DAWARAS
31.101700,76.960000
Description
Perfectly nothing has become known of a cave, which is either called »Dawaraf« (CHABERT & CONWAY 1972) or, more likely, Dawaras (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: The Sanskrit based "dhara, duara, dvara, dwara" (or so) signifies a »door, gate, entrance« and is ment to designate a cave. The ending -s appears to indicate a plural and may indicate either a couple of cave entrances or a cave containing distinct compartments. SITUATION: John Conway (in CHABERT & CONWAY 1972: 73) explains that the three caves »Dawaraf [Dawaras], Lutru and Nagdwar« (Matru Mahadev) had been reached from either one or several unspecified starting points by a »climb on foot for about one mile [one or two kilometres] from the road« which was understood to run