SITA ki RASOI
25.350000,81.333300
Description
Man-made troglodyte chamber (note 1) Nagdwar (naga dwar) is locally called Cheta Mata-kan Roseya and was excavated from a 15 m high vertical face of a precipice which forms the scarp of the classic hill of Prabhosa (note 2). IDENTITY: The »good cave in the south of Pargana Khairagarh of the Allahabad district, near Atrazee« (COCKBURN 1887: 94) is possibly the same as Sita ki Rasoi. ETYMOLOGY: So far, I saw the name of this man-made rock chamber and »rasoi« or »roseva« (note 3) transcribed, spelled, edited or printed as Cheta Mata-kan Roseya COCKBURN (1887: 31) Sita's Window Cave COCKBURN (1887: 31) Sita-ki-Rasoi no instance of use recorded so farSita-ki-Raoi [sic!] Archaeological Survey of India (undated): Alphabetical List of Monuments - Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Circle.- asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_uttarpradesh_lucknow… (accessed 2007.11.24). SITUATION 1: »About a kilometre from Kosambi [note 4] the main road back to Allahabad branches to the left [west]. Proceed along it for about 10 kilometres and you will come to Prabhosa [note 5]. … There are caves and rock shelters all over Prabhosa particularly on the steeper and rockier north side … Climb to the top of the hill and you will get a sweeping view over the Yamuna River and the small temple town of Prabhosa nearby« (buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_21.htm accessed 2003.09.28). SITUATION 2 (Manfred Moser, Regensburg, 1998 personal correspondence): The troglodyte house lies 45 m from the north-eastern corner of the Jain temple dedicated to Páras'náth (Parasnath, Paras Nath, the 23rd Tirthankar) in the north-west of the Bhil (stupa) at Kusam (Kosambi, Koshambi, Kusambi).SITUATION 3: asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_uttarpradesh_lucknow… (accessed 2007.11.24) associates item 11 »Sita-ki-Rasoi« with »Mankuar« (?). CAVE DESCRIPTION: COCKBURN (1887) provides a description of the exterior appearance in addition to an obviously assumed cross-section of the cliff and the cave which he could not enter the cave due to A) Bhaura or wild bees (probably Apis dorsata), and B) lack of ladder, but saw from below an inscription in the Ashoka character. CULTURAL HISTORY: The man-made rock chamber is said to represent the stage where the Nag (naga, serpent, dragon) was consoled by Buddha by leaving his shadow. »The largest cave, now called Sita's Window, may have been where the Buddha stayed during his visit. In later centuries it was the Jains who came to dominate Prabhosa as is clear from their many inscriptions and images in the area« (buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_21.htm accessed 2003.09.28).
NOTE 1: NOT SEEN: CUNNINGHAM (a.i., Archaeological Survey Reports, Vol. XXI, part I, page 2) is said to refer to one »Dragon's cave« (i.e. Nagdwar), which COCKBURN (1887: 31) identifies with »Cheta Mata-kan Roseya« or »Sita's Window Cave.« This seems to be item 11 »Sita-ki-Raoi« (Sita ki Rasoi) of the Archaeological Survey of India (Alphabetical List of Monuments - Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Circle) on asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_uttarpradesh_lucknow… (accessed 2007.11.24). NOTE 2: »This hill was known in ancient times as Mankula and is where the Buddha spent his sixth rains retreat … The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsiang [XUANZANG] came here in the 7th century and saw a stupa built by King Asoka but neither this or any other Buddhist antiquities can be found here today« (buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_21.htm accessed 2003.09.28). NOTE 3: »roseya« or »rasoi« (asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_uttarpradesh_lucknow… accessed 2007.11.24) seems to be related with the English word "recess" for a hollow space inside something [the concrete block has a recess in its base]; a small space created when part of a wall is further back from the rest [two recesses fitted with bookshelves], alcove, bay, niche, nook, corner, hollow, oriel; 2. (usually recesses) a remote, secluded, or secret place [the recesses of the silent pine forest; the deepest recesses of the castle: innermost parts / reaches, remote places, secret places, heart, depths, bowels]; figurative: the dark recesses of his soul. Origin, in the sense of withdrawal, departure (mid 16th century) from "recessus" from "recedere" (Latin), go back. NOTE 4: »Kosambi« (buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_21.htm accessed 2003.09.28) are either the ruins positioned as »Kaushambi« and »Kawsamdi« near N25°21': E081°20' or to the village of Kosam Kiragh N25°22': E081°24' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) on AMS sheet NG44-11 Allahabad (U502 series, 1961 edition). NOTE 5: »Prabhosa« (buddhanet.net accessed 2003.09.28) is is indicated as »Pabhosa« near N25°21': E081°20' (±2.5 km)on AMS sheet NG44-11 Allahabad (U502 series, 1961 edition) next to a solitary, prominent hill (with Trogonometrical Survey Station), which rises above the north (orographically left) bank of the river Yamuna to 565 feet or 172 m asl.
Documents
Bibliography 24/04/2016- Cockburn, S J 1887; Cunningham, Alexander (a.i., Archaeological Survey Reports, Vol. XXI, Part I, page 2).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52.9 | SARAI NAHAR RAI SHELTER | ||
| 117.8 | KALI KHOH, Mirzapur: Ashtabhuja: MANDIR | ||
| 118.0 | KALI KHOH, Mirzapur: Ashtabhuja: GUFA | ||
| 122.6 | SHANKARGARH (Cave at) | ||
| 127.7 | KHOH, Mirzapur | ||
| 132.3 | KHUSI GHAT KI PAHARI SHELTERS | ||
| 159.4 | CHUNA DARI | ||
| 169.3 | MATA GUFA | ||
| 169.3 | GYAN KUPOR WELL |