Those keen on meditating inside caves will soon get the facility in Kedarnath. The renovation of a cave behind the main shrine is likely to start soon and the process is underway to identify other places where such chambers can be developed.
Uttarakhand chief secretary Utpal Kumar recently visited Kedarnath in district Ruderprayag, to inspect the ongoing reconstruction work, and saw the cave near the bank of Mandakini river. He directed the Jindal Group, doing projects under CSR, officials to link the cave and toilet that are 100 meters away from the left of the temple with supply of electricity and water so that pilgrims can meditate there easily.
The small size cave which caught the attention of the Chief Secretary can comfortably accommodate three persons. Some construction has been done on the front portion to provide protect from rain and wind. Now the cave will be renovated.
Uttarkashi based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in conducting reconstruction work in Kedarnath since 2014. NIM’s coordinator Sobhan Singh Bisht says, “In the first phase we will be renovating one cave. Natural look will be provided to the cave by using cut stone.”
The move is to develop about half a dozen caves, with attached toilets. The search for other locations were such enclosures can be developed is presently going on in Kedarnath.
The identified cave was used by Sadhus during their stay in Kedarnath. But, now efforts are being made to develop such infrastructure for pilgrims and spiritual leaders who and interested in practising meditation in cave.
When The Beatles visited Rishikesh in 1968 to learn mediation from their Guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the boys from Liverpool too were keen on meditating in natural cave. Which they failed to get and had to used the meditation chambers constructed at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram.