REECHGARH

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Two cave entrances give easy access to Reechgarh (bears' fortress, house, home, den), a relatively large, joint guided tunnel cave in sandstone, which consists of a sizeable, 55 m long main cave passage (on average 10 m wide, 6 m high, descending between 20° and 05° towards 360° and 315°) combined with some 35 m of a smaller dimensioned (1 m wide, 2 m high) tributary maze connected to a third cave entrance in the south-west. The downstream entrance in the north-west exits at ground level into a 10 m to 15 m deep pothole (15 m by 25 m wide and long) from where a 25 m long gorge continues to the other side of the ridge pierced by the cave. Some secondary calcite deposits (flowstone) hint to (very slighty) calcareous cementation of the sandstone. Obvious flow forms, however, are absent. SITUATION: Approximately west or north-west of the airstrip and 7 km along the road (in a direct line 4.35 km on a bearing of 252°) from the seven way junction Jaistambha (note 1). To reach the upper cae entrance, walk (or drive) for about 1 km from the airstrip and take a dusty fair weather road to the right (north (leaving some 50 m beyond kilometre stone 4/4) which leads after about 100 m to a parking place in the forest. From here, follow an obvious footpath (January 2000) which leads, more or less horizontally, after 400 m to the steeply descending southern (upper) cave entrance. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1936 (CRAVEN 1969: 27 after GUIDE TO PACHMARHI 1936): Rich Garh is a natural amphitheatre with a cave-like entrance on the south-side, 1/4 mile by foot-path from the Long Chukkar (note 2). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1996 (PACHMARHI GUIDE MAP 1996): A wonderful natural amphitheatre in the rock, approached through a cave - like entrance on the south - side.CAVE DESCRIPTION 1998 (BANSAL, s.a. circa 1998): This semi-dark and large open cave, you will agree, must have been a habitat of bears, though it is now quite safe. A large underlit structure of rocks looks like a great hall; you may call it Diwne Aam [note 3]. Nature must have taken thousands of years to create this wonder. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1998 (Tribune News Service 2002.09.15): Reechhgarh: A wonderful natural amphitheatre in the rock, approached through a cave – like entrance on the south–side. ROCK ART: On the left-hand side of the gate to the maze one finds the negative of a (recent?) hand and on the right a human figure, some 60 cm high, painted white, facing the onlooker, holding what seems to be a bow in his left and arrows (?) in his right. CAVE LIFE: Droppings below a crack high up above the southern entrance might hint to a bat or two (Chiroptera).ne Aam [note 3]. Nature must have taken thousands of years to create this wonder. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1998 (Tribune News Service 2002.09.15): Reechhgarh: A wonderful natural amphitheatre in the rock, approached through a cave – like entrance on the south–side. ROCK ART: On the left-hand side of the gate to the maze one finds the negative of a (recent?) hand and on the right a human figure, some 60 cm high, painted white, facing the onlooker, holding what seems to be a bow in his left and arrows (?) in his right. CAVE LIFE: Droppings below a crack high up above the southern entrance might hint to a bat or two (Chiroptera).