BHIMKUND, Chhatarpur - Bajna
24.437500,79.378100
Description
Inspiring diving is found in the heart of a picturesque cenote and temple cave which starts from the base of a collapse doline with a white-washed facade and a tripolia (triple gateway) that gives access to some 50 m (air-filled) of spacious trunk passage that descends across "ghats" (flights of steps) flanked by white-washed subterranean religious buildings to the "Nil Kund" (Blue Pool), an up to 63 m (or more?) deep pool of clear water (27°C, visibility more than 20 m before January 14 each year), turqoise blue in colour and illuminated (best at around 11am and noon) from a daylight window some 10 m to 16 m vertically above the January water table. At first glance, I surmised the attractive water cave to represent a relict vauclusian spring, which ceased to drain to the valley. Rainer Straub (2006 January, personal communication), however, rather opts for a cave resulting from a series of ceiling collapse events that finally broke through to the surface. The topographical situation, similar to –>Arjunkund, is conspicuous insofar as the entrances occur in both cases where the slope of the adjacent hills meets the valley's maximal flood plain level (note 1). Cave development appears to be controlled by approximately NW-SE striking faults. The strata of the host rock (note 2) dip locally by about 5° or 10° to the approximate SE (south-east, 145°). The slanting ceiling is, in parts, criss-crossed with cleavages, which are, especially in the underground Shiva mandir (temple) at the side of the pond, enlarged by subaquaeous leaching (at -10.5 m LEL, see paragraph "Water Level" below). The few pendant stalactites are generally stout and, like the concurrent flowstone deposits, attached to walls or emerging from corners, characterised by vertical ribs and a dark brownish colour. Both kinds of speleothems occur only at heights of 6 or 8 m above the dry season's water table (at - 4.5 to -2.5 m LEL). SITUATION: Bhimkund (note 3) lies in a remote area (note 4) about 25 km in a direct line south-south-east of the sleepy and obsolete state capital Bijawar (note 5) and at a travelling distance of 12 km along the pukka road (hard-topped since about 2005) east of Darguwan (N24°26'30": E079°17' Everest 1830), which itself lies 65 km along the road south from Chhatarpur (note 6) and 92 km north from Sagar / Saugor (note 7), or about 120 km along roads from Khajuraho (note 8), the nearest airport. Bhimkund is said to have been indicated with the symbol for a temple along with »Bhiakund Cave Spring« (Glennie, Edward Aubrey 1945.12.01 Mss) on Survey of India sheet 54-P/07 (edition 1909) but it is shown as »Bhimkund Cave Spring« on Survey of India sheet 54-P/07 (edition 1977) and as »Temple« on AMS sheet NG44-13 Tikamgarh (U502 series, 1962 edition). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1825: »Bundelkhund … Among the natural curiosities may be reckoned the subterraneous cavern called Gópit-gódávalí [a.k.a. –>Gupta Godavari] near Chitracota [Chitrakoot / Chitrakut]; another cavern, called Biya Cúnd, in the hills near Bijawar« (FRANKLIN, Captain James, Bengal Cavalry 1825.05.21 edited 1827: 279). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1828: »Bundlecund (the country of the Bundelas) … Among the natural curiosities may be reckoned the subterraneous cavern near Chittracote [–>Guptagodavari Gufa]; another in the hills near Bijawer. (Captain T. Franklin, Public MS. Documents, &c.)« (HAMILTON, Walter 1828, 1: 296). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1945: »A cave known as Bhiakund Cave is shown in Sheet 54 p/7 six miles East of Dargawan in Bijawar State. I have no written description of this cave« (Glennie, Edward Aubrey 1945.12.01 letter to Resident of Central India, Indore). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1949: »I have recently been considering the possibility of an excursion [Glennie 1945.12.01: Letter to Resident of Central India, Indore] to the cave reported near Dargawan in Panna State [now in Chhatarpur district] of the Central Agency. Examining the Survey ofIndia one inch to one mile sheet 54 P/7 Dargawan [surveyed 1907-8, published 1909] it seems to be a large village about 58 miles [93 km] from Saugar Railway Station to which it is connected by an unmetalled but well aligned road with milestones. [ … ] Biakund [sic!] Cave being near a temple may be closed on religious grounds. […] the modern craze for speed is not to be found in an Indian State« (GLENNIE 1949: 54-55) CAVE DESCRIPTION 1956: »Bhiakund [sic!] Cave is shown on sheet 54 P/7, about 6 miles [9.654 km in a direct line] east of Dargawan town … A temple is shown here and probably marks the entrance of the cave which is evidently in limestone. Probably the cave is a sacred one, and permission to enter may be withheld, but of course, other caves may exist in the neighbourhood« (GLENNIE 1956: 10). