KESNAND (Caves near)
18.566700,74.016700
Description
Expressively »natural caves« (no name mentioned, consider a honorific plural), which are said to contain a fabulous tunnel, reported KOSAMBI (1960b: 27-28) and KOSAMBI (1962 edited 1982, 1993: 93): »The natural caves at Kesnand [note 1] near Vagholi [note 2] are on the abandoned trade route which, as well as local legend, connects them with Bolai« (note 3). SITUATION: Somewhere in the vicinity of Kesnand, a place »near« (4 km along a no much winding road south-east of) Vagholi and in a valley parallel to the present (1960) road from Pune (N18°32': E73°52') approximately north-east to Ahmadnagar (N19°05': E74°44'), and above a slope of an unspecified hill (no name mentioned). CULTURAL HISTORY - Archaeology: The hill, the cave or the slope below the cave yielded large quantities of microliths, which are »now« (KOSAMBI 1960b) exhibited in a certain National Defence Academy's Museum (no place mentioned, perhaps at Pune / Puna / Poona?).
NOTE 1: »Kesnand« N18°34': E74°01 on AMS sheet NE43-06 Poone (U502 series, 1960 edition) a kilometre or two south of two hillocks rising linear distances of 4 or 5 km due east of Vagholi to 2000 feet (610 m asl) and 6 or 8 km east of Vagholi to 2308 feet (703.5 m asl). NOTE 2: Vagholi N18°35': E73°59' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003), lies at a distance of 9 km along the road from Pune (Poona N18°32': E73°52') approximately north-east to Ahmadnagar (N19°05': E74°44'). NOTE 3: »Bolai« (KOSAMBI 1960b: 27) seems to correspond to the road junction and settlement »Bolai Deo« (where thee routes cross each other), which is shown near N18°35': E74°06' on AMS sheet NE43-06 Poone (U502 series, 1960 edition) in an area about 7 or 8 km north-by-east of Kesnand and east of the western of the two hills.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16.2 | Fergusson College Caves | ||
| 16.2 | POONE (Brosset 1961) (Grotte de) | ||
| 19.7 | PATALESHVAR CAVE | ||
| 29.1 | CATUHSRNGI TEMPLE CAVES | ||
| 34.7 | BHAMCHANDAR CAVES | ||
| 34.9 | SHELARVADI CAVES | ||
| 62.5 | Daund Lava Tube | ||
| 65.2 | DHOKESHWAR CAVES, Parner | ||
| 71.8 | GANESHA LENA, Junnar |