SARANG ROCK SHELTERS

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An entire village of inhabitable rock shelters, a kind of troglodyte settlement, identified the highlander James Bailie Fraser (1783.06.12 -1856 January), 15th laird of Reelig, as half subterraneous dwellings consisting of caves under stones and projecting rocks, which served as houses (FRASER 1820: 358). SITUATION: In the upper reaches of the Sutlej River and some 20 km south from the orographically left bank of the river, somehow around Seran (FRASER 1820: 358) or Sarang (note 1) and at about halfway between the Sutlej and the Thaga La / Shangyak La 5578 (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 7 E3), a pass at the head of the Bhagirathi River. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Upon seeing his very first, only and last troglodyte settlement, J. B. Fraser was led to believe that It was remarkable that around Seran there were many persons and families, who had taken up their abode in caves under stones and projecting rocks, which served them as houses. Of these rocks a great many were scttered around the ruins of the cliffs above, under every one of which some wretched looking people resided. Thus, although there are but few houses to be seen, forming the town of Seran, the number of the inhabitants attached to the place is very considerable. It is a curious sight, either in the dusk of the evening to see the numerous glimmering fires that start up all around, though no houses appear, or in the calm of the morning to mark the multitude of smokes that spire up to the sky from these half subterraneous dwellings. It seems singular that the people should thus prefer living so precariously and uncomfortably, to building moderately substantial houses, of which the expense would not be great, and of which the comfort would in all probability be so much greater [note 2] (FRASER 1820: 358).ttered around the ruins of the cliffs above, under every one of which some wretched looking people resided. Thus, although there are but few houses to be seen, forming the town of Seran, the number of the inhabitants attached to the place is very considerable. It is a curious sight, either in the dusk of the evening to see the numerous glimmering fires that start up all around, though no houses appear, or in the calm of the morning to mark the multitude of smokes that spire up to the sky from these half subterraneous dwellings. It seems singular that the people should thus prefer living so precariously and uncomfortably, to building moderately substantial houses, of which the expense would not be great, and of which the comfort would in all probability be so much greater [note 2] (FRASER 1820: 358).