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1969: »Bijawar Area: Bhiakund Cave is marked as a temple, 6 miles east of Gargawan [Darguwan], on the one inch map 54-P/7 (1909 edition)« (CRAVEN 1969: 26). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001: The effective encyclopaedists JUBERTHIE et al. (2001: 1785) add nothing but confusion when referring to an unspecified »Glennie« (without bibliographical details) who is said to indicate not only to »Dergaon« but also »Dargawan« as if these were two distinct villages: »Dans les régions calcaires du nord entre Bijawar et Panna, GLENNIE signale une grotte naturelle à l'est de Dergoan et la Bhiakund cave à 6 miles à l'est [sic! pour: ouest] de Dargawan avec un temple à son entrée« (note 9) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005: »The kund lies in an underground cave and is about 30 m from the mouth. To the left of the entrance is a small Shivalinga (the phallic representation of Lord Shiva). But what’s truly astounding here is that the roof of the cave has a small opening just above the kund as this is the spot Bhim is said to have hit with his gada [note 10]. The depth of this pool is believed to be measureless. The pool is a lovely indigo blue which contrasts well with the red stone walls. There are some caves around it but no one has been adventurous enough to find out where they lead. There is something mysterious and exciting about this place, so much so that one almost tends to believe the pool’s epic origin« (indiasite.com/madhyapradesh/khajuraho/bhimkund.htm…, indicated by Thomas Matthalm 2005.08.15) CAVE DESCRIPTION 2006 (HDG 2006.01.20): A cluster of white-washed buidings rises behind a rectangular enclosing wall on the level ground of a small meandering valley (200 to 500 m wide, at around 390 m asl) embraced by low hills (in the range of 50 to 150 m high) covered with forest (note 11) and culminating at heights above 460 m asl (Survey of India sheet 54-P/7, 1977 edition). At the edge of the valley floor a solitary, north-west facing darwaza-gate gives access to the temple premises where, among an assemblage of religious pukka (note 12) buildings, one finds what once must have been a collapse doline (12 by 14 m wide, some 7 m deep) now clad with flights of steps descending north-east to the base of a sunken cliff (dip circa 210°/-90°), now modified into an architectural facade (almost 15 m wide, 7.5 m high) with a "tripolia" (triple gateway, the central twice as wide as the flanking ones) erected in front of the natural cave entrance (vaulted, about 15 m wide, up to 2.5 m high). In the twilight beyond the triple entrance descend three concurrent flights of steps and intermediate platforms (note 13), which cover the entire floorspace of the 20 m wide cave passage and lead after 40 walking metres (vertically 13.3 m down) to the edge of a turquoise blue coloured pool of water (27°C) illuminated from an oblong daylight window (2nd cave entrance, come 15 m by 8 m wide) 16 m vertically above the January 2006 water level. The cave's cross section, if projected to the south-west, resembles a Greek letter "µ" (my) and continues below the water. The pool's floor (covered with angular rocks coated with "dust" or non-sticky sediments and a few occasional coins) is visible 21 m down below the surface of the water (9th and 11th January 2006, no more on 13th) but two dark holes, each approximately 4 by 6 m wide, descend to plumbed -58 m and -63 m below the January 2006 water level. Above the water, a partly double-storeyed façade is attached to the northern and north-eastern cave walls above the pool where pillared entrances give access to three or four distinct rooms. The first (most important) is a Shiva temple in an irregularly angled room with a venerated shiva lingam, complete with yoni (both artistic, made from two different allochtoneous kinds of partly polished sandstone (?) rocks) put up in the centre. Benches stacked at weird angles line the plastered backwalls which hold, at eye-height, two series of seven and five span-sized niches each. The second room (again four rectangular doors), adjacent east, contains a second, less artistic lingam represented by an un-worked, elongated rock erected on a plinth of concrete. The third room lies on 2nd floor, is rectangular, the largest (14.5 m wide, 3.8 m broad, with plastered walls and level ceiling), reached only by a concrete staircase in front or —when the latter is drowned during monsoon— by swimming across