SIDDHA GUFA, Awal (Shree)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about 0.5 m to 1.5 m wide and 3 m to 6 m high (perhaps merely 0.5 to 1.5 feet wide and 3 to 6 feet high) rift cave entrance (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence) or relatively small opening (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15) gives access to a kind of holy cave (temple cave), which attracts Hindu customers by providing not only the sight of various images of gods (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15) in the shape of secondary calcite deposits (speleothems) but also fascinating stories relating to one Siddheshwar (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15) or master of superhuman abilities and, of course, to Sita Pani (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence), the perfect housewife Sita and her water. SITUATION: Probably in the range of about 2 km or 3 km in a direct line approximately north or northwest from the town of Tansen (note 1) and, apparently, above the the western (orograpgically left) bank of the Barangdi Khola [note 2). SITUATION 2011: Allegedly near N 27°53’41.0”: E 083°32’11.0”; 930 masl (unidentified map datum, unspecified precision error, ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15), and on the border of Bougha Ghumba V.D.C. [note 3] and Bougha Pokharathok V.D.C. [note 4] … on the bank of a stream at a height of around 50 meters from the stream, on the way to famous place Ranighat [note 5] (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15). SITUATION 1998: … at about 83°32'E, 27°53' which is 90 minutes walk from the town [of Tansen N27°50'50”: E083°32'19”] on the Rani Ghat path. It's actually in the cliff of a side valley to the main route (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CAVE DESCRIPTION: It's a rift opening, and a passage of about 0.5 to 1.5 m wide and 3 to 6 m high. After 50 m of scrambling up and down this there is a chamber about 5 x 5 x 4 m high with some good stal [speleothems], now covered in soot and Hindu adornments (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CULTURAL HISTORY 2011 - human use, temple cave: This cave is protected by the management committe as a religious place. Inside this cave various images of gods were present and people used to enter from the small opening to the cave (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15). CULTURAL HISTORY 1998: Tansen advertises a cave called Sita Pani (Sita's water) … This is another Hindu holy site. A key is available from the local tea shop and local children go into the cave with you. (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CAVE POTENTIAL - prospects: To one side is a possible crawl on and down which I was not allowed to explore. I think water comes up here in the wet season, hence the name (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CAVE LIFE - bats (Chiroptera): Specimen of Rhinolophus pearsonii (NaReCon 29.03.2009.04) was prepared [note 5]. This species was found alone in the cave. … Due to high flow of people, the species existence is endangered (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15).asl (unidentified map datum, unspecified precision error, ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15), and on the border of Bougha Ghumba V.D.C. [note 3] and Bougha Pokharathok V.D.C. [note 4] … on the bank of a stream at a height of around 50 meters from the stream, on the way to famous place Ranighat [note 5] (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15). SITUATION 1998: … at about 83°32'E, 27°53' which is 90 minutes walk from the town [of Tansen N27°50'50”: E083°32'19”] on the Rani Ghat path. It's actually in the cliff of a side valley to the main route (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CAVE DESCRIPTION: It's a rift opening, and a passage of about 0.5 to 1.5 m wide and 3 to 6 m high. After 50 m of scrambling up and down this there is a chamber about 5 x 5 x 4 m high with some good stal [speleothems], now covered in soot and Hindu adornments (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CULTURAL HISTORY 2011 - human use, temple cave: This cave is protected by the management committe as a religious place. Inside this cave various images of gods were present and people used to enter from the small opening to the cave (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15). CULTURAL HISTORY 1998: Tansen advertises a cave called Sita Pani (Sita's water) … This is another Hindu holy site. A key is available from the local tea shop and local children go into the cave with you. (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CAVE POTENTIAL - prospects: To one side is a possible crawl on and down which I was not allowed to explore. I think water comes up here in the wet season, hence the name (Martin Butterworth 1998.05.06 personal correspondence). CAVE LIFE - bats (Chiroptera): Specimen of Rhinolophus pearsonii (NaReCon 29.03.2009.04) was prepared [note 5]. This species was found alone in the cave. … Due to high flow of people, the species existence is endangered (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 15).