CHAMERE GUFA, Batulechaur
28.263300,83.992200
Description
An about 12 m wide, funnel-shaped grassy doline (closed depression) descends 10 m down to the about 1.5 m wide, murky opening (note 1) that gives access to the entirely dark part (aphotic zone) of this Chamere Gufa (note 2) and intersects the northwestern of two aligned cave chambers connected by a broad but low corridor. Currently (since at least 1997), the »Bat Cave« at Batulechour is exploited as a private show cave but had been a wild cave in February 1980 and in spring 1976. The cave is formed in a coarse facies of the calcareous conglomerate forming the Pokhara terrace and is characterised by a cave ceiling, which is entirely covered with a carpet of densly packed bats mixed with stout but thin tipped stalactites (raddish-style speleothems) and flag speleothems (bacon stal). On 2nd February 1980, the dry sink of a seasonal stream appeared to visible in the lower (southeastern) cave chamber, where a flat sandy floor stretched from wall to wall. The "chamere wallah" (bat man) ADHIKARI, H (2011: 16), however, claims that »the cave is made of calcium carbonate and lime, with perennial flow of water inside the cave« (sic!). ETYMOLOGY: The East Pahari (Gorkhali, Nepali) »camero« (KRÄMER 2007: 34) or "chamero" (plural: chamere) is the word for a bat (zoologically: Chiroptera). The place name Batulechour (note 3) may derive from "bato" (path, road) combined with "chour" (note 4). ETYMOLOGY 1976: Little doubt remains that statements, according to which the so-called »Oderibuwahn … cave was unnamed locally, so we called it after the nearest village« (Smart, C M in: DURRANT et al. 1979: 26) are either bogus (the nearest village is Batulechour) or give evidence to a communication error based on clothing the Nepali word "odar" (house, home, lair, cave, rock shelter) into the Hindi "bhawan" (house, building), from the Sanskrit "bhavan" (habitation). SITUATION 1980: About 8 km (ADHIKARI 2008: 45) along the road north of »Mahendrapool« (Mahendrapul), the "pool" or "pul" (Nepali, bridge) of Mahendra (king of Nepal from 1955 to 1972) in the Pokhara town centre, and about five walking minutes (an estimated 500 m) from the –>Mahendra Gufa at the village of Battulechaur. In February 1980, I found the doline descending to the cave entrance proper on private land, a walled-in, grassy area riddled with closed depressionss. Seventeen years later, however, I was told that »Chameri Cave … is now clearly signposted by the locals …« (Martin Butterworth 1997.10.15 personal correspondence). SITUATION 2011a: »Pokhara - 16 Batule chaur« (WASTI & ACHARYA 2011: 332 table 1 site no. 2). SITUATION 2011b: »Kaski District, Pokhara, Batule Chour … The cave lies on the base of forest« (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 16). GPS POSITION 2008: N 28°15'48”: E 083°59'32” (unidentified geodetic datum) or »Latitude 28°15'48”, Longitude 83°59'32” [unspecified precision error]« (ADHIKARI, Hari 2008: 45 table, site no. 8 after »Sujas 2005« instead PHUYAL, Sujas Prasad 2005). GPS POSITION 2011a: N 25°15'48”: E 083°59'31” (unidentified geodetic datum, ) or »Lat-Long 25°15'48” 83°59'31” [unspecified precision error]« (WASTI & ACHARYA 2011: 332 table 1 site no. 2). GPS POSITION 2011a: N 25°15’59.3”: E 083°58’12.3”: 981 m asl (unidentified geodetic datum) or »28°15’59.3” N, 83°58’12.3” E [unspecified precision error] at 981 meters (3188 feet)« (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 16). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1976: »Oderibuwahn Gupha, N. Pokhara: hight [sic!] 1100. c. 80 m of passage …« (DURRANT, et al. 1979: 25 table 1: Species list for some Himalayan caves). »Oderibuwahn Gupha -- Altitude about 1100 m, length about 80 m … daylight is visible from almost everywhere in Oderibuwahn Gupha« and contains what some British Europeans regard as relatively »large, often 30 cm deep [bat] guano deposits« (Smart, C M in: DURRANT et al. 1979: 26). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1983: Five minutes on foot northwest from the cave entrance to –>Mahendra Gufa lies a walled-in, grass-covered area riddled with closed depresions (dolines). Here, the entrance to this cave lies at the bottom of one of the larger sinkholes. The 75 m long cave consists of two cave chambers connected by a low slot (GEBAUER & ABELE 1983: 84-85). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011: »The cave is made of calcium carbonate and lime, with perennial flow of water inside the cave« (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 16). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use, show cave: 1997 »Chameri Cave … is now clearly signposted by the locals, who have also started charging Rs 5 for entry. A young lad takes you on a through trip, using your lamps. When I was there he took a family including two saree wearing ladies. They found the constricted exit a source of great amusement« (Martin Butterworth 1997.10.15 personal correspondence). 2006 »Chamere Gupha is the renowned cave for tourists visiting Nepal« (PUSHPA RAJ 2006 abstract of Pushpa Raj 2006 Mss thesis). »Bat cave, Mahendra cave and Gupteshwor cave have been used as a tourism resource … Mahendra cave is found to be illuminated with 12-hour run electric bulbs, Gupteshwor cave partially lit with electric bulbs, and Bat cave only be observed with torches [sic! qua: electric torches = flash lights]« (PHUYAL & DHOUBADEL 2006: 35). 2011 »… Bat Cave … is a famous tourist destination for local and international tourist and named as Bat Cave due to huge presence of Hipposideros armiger in the cave« (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 16). CAVE LIFE - »Most of the animals collected from the caves of Nepal [note 5] and Mussoorie [note 7] … seem to be troglophiles; many are attracted to underground life because of the high humidity and the abundant sources of suitable food in the form of guano« (WILSON 1977b: 67). »Although daylight is visible from almost everywhere in Oderibuwahn Gupha, the fauna is more than just an assortment of threshold and accidental species … Despite the lack of a proper Dark Zone in the cave, a probable troglobite Troglopedetes chuchillatus was common in Oderibuwahn Gupha« (Smart, C M in: DURRANT et al. 1979: 26). Millipeds (Diplopoda): MAURIES (1983b) provides the taxonomical description of the troglobiont Diplopod Camalopsidae Trachyiulus wilsonae collected from the bat guano. Bats (Chiroptera): In 1980 the ceiling was literally covered with what must have been several hundreds, if not thousands of bats (Chiroptera: Hipposideros armiger) resting and roosting in the nooks and gaps formed by a hanging forest of short and stout stalactites covering almost the entire ceiling. 1999 »Csorba (1999) reported Rhinolophus macrotis and Hipposideros armiger from Batule Chour, 8 km North of Pokhara« (ADHIKARI, H 2008: 45). 2006 »Chamere Gupha … was found providing restplace to more than 3,000 bats« (PUSHPA RAJ (2006 abstract of Pushpa Raj 2006 Mss thesis). 2008 »Acharya during his master dessertation submition to the Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University reported presence of Rhinolophus armiger and Rhinolophus pussilus in Bat Cave (Acharya, 2006)« (ADHIKARI, Hari 2008: 46). »Adhikari reported presence of Rhinolophus armiger and Rhinolophus pussilus from Bat Cave at Batulechaur, during one day training program organized at Bat Cave. (Adhikari et al., 2008)« (ADHIKARI, Hari 2008: 46).2011 »Bat Cave is … named as Bat Cave due to huge presence of Hipposideros armiger in the cave [note 8]. During the rainy seasons, [not only most of the national and international tourists but also] most of the bats leave the cave and come back in winter season for hibernation« (ADHIKARI, H 2011: 16).
NOTE 1: In 1980, there was only one cave entrance (GEBAUER 1980b, GEBAUER & ABELE 1983) but in 1997 there were two (Martin Butterworth 1997.10.15 personal correspondence). NOTE 2: So far, I saw the name of this "Bat Cave" or "Bat's Cave" and "Bats' Cave" transcribed, spelled, edited or printed as Bad Cave LUDVIK (2000) Bat Cave ADHIKARI, H (2008: 45, 2011: 16); PHUYAL, S P (2007: 28); PHUYAL & DHOUBHADEL (2006: 35 table item 8) Bat Cave, Batule Chour ADHIKARI (2011: 16) Bat Cave, Batulechaur WASTI, D & ACHARYA, P R 2011: 332 site 2) Batt Cave McSWEENEY (undated circa 2000b postcard) Chameri Cave Butterworth, Martin (1997.10.15 personal correspondence) Chamero Cave GAUTAM et al. (2000) Jummuri Guffa GEBAUER (1983: 81, 86) Oderibuwahn Gupha DURRANT et al. (1979: 23.5, 25 table 1, 26) Oderibuwan Gupha WILSON (1977b: 67). NOTE 3: Batulechour near (±250 m) N28°15'37”: E083°59'10” (Central Service Map 1: 125'000 sheet 40 Kaski, edition 1989) or Battulechaur near (±500 m N28°15'45”: E083°58'50” (FINSTERWALDER 1993: Annapurna 1: 100'000) is probably noty only found spelled as Balichaur DUNKLEY & PAVEY (1976b: 229) Balichgur American Military Service (1958) NH44-16 Pokhara, U502 series Battlechaur GEBAUER & ABELE (1983: 82, 85) Battule chaur WASTI & ACHARYA (2011: 332 table 1 item 2) Batule Chour ADHIKARI (2008: 45; 2011: 16) Batulechar Wilson, J M in: DURRANT et al. (1979: 23.6) Battulechaur FINSTERWALDER (1993 Annapurna 1: 100'000); GEBAUER & ABELE (1983: 81) Batulechaur GURUNG, H (1996: 51 item 89) Batulechour Central Service Map sheet 40 Kaski (edition 1989) Buttolachoor HAMILTON BUCHANAN (1819 ed. 2009: 242 after KIRKPATRICK, W J 1811: 290) Buuttola-choor GURUNG, H (1996: 51 item 89 after KIRKPATRICK, W J 1811) Pokhara 16 WASTI & ACHARYA (2011: 332 table 1, item 2). NOTE 4: Some Nepali lexems reminiscent of "chour" are car, char (KRÄMER 2007: 34) four chahari (KRÄMER 2007), shade [of a tree] chauro (KRÄMER 2007: 37), chhauro (de.wikibooks.org/wiki/Nepali 2010.11.14), chick, chicken chori (KRÄMER 2007: 37), chhori (de.wikibooks.org/wiki/Nepali 2010.11.14), daughter choro (KRÄMER 2007: 37), chhoro (de.wikibooks.org/wiki/Nepali 2010.11.14), son cor (KRÄMER 2007: 39), chor (de.wikibooks.org/wiki/Nepali 2010.11.14), thief. NOTE 5: »The caves of Nepal« (WILSON 1977b: 67), from which animals were collected, are four, namely –>Mahendra Gupha, »Oderibuwan Gupha« (a.k.a. –>Chamere Gufa, Batulechour), –>Window Cave, and the –>Kaarr Jungle Cave. NOTE 6: »The caves of Mussoorie« (WILSON 1977b: 67) refer to the one and only Doon View Cave (India, Uttarakhand state). NOTE 7: »Sujas Prasad Phuyal is also located at the Institute of forestry at P.O. Box 43 in Kaski, Pokhara, Nepal (Email: sujas@mail.com) …« (RAJCHAL, Rajesh 2005: 17). NOTE 8: In the »Bat Cave the whole caves was occupied by this species [Hipposideros armiger Hodgson 1835]. Around 1500 individuals were present in Bat Cave in Pokhara in the winter season. During summer season, only few individuals around hundred were present in the cave. On the basis of field visit, their survival is not threatened« (ADHIKARI 2011: 17).
Documents
Bibliography 15/07/2016- Acharya, Pushpa Raj 2006; Adhikari, Hari 2008, 2011; Dunkley, John & Pavey, Andrew 1976b; Durrant G A, Smart C M, Turner J E K & Wilson, J M 1979, 1981; Gautam Pitambar, Pant Surendra Raj, Ando Hisao & Wagle Raghu Nath 2000; Gebauer, Herbert Daniel 1980b, 1983c; Ludvik, Roman 2000; McSweeney, Patrick s.a. circa 2000b; Mauries, Jean-Paul 1983b; Phuyal, Sujas Prasad 2007; Phuyal, Sujas Prasad & Dhoubadel, Prasad 2006; Rajchal, Rajesh 2005; Shresta, Geeta 2005; Wasti, Dipa & Acharya, Pushpa Raj 2011; Wilson, Jane M 1977a, 1977b.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1976 spring: Jane M. Wilson, Christopher M. Smart, John E.K. Turner and Gillian A. Durrant (HIMALAYA UNDERGROUND 1976, edited 1979 edited 1981) entered and explored to investigate and collect cave fauna (WILSON 1977b). 1980.02.02: A local boy indicated the location of the entrance to »Jummuri Guffa« to H. D. Gebauer who entered and mapped (surveyed) on his own. 1987 October: Martin Butterworth found »Chameri Cave … now clearly signposted by the locals, who have also started charging Rs 5 for entry. A young lad takes you on a through trip, using your lamps. When I was there he took a family including two saree wearing ladies. They found the constricted exit a source of great amusement« (Butterworth (1997.10.15 personal correspondence). 2004 September to 2005 October: Pushpa Raj Acharya carried out a survey of the bat (Chiroptera) population and species at Chamere Gupha in view of a bat roost distribution and bat threat analysis in the Pokhara Valley (ACHARYA, P R 2006 abstract of Pushpa Raj 2006 Mss thesis). 2005, perhaps February: Mr. Krishna, then CCINSA NATURE Boudha School Bat Club Coordinator, »visited … Bat cave in Pokhara. There is one picture taken by him inside the Bat cave« (SHRESTA, Geeta 2005: 18).2005, perhaps March or April: Sujas Prasad Phuyal (note 6) not only »reported sighting of a large numbered colony of bats dwelling in the Chamere Cave of Pokhara valley, Nepal« but also »… would like to inform you that I (in cooperation with CBEC, Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Conservation) am going to organise a 'creative research' programme in 20 different schools in Pokhara valley with the support of World Vision International, Pokhara, and during that programme I am going to include … a bat watching programme in Bat Cave, Pokhara, for each school« (RAJCHAL 2005: 17).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 | WINDOW CAVE | ||
| 0.7 | CHAMERE ODAR, Batulechaur | ||
| 0.7 | KAARR JUNGLE CAVE | ||
| 1.5 | CRAZY CAVE, Armala | ||
| 1.5 | MAHENDRA GUFA | ||
| 1.6 | Mahendra Cave | ||
| 1.7 | SIDDHA BABA GUFA | ||
| 1.7 | RADHE RADHE CAVE | ||
| 1.8 | BIRENDRA CAVE, Bhalam |