the lake. This room is used as a "mandapam" (pilgrims' rest) or "dormitory" (students' dream refuge) which contains an entrance door (rusty iron frame & meshwire design), five windows with metal bars and a fire place, and —last but not least— a wonderful mess of wires, switches, fuses, plugs and a lone naked lightbulb, all fettled together on the occasion of introducing electric water pumping technology to the sacred compound. In the back of the dormitory, an intentionally lacking part of the back-wall allows access to a smallish, natural extension of the cave, where a slanting ceiling meets a sloping floor covered with collapse debris. A hands and knees crawl enters a short rift passage (up to a metre wide, 2 or 3 m high and 4 or 5 m long) containing a few pendant stalactites (speleothems) and exposing structurally stunted layers of crystalline, Middle Proterozoic (Lower Gondwana) Bijawar Limestone with quartzitic interclations and a few embedded, once shattered but later on rounded lumps of "silex" or so (in German: Hornstein). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2006 (Straub 2006.05.22 Mss: Höhlenexpedition Bhimkund, Madhya Pradesh, Indien): »Die Schul- und Tempelgebäude sind weiß getüncht. Es gibt natürlich heilige Kühe und viele neugierige Schüler. Im Zentrum der Anlage liegt eine Doline, welche komplett ausgebaut ist. Steile Treppen führen zur Höhle, deren Eingang mit einer Fassade verkleidet ist. Dann betritt man die Höhle und ich jedenfalls bin vor Ehrfurcht erst mal erstarrt.Eine Treppe, wie an einer Burg führt ins Halbdunkel. 8-10 m tiefer ist der Höhlensee mit seinem glasklaren blauen Wasser zu erkennen. Über ein großes Deckenloch in 16 m Höhe fällt Sonnenlicht in die Höhle und schafft eine unwirkliche, ja mystische Atmosphäre in der Höhle.Die Deckenschichten sind rund 6 m dick. Alter Sinter hängt an den Wänden. Am Ufer des Sees sind Treppen und Stufen, so genannte „Ghats“ in den Fels gemeißelt oder betoniert. Sie reichen bis in 2,5 m Wassertiefe zeigen so also einen variablen Wasserstand an. Mich erinnern sie ein wenig an römische Thermen oder Wasserbecken. Unser Blick fällt sofort auf die beiden Fassaden, die vor Höhlenräume gemauert wurden. Zwischen 11:00 und 13:00 Uhr ist der Lichteinfall spektakulär und fällt direkt auf die Fassadenwand eines Tempels. […] Es ist noch früh und die Höhlentemperatur unter dem Deckenloch beträgt 11 °C. Ich habe kalte Füße von der langen Autofahrt und so kommt mir ein Fußbad im 27°C warmen Höhlesee gerade recht. Das Wasser dampft regelrecht an der Oberfläche. Einige Kinder springen von den Felsen hinunter ins klare Wasser. Was interessant ist, da die meisten Inder nicht schwimmen können. Nachdem wir uns einen groben Überblick verschafft haben hält mich nichts mehr und ich gehe ebenfalls ins Wasser. Ich habe meine Maske dabei und überquere den 8m breiten und rund 20 m langen Pool. Mir ist komisch zumute als ich die Tiefe unter mir spüre. Unter Wasser sind zwei Löcher zu erkennen, die in die Tiefe führen. Eigentlich ist der See ein riesiger Crack in der Erde und die Spalte ist nur durch eine Felsbrücke in 11 m Tiefe, die wahrscheinlich oben vom Deckeneinbruch her stammt, getrennt. Interessant ist, dass es keinen sichtbaren Ablauf des Wassers gibt. Also ein unterirdischer Tunnel, der nach oben aufgebrochen ist? Ein treffender Vergleich von Bhimkund wäre die mit einem lateinamerikanischen Cenoten.Alle Kinder staunen natürlich über meine Maske und Schnorchel. Unter Wasser liegen gebrannte Leuchtschälchen und einzelne Münzen. Am hinteren Ende senkt sich die decke ab und reicht mit geringem Luftspalt noch 5-6 m nach hinten. Dann taucht geht die decke vertikal in eine senkrechte Wand ab. Die Wände sind vertikal und beidseitig stufig durch die Kalkschichten geprägt. Auf den Simsen liegt nur wenig Sediment. Im Wasser sind viele Fische unterwegs. Es handelt sich wahrscheinlich um den „Catfish“ eine Art Wels (Noemacheilus? Fam. Siluridae). Besonders in den hinteren teilen des überdeckten Sees schwimmen sie zu Hunderten um mich und meine Tauchlampe rum. Ich sehe die Ansaugleitung der Pumpe. Hier wird Trinkwasser angesaugt und mittels einer lärmenden Pumpe in der Höhle und einer oben neben dem Einbruch zur Bewässerung der Felder und zur Trinkwasserversorgung von Bhimkund genutzt.Ich befestige eine Leinenschlaufe an einer der hinteren Felsnasen und befestige die Umlenkrolle. Nun beginnen wir mit den Lotungen. Ich habe hierzu eine Haspel mit 70m Tauchleine (D= 4 mm) mit Entfernungsmarkierungen vorbereitet. Als Gewicht habe ich ein 1 Kg Bleistück aus Deutschland exportiert. Im hinteren Seebereich loten wir -56 m aus. Östlich der Felsbrücke -43 m und vorne am Eingangsbereich des Sees -21 m. Wir sind schwer