Monte Rosa Shelters 1-4

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A group of four rock shelters, of which some contain comparatively early linear drawings but other no rock art, is situated west of –>Pachmarhi and north of the airstrip. The four rock shelters are best reached from the –>Reechgarh end of the road surrounding Monte Rosa Hill (saffronised: Astachal) where the costly Forest Department Toll Gate invites to be avoided (usually abandoned past 4 o'clock p.m.). They are all at a slightly higher level than the motor road. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1948: There are four shelters at Monte Rosa: One facing south, the best, and three east. Easily reached from Dorothy Deep, where motors must be left (Glennie, E A circa 1948 s.a. Mss -Preliminary record- after GUIDE TO PACHMARHI 1936). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000: To reach the first three shelters leave the footpath round Astachal. After a short level walk of about ten minutes one comes to the first shelter [no. 1] which has a large but faint cream elephant. The next shelter [no. 2] is on the right (facing the hll) and adjoins the first. The paintings have scaled away badly, but there is a frieze of animals. The third shelter [no. 3] is a short distance further round the hill and 8 m up. There is a faint picture of a donkey in a hut. The most interesting shelter [no. 4] is on the south side of the hill… It can be reached by following the footpath round Astachal, starting from the Reechgarh end. The shelter is below the southern face of the western peak of Astachal. One should strike north from the path shortly before the turning that goes to the top of the peak. The paintings in this shelter are all comparatively early and now mostly faint. They are linear drawings in pink, and the human figures are in a stick-like convention (GHATE, R circa 2000 s.a.). ROCK ART: There are few paintings of recognisably religious or mythical significance. In the large shelter on the south side of Monte Rosa there is a definite -Gilgamesh- figure well known in Babylonian art, showing in the centre the culture ero, the -Protector in the Herds- dompting [sic!] a lion and a wild bull while the cattle pass peacefully below (Glennie, E A circa 1948 s.a. Mss -Preliminary record- after GUIDE TO PACHMARHI 1936).