Me and Didi (elder sister) go out for Himalayan darshan every year. Travelling is our passion. We move here and there with little money. Book everything at home and go out.
I had an organisation called 'Chalun Beriye Pari' in Hatibagan, Kolkata in 2012. I visited two or three times with the team. Later I closed the company because it was not possible for me to commute to Kolkata every day.
In September 2019, we both happily left for the Himalayas on a 19-day tour.
After visiting various places we came to the above-mentioned place i.e. Patal Bhubaneswar. It goes without saying that we live on the outer side of the world and do not fall. Even though the Earth revolves around the Sun, we do not toss or fall. Strange thing. And we are not aware of how many unknown secrets are there in the interior of the world. If I had not gone to this underworld Bhubaneswar, I would have been deprived of the immense glory of creation.
After reaching Patal Bhubaneswar, I sat a little outside. We were accompanied by the younger man of the driver cum resort owner. Didi says, 'Don't buy my ticket, I can't get off.'
Well, I heard it, 'How can I leave you alone?'
Didi says, 'I can't get down, knee pain. You go with Yogesh. I will sit here quietly, nothing, nothing will happen, you go. Come see.'
Didi also did such an act during Chardham. Three dhams have been reached during Yamunotri and will not go anywhere. In the end, after many requests by our fellow passengers, her Yamunotri was seen.
No more than ten to fifteen people are inserted at a time, eighty feet must be descended. It is not an easy road. Sitting on the narrow slippery road inside the cave of the mountain, holding two chains in both hands and bowing down, or else you will have to be hit on the head. In this way, one must descend very slowly. Hearing this, Didi's spirit is broken.
All the other passengers who got down refused. 'No, she can't. Eighty feet below when falling. Many did not panic. How many young boys and girls have fallen behind? My courage is a little bit younger, and my curiosity is more. I want to see what lies below, I want to know. Then two tickets are required. The driver greeted me, and said, sachche me aap bohut smart hai didi, going (really you are a smart lady).
We now sat at the mouth of the cave saying Joy Ma. I lowered my head as much as possible, wrapped my silk saree around my waist, and started to descend holding two chains in my hands.
I could never imagine that tragic campaign. Yogesh Bhai the driver before me, and the others behind. Our guide before Yogesh.
It's hard to describe, how terrifying that eighty-foot drop is. Descending into the underworld. Holding two chains in both hands.
I was thinking about Sita's entry into the underworld. I don't know how many feet she descended to find the stairs to heaven or hell.
This is my second entry into the underworld. For the first time, thirty-five years ago in a coal mine in Dhanbad, twelve people got down together in a trolly after signing the bond.
There is definitely a difference between the two. When I got inside the coal mine, I realised that it was full of gas, if it was not enough to extract the gas, the effort continued. The bottom is filled with water. A pond can also said to be mysterious. Because who knows if you step into the water, you will sink to some mysterious place.
Some workers are cutting coal. When entering the mine they gave us all headlights with helmets. There was a light fan inside but it seemed dark under the lamp. I was thinking about the workers and how helpless they are. No matter how much risk they have to suffer for their stomach.
Railroad leaves inside the mine. The trolley is full of coal coming and going. A trolley full of coal is being lifted with the help of a lift. The deadly sound of the machine. In the ears, that sound began to declare rebellion. Without further delay, we got too busy to escape.
Such was the first subway experience.
The second subterranean experience is quite thrilling. That is Patal Bhubaneswar. As I was going down quite a lot, my feet slipped in one place, I gripped two chains tightly in my hands. Everyone shouted, 'Didi Sambhalke'. I braced myself by leaning on the chain with both hands.
Yogesh went down a little and came up a few steps and said, 'Madam, up thik hai toh? Loga to nahi? Pakrenge?'
'Tum chalo na, nahi loga.'
It started again. I stopped for a while. Now will jump down a bit. Out of the mouth, 'Hey.'
I crawled down before Yogesh came. After so much effort, I finally reached the bottom of eighty feet.
I forgot to mention that nothing can be brought down, not even shoes. When I came down, I thought where did I come from? Cool soil under the feet, footing is a responsibility.
Somewhere high, somewhere low, somewhere water, somewhere slippery, so I started walking behind the guide-cum-priest very faithfully.
The priest started saying, this underground Bhubaneswar is thousands of years old. It is completely natural. Thirty-three crore gods reside here. There is no artificiality. Not created by anyone, created by itself.
One by one he showed all the gods and godesses on the stone. Shiv, Parvati, their children, Kedar, Badri, Gangotri, Yamunotri and even Panchapandava, Radhakrishna, Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad etc, etc. thousands of God and Goddess have been living in that underworld for thousands of years. Even Shiva's huge entombment on the rock with the water trickling down. Only those who have seen with their own eyes or those who believe in God will believe because one cannot deny one's own eyes.
Unbelievable but true. But no scientific explanation can be given. I don't know why scientists are still not demystifying this. It is surprising to me.
True or false in my opinion I admire natural art. If art is created by someone then I will appreciate it.
And there is a little mystery. The priest showed with his hand that the Pandavas had gone to heaven through that path, so that path was closed. I wrote as much as I understood. I leave it up to the readers to believe or not.
After that, getting out of there is another challenge. Out of curiosity, I went down, this time I felt how much pain it was for a patient with respiratory problems who was eighty feet high.
Slowly, with great difficulty, holding two chains in both hands, I came up and survived, of course with the help of Yogesh. I will be forever grateful to him.