beeindruckt, denn die Maßbandlotung von Daniel und Thomas hatte im Jahr 2002 rund 30 m ergeben. Die Sicht beträgt messbar um die 20 m, dann verschwindet das Lot aber meist um einen Sims, weshalb ich eine Sicht von rund 30 m schätze. Da das Wasser so klar ist muss es einen Austausch, also eine Strömung und somit eine Fortsetzung geben – Nur wo? Nach längerer Zeit im Wasser wird mir selbst bei 27°C Wassertemperatur kühl und ich setze mich erst mal raus in die Sonne.Besonders spannend sind die integrierten Höhlentempel in Bhimkund. Vier Torbögen, getrennt durch Säulen führen in die Tempelräume dahinter. Die Kammern sind natürliche Höhlen deren Wände zum Teil verputzt sind. Leere Wandnischen zur Aufstellung von Statuen sind sichtbar. Im gesamten gibt es vier Tempel innerhalb der Höhle. Die beiden direkt am Ufer gelegenen Tempel sind dem hinduistischen Gott Shiva geweiht. Shiva ist ein erdgebundener Gott der aus der Urreligion der Ackerbauern hervorging. Er wird meist irdischen Stätten zugeordnet. Im Zentrum der recht schmucklosen Kammer steht das allerheiligste des Tempels. Die Darstellung von Shiva in seiner Grundform, einem Idol in Form eines Phallus (Lingam). Die glatt polierte Steinsäule steht auf einem Sockel. Der Sockel ist als weibliche Genitale (yoni) ausgestaltet. Im gesamten wird hier die Polarität von männlich und weiblich symbolisch angedeutet. Shiva als Lingam, seine Frau Parvati als yoni ohne die kein Geschöpf zustande kommt.Die Pilger, Besucher und „Saints“ (Heilige oder Sadus) reinigen sich erst rituell im Pool von Bhimkund, bevor Sie den Tempel betreten. Dann wird der Lingam unter dem Murmeln von Gebetsformeln rechts herum umrundet. Danach wird, jedenfalls hier, ein Becher mit Wasser über den Phallus geleert. Das Wasser wird von der Vulva aufgefangen und läuft über eine in den Boden gemeißelte Rinne wieder zurück in den Höhlensee. Durch anschlagen einer Glocke wird die Zeremonie beendet.Dann beginnen wir mit der Vermessung der Höhle und messen rund 180 m. Ich habe eine Videokamera dabei, die mir Marcus Bärtele freundlicherweise mitgegeben hat. So dokumentiere ich die Vermessung und fange die Stimmungen filmisch ein. Die Einheimischen finden es toll mit dem Filmen und Fotografieren und drängen sich meist unauffällig in den Vordergrund, was mir nicht immer so recht ist. NNW des Eingangs führt ein großer Höhlenraum ca. 20 m tief in den Berg. Am Ende ist ein kleiner Tempel eingemauert, der dem Elefantengott Ganesha gewidmet ist. Er ist der Sohn von Parvati, Shivas Frau und der Gott des Anfangs und des Gelingens und in Indien überall präsent. In seitlichen Nischen liegen Hunderte von Fettlichtern die bei Zeremonien benutzt und geopfert werden. Rechts und link neben dem Tempel führen zwei Türen hinein in den Höhlengang. Der Gang wird flacher und die Luft stickiger (23,5 °C). Am Boden liegen Geröll und einzelne Gefäßreste. Einige der Lämpchen sind mit einer weißen Sinter- oder Talgschicht (?) überzogen.Wir robben durch fast 10 cm hohe Guanoschichten und erkennen am sichtbaren Ende in einer kleinen Kammer einige 10er Fledermäuse. Sie sind hellbraun und haben einen weißen Bauch. Ihre Spannweite beträgt zirka 25-30 cm. Ihre Kopf-Rumpflänge etwa 10-15 cm. Auffällig ist ihre schöne Schnauze. Es handelt sich um den indischen Kurznasenflughund (Shortnosed fruit bat) Cynopterus sphinx. Es kommt entweder die Unterart Cynopterus sphinx gangeticus oder Cynopterus sphinx sphinx in Frage (Info M. Schäffler 02/2006). Nach einigen Messzügen und erfolgten Filmaufnahmen flattern sie uns wird um die Ohren und berühren uns fast beim vorbeifliegen. Im vorderen Bereich entdecken wir noch eine kleinere Horseshoe bat (Rhinolophidae) an der Höhlendecke.Oben vermessen wir den Deckeneinbruch und ich entdecke einen 6 m tiefen Schacht, der in eine Kammer führt. Er ist mit einer Sandsteinplatte und Gestrüpp abgedeckt und gehört sicher ebenfalls zum Höhlenkomplex. Um den Einbruch herum kreischen Affen und Vögel. Es gibt interessante Oberflächenformen wie z.B. Kalksteinblöcke die mit einer dünnen Sandsteinschicht überzogen sind. Platzt die Sandsteinschicht ab, entstehen im Kalk Karren und Rinnen genannt „Elephant skin“.Abends fahren wir zurück nach Khajuraho, stoppen aber noch kurz in Chhatarpur, wo ich am Busbahnhof meine Hartenberger Tauchlampe mittels Multimeter überprüfe. Doch zum Glück erweist sich der vermeintliche Wackelkontakt nur als leerer Akku! Die geplanten Unterwasservideoaufnahmen sind also nicht gefährdet.« CAVE POTENTIAL: World class 1 if ready for deep water cave diving and touch zero if aiming to extent the cave by digging. FABULOUS TUNNEL (Sailaish Pratap Singh 2006.01.11 after Rambabu Awasthi): According to local tradition the pool of water is connected by a fabulous subaquaeous tunnel to another place (name lost), 15 km away, from where it is also accessible. WATER LEVEL: On 13th January 2006 the water stood at –13.3 m below the overflow spot "BOS" (Lowest entrance's lowest point) but on 12th March 2002 about half a metre higher. According to local communicators, the water level rises during monsoon (rainy season in May, June and July) for up to 5 m (corresponding to -8 m BOS) or 6.5 m (-6.5 m BOS). Concrete steps sumerged about 2.5 m below the January 2006 water surface level indicate a minimum flood level at about -15.5 or -16 m (BOS). Both on occasion of the 26.01.2001 Bhuj earthquake (epi-centre about 1000 km west) and the 26.12.2005 earthquake and tsunami (Sumatra, magnitude 9.3, epicentre about 3000 km south-east off) the water became restless, welled up, became »dusty [laden with particles]« and rose for half an hour by 0.8 m to the threshhold (-12.5 m BOS) of the Shiva temple at the nothern edge of the pool. Excessive pumping (Central Groundwater Board? keyword: aquifer test) »long time ago [1950ies / 1960ies or in about1985]« with the help of five 20 horse-power pumps did not change the water at all or lowered it only by »an inch [2.54 cm or so].« CAVE TEMPERATURES (elevations relative to "BOS" = below overflow spot at lowest entrance's lowest point; vertically corresponding to 2006 January survey station 11/0 or
NOTE 1: The grass covered valley floor at Bhimkund is a level ground at elevations around 395 m asl (Survey of India sheet 54-P/7, 1977 editon), which is drained (during the monsoon in May, June, July) by a nala (also: nullah, seasonal stream, streambed) from the WNW (west-northwest) to the right bank of the Sukku Nadi, a tributary to the Kathar Nadi which joins the Dhasan River near 25°48'N: 79°24'E (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 2: »Bijawar State … The geological formations met with are of unusual interest, the State giving its name to the Bijawar series of sandstones and shales, one of the most important geological formations in India, of which it contains the type area. Its characteristic rocks, which are here met with in great abundance, are quartzite, sandstones, shales, slates, limestones, banded jaspers, hornstone, breccias, and a considerable deposit of basic volcanic rocks. Rich deposits of peculiar iron are also met with. All the northern part of the State, however, including the chief town, stands upon an outcrop of gneiss, which underlies the Bijawars. Some diamond mines situated in the Panna diamond-bearing tract belong to this state. The annual rainfall averages 38 inches [965 mm]« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, VIII: 188). NOTE 3: The »Cave & Spring« has been recorded as Bheemkund Shri Rambabu Awasthi 2006.01.10; Shri Omprakash Trapathi (2006.01.11 personal communication); Bhiakund Cave GLENNIE, E A (1956: 10 after Survey of India sheet 54 P/7 edition 1909); CRAVEN, S A (1969: 26); JUBERTHIE et al. (2001: 1785); Bhimkund indiasite.com/madhyapradesh/khajuraho/bhimkund.htm… (accessed 2005.08.15); Bhimkund Cave Spring Survey of India sheet 54-P/07 (edition 1977); Biakund Cave GLENNIE, E A (1949: 55); Cavern in the Bijawer Hills HAMILTON, W (1828, 1: 296); Biya Cúnd FRANKLIN, J (1825.05.21 edited 1827: 279); Dargawan Cave GLENNIE, E A (1949: 54); Narad Kund indiasite.com/madhyapradesh/khajuraho/bhimkund.htm… (accessed 2005.08.15). Neel Kund indiasite.com/madhyapradesh/khajuraho/bhimkund.htm… (acessed 2005.08.15). NOTE 4: »Landscapes receive the pagan gods they deserve, and the gods were not so urban that they ever lived in towns« (LANE FOX, Robin 1987: Pagans and Christians.- New York: Alfred A. Knopf), page 42 after SCULLY, V (1962: The earth, the temple and the gods; M.A.M.A. IV p 15). NOTE 5: »Bijáwar« (FRANKLIN, J 1825.05.21 / 1827: 279) is the town of Bijawar 24°38'N: 79°30'E on Survey of India sheet 54-P/06 (1977 edition), AMS sheet NG44-14 Panna (U502 series, 1962 edition) and India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 55 F2). NOTE 6: Chhatarpur 24°54'N: 79°36'E (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 55 F1) is the »Chatterpur« of FRANKLIN, J (1829 map C2). NOTE 7: Sagar 23°50'N: 78°43'E (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003), AMS sheet NF44-01. NOTE 8: Khajuraho 24°51'N: 79°56'E (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003), AMS sheet NG44-14 Panna (U502 series, 1962 edition). NOTE 9: The cave erroneously placed »1.5 miles east [sic! for: west] of Dergaon« by MEDLICOTT (1860: 33), repeated by GLENNIE (1956: 9) is –>Patal Ganga (Darguwan). NOTE 10: »gada« (Hindi?, Journalese?, Webspeak?) or "khatta" (Sanskrit); club, cudgel (English). NOTE 11: Bijawar State: The chief crops are kodon (45 square miles or 19 per cent of the cropped area), kutki (27 square miles, 12%), barley (24 square miles, 10%), urd and rice (12 square miles each), and wheat (9 square miles). »The forests, which occupy 429 square miles [1111 square kilometers], are now being in part 'reserved'. The most important trees are the mahua (Bassia latifolia), which supplies the staple food of the poor, especially in bad seasons, the tendu (Diospyros tomentosa), and the seja (Lagerstroemia parviflora). A stunted form of teak also abounds« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, vii: 190). NOTE 12: Pukka (Anglo-Indian), adjective, from the Hindi "pakka", literally »ripe, mature, cooked« and hence substantial, permanent, with many specific applications, e.g. hard-topped (road). NOTE 13: Most of the steps and terraces are built from a dense, fine-grained sandstone but parts of the flooring and structures are made from concrete, especially those close to the water or beneath it. Almost the entire floor of the air-filled part of the cave is covered by concrete and slabs concealing the original cave sediments which are now only accessible in the dark, lateral passage arriving about half way down from NNW to the main cave. The cave-bearing rock exposed on the walls and ceiling is not modified by man -- except for the poster-sized relief showing a Hanuman thickly painted with bright orange coloured enamel) carved from the north-east facing wall above the pool. NOTE 14: »Osteichthyian fishes of the Order Siluriformes, known by the English common name of catfishes, form a well diagnosed natural group of primarily freshwater fishes. … Catfishes often have large, heavy bones that lend themselves to fossilization and, comparatively large otoliths. As such, a large number of species of catfishes have been named from complete or partial skeletal fossils or even from only otoliths« (FERRARIS 2007: Introduction). NOTE 15: BISWAS, J (1992: Kotumsar cave ecosystem …- Journal of Cave and Karst Studies: National Speleological Society Bulletin ISSN 0146-9517; Huntsville, Alabama: National Speleological Society, vol. 54, no. 1, June 1992), page 9, report from the cave near Kotomsar village (Kanger nala, Kondagaon tahsil, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh state) the co-existence of two morphological forms (one »albinic and blind« photograph on Fig. 4, the other »with little pigmentation and regressed eyes« Fig. 5) of Nemacheilus Evezardi Day: »… one form is completely albinistic and blind while the other exhibits reduced pigmentation and regressed vision.« NOTE 16: Straub, Rainer (2006.02.25 Mss, 2006.05.22 Mss): »Wir robben durch fast 10 cm hohe Guanoschichten und erkennen am sichtbaren Ende in einer kleinen Kammer einige 10er Fledermäuse. Sie sind hellbraun und haben einen weißen Bauch. Ihre Spannweite beträgt zirka 25-30 cm. Ihre Kopf-Rumpflänge etwa 10-15 cm. Auffällig ist ihre schöne Schnauze. Es handelt sich um den indischen Kurznasenflughund (Shortnosed fruit bat) Cynopterus sphinx. Es kommt entweder die Unterart Cynopterus sphinx gangeticus oder Cynopterus sphinx sphinx in Frage (Info M. Schäffler 02/2006).« (Crawling across almost 10 cm deep guano we see in a small chamber some tens of bats. They are light-brown coloured and have a white belly. Their span is about 25 to 30 cm and their head-rump length about 10 or 15 cm. Their beautiful snouts are stunning. According to M. Schäffler, they represent Shortnosed fruit bats (indischer Kurznasenflughund), either Cynopterus sphinx sphinx or Cynopterus sphinx gangeticus). The short-nosed fruit bat (Megachiroptera: Pteropidae: Cynopterus sphinx Vahl 1797) is a tree dweller and rarely ever met underground though Stanley W. KEMP (1924: Notes on the mammals of Siju Cave, Garo Hills, Assam.- Records of the Indian Museum ISSN 0375-099X, Calcutta, vol. 26, part 1: 23-26) reports Cynopterus sphix gangeticus K. Anderson – possibly from the entrance area – of »Siju Cave« (Dobhakol, Siju village, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya state ex- Assam). BROSSET (1961: 437): »En fait, d'apès mes observations, l'espèce est arboricole et ne fréquente quèxcetionellement les constructions« (As a matter of fact, as far as I have observed, this species roosts in trees and rarely ever, with a few exceptions, frequents buildings). According to BROSSET (1962a: 19-23), the dog-shaped head of the bat, the short ears with a thin white margin, and the divergent openings of the nostrils are unmistakeable characteristics of this relatively small frugiverous bat. Like Pteropus, this species is arboreal but, while flying foxes expose themselves during the day, C. sphinx conceals itself and its roosts are difficult to find: »I have seen several in a deserted palace in Orcha, but such haunts are exceptional.«NOTE 17: Straub (2006.02.25 Mss, 2006.05.22 Mss after M. Schäffler 2002 February, personal communication): »Horseshoe bat (Rhinolophidae).« NOTE 18: Vergilius Maro, Publius (15.10.70 BC - 21.9.19 BC): Æneis (lib. V, 213): »Speluncâ subito commota columba.« NOTE 19: Makar Sankranti (Sakranti, Sankranthi), the Hindu fecundity festival at winter solstice during the lunar month of Pausa (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 1046) or Poush (travels.talash.com/india/india-fairs-festivals accessed 2005 December, Rainer Straub). Every year on 14th January (in a leap year on 15th January), at the astronomical peak of winter, the sun swings back (makar = capricorn; sankranti = entry) from a descent to the tropic of cancer in the southern hemisphere (Dakshinayana) and commences ascending to the tropic of capricorn in the northern hemisphere (Uttarayana, Makar Rashi). In India, this time coincides with one of the harvest seasons. The day is called by various names in different regions, such as Uttara Punyakala (approximately: peak of darkness), Makar Sankranthi / Sankranti and Makara Sankraman or Pongal (rice boiled in milk) in South India and Lohri in North India. »In Karnataka, people celebrate the festival by distributiing a mixture of sesame seeds, gram, copra and jaggery to neighbours and friends. Farmers decorate oxen and take out a procession in the villages. Similarly in Maharashtra, people distribute laddus made of sesame and sugar among friends« (DECCAN HERALD Bangalore, 13 January 2007: 7). NOTE 20: January 2006 Principal: Rambabu Awashti / Shri Narayan Sanskrit Viddyalay / Bheemkund (Bajna) / Dt. Chhatarpur / Madhya Pradesh / India / phone 07609 - 254866, 254867, 254868. NOTE 21: To claim the temple was founded in the 1950ies or 1960ies creates problems as »Bhiakund Cave Spring« (Glennie, Edward Aubrey 1945.12.01 Mss) is marked with a temple already on the 1909 edition of the Survey of India sheet 54-P/7 (One Inch Series). NOTE 22: On stylistic grounds (whitewashed, stuccoed structures of burned tiles with pointed and crenellated, "moorish" arches supported by decorative pseudo-pillars set into sunken corners) the buildings at Bhimkund suit the tastes of second half of the 19th century and must have been erected during the reign of Bhan Pratap Singh. Bhimkund temple and spring falls on the area of the former Bijawar State, which was originally part of the territory held by the Garha Mandla Gonds and was taken by Chhatarsal, the founder of Panna, in the 18th century. On the partition of his territory among his sons, Bijawar fell to Jagat Raj, as part of the Jaitpur State. In 1796 Bijawar was given to Bir Singh Deo, an illegitimate son of Jagat Raj, by his uncle Guman Singh, then ruler of Ajaigarh. Bir Singh gradually extended his original holding by force of arms, but was killed fighting against Ali Bahadur and Himmat Bahadur in 1793. The latter restored the State to Kesri Singh, son of Bir Singh, granting him a sanad (*) in 1802. On the accession of the British to the supreme power, Raja Kesri Singh at once professed his allegiance but his sanad was anyhow withheld. He died in 1810 and a sanad was granted to his son Ratan Singh in 1811 after his presenting the required deed of allegiance. The chief in 1857 became Bhan Pratap Singh for his services to the British during the Mutiny. He also received a khilat (robe of honour) and a hereditary salute of 11 guns. By and by Bhan Pratap Singh obtained a sanad of adoption in 1862, the hereditary title of Maharaja in 1866, and the prefix of Sawai in 1877 by plunging the State into financial difficulties till eventually he was honoured with being placed under supervision in 1897. Having no son, he adopted in 1898 Sanwant Singh, second son of the Maharaja of Orcha, who succeeded on Bhan Pratap's death in 1899. * sanad (Hindi) from Arian sunnud and Sanskrit sana means »diploma, patent, or deed of grant by the government of office, privilege, or right« (YULE 1886 edited 1903: 871 "sunnud"), »paper authenticated by proper signatures« (ABUL FAZL i ‘ALLAMI ca. 1590 edited by GLADWIN 1783, 1: 214; BLOCHMANN 1873, 1: 259), »charter or grand« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 25: XXIV glossary). NOTE 23: NOT SEEN -- BÜCHLER, Anne & SCHUMACHER, Rolf (1989 edited by KELLNER, Stephan): Die Nachlässe von Martius, Liebig und den Brüdern Schlagintweit in der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek.- Catalogus codicum manu scriptorum Bibliothecae Monacensis (Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz), Tomus X [10], Pars 2. 328 pages.
Documents
Bibliography 23/03/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: The reliable source of water must have been known to man-kind and fore-runners since time immemorial while the Hindu place of worship, due to its remote location, survived Muslim invasions (since 1606 C.E.) without damage. 1825.05.21: Captain James FRANKLIN (1827: 279) of the Bengal Cavalry, reported the »cavern called Biya Cúnd« from »the hills near Bijawar« in the Memoir on Bundelkund (read on 21st May 1825 to the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, London) 1828: The compiler HAMILTON, W W (1828, 1: 296) listed the »subterraneous cavern called Biya Cúnd in the hills near Bijawer« after »Captain T. [sic! for "J" or James] Franklin, Public MS. Documents, &c.« 1855, early December: Adolph, Hermann and Robert SCHLAGINTWEIT (1856: 105) travelled from Agra via Gwalior and across »Bundelcund« (Bundelkhand) to »Saugur« (Sagar, Saugor) but perhaps without noticing the site (note 23). 1945.12.01 - 1946.09.22: Edward Aubrey Glennie attempted speleological exploration by mail (Glennie 1945.12.01 Mss) by requesting from the Political Minister, Panna State, information on: »A cave known as Bhiakund Cave [sic!] … shown in Sheet 54 P/7 six miles East of Dargawan [sic!] in Bijawar State [now in Chhatarpur district, M.P.]. I have found no written descriprion of this cave.« The Political Agent's reply (EGERTON 1946.04.16 Mss) promised »I can take you to Bhia Kund [sic!]; it is an interesting place, but there are [sic!] no fauna there.« Nevertheless, the final result of Glennie's postal caving was rather disappointing when EGERTON (1946.09.22 Mss) forwarded »The Bijawar Darbar informs me that it will be very difficult for them to get a sketch of Bhimkund prepared and that there is no trained person who could collect the fauna. The fact of matter is that Bhimkund is inaccessible and few people ever go there.« 2001.01.16: H. D. Gebauer, Werner Busch and Asharam Raikwar (driver, Khajurahoo) had the "luck" (?) to visit the site just when thousands of visitors poured in and out of the cave on occasion of the annual mela (religious fair). Serious cave mapping was impossible and a low quality grade 2b sketch (compass & clinometer, estimated distances) was the only result. 2002.03.12: H. D. Gebauer and Thomas Matthalm paid a brief visit, took a bath and photographs while dropping a stone tied to the end of a 30 m measuring tape into pool. Seemingly no bottom was hit (there was one but the plumb was too light and the visibility, about 0.5 m, too low) from the edge of the pool the white coloured survey tape was visible up to approximately 10 m down in the water. 2006.01.07: Rainer Straub and H.D.G, chauffeur-driven by Rakesh (Khajuraho) mapped the cave and undertook plumbings reaching depths of up to 56 m below the water (total: -72 m). A week before the Makar Shankaranti mela (annual religious fair on 14th January) the bridge 21 m below the water surface was clearly visible, complete with tossed coins shining on scarcely mud coated angular rocks. 2006.01.09: R. Straub, assisted by H.D.G. and chauffeur-driven by Rakesh (Khajuraho), took underwater video footage and completed cave mapping (51 survey stations, survey length 543.38 m). Additional plumbings reached a water depth of 70 m (total vertical range -86.0 m). 2006.01.11: R. Straub and H.D.G., once more chauffeur-driven by Rakesh (Khajuraho) but this time assisted by Shailash Pratap Singh, interviewed local communicators, made additional plumbings, and took more video footage.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2 | RANIKHERA CAVE 1 | ||
| 6.2 | RANIKHERA CAVE 2 | ||
| 6.2 | RANIKHERA CAVE 3 | ||
| 6.4 | PUKHARIA CAVE | ||
| 7.4 | BHARWANI CAVE | ||
| 12.4 | SADWA GUFA | ||
| 12.6 | PATALA GANGA, Darguwan / Dargawan | ||
| 17.3 | KUWA PAHAR, Bijawar | ||
| 17.3 | ARJUNKUND, Dhangawan |