of about 140 km north of Jammu, 120 km from Udhampur and 80 km from Katra. One can travel by buses and light vehicles up to, Ransoo which is the base camp of pilgrimage. From there people have to traverse about 3 km on foot. This 3 kms track is being constructed by the Shiv Khori Shrine Board, Ransoo headed by the District Development Commissioner, Udhampur as chairman and Sub Divisional Magistrate, Reasi as Member Secretary.
Khori means cave or Guffa(in hindi). Thus Shiv Khori means Shiva's cave. The cave is about 200 metres long, one metre wide and two to three metres high. It is a natural cave and contains a self made lingam which is unending according to the people. The first entrance of the cave is wide enough to accommodate 300 devotees at a time. The outer chamber is large enough to accommodate a large number of people. The inner chamber is quite smaller and the passage from the outer to the inner chamber is low and small. At one spot the passage divides itself into two parts. One of these parts of the passage is believed to have led to Kashmir to Swami Amarnath cave. But at present it has been closed because some sadhus who dared to go ahead never returned.
To reach the sanctum sanctorum, one has to stoop low, crawl or adjust his body sidewards where a naturally created image of Lord Shiva, about 4 metres high, is visible. The cave is full of a number of other natural objects that have their resemblance with Goddess Parvati, Ganesha and Nandigan. The roof of the cave has snake formations on it and the water from these formations trickles on Shiva Lingam. Pigeons can also be seen here, like one can see at the Swami Amar Nath cave and these pigeons present good omens for pilgrimages.
At Shiv Khori a 3 day mela is also organized usually in the month of February or in the first week of March annually, on Maha Shivratri, which is attended by many pilgrims from within the state as well as different states. The Shiv Khori Shrine Board has taken certain steps to develop the area to facilitate the increasing number of pilgrims.
JOLLYKHANNA1's shared video file.
10 сен 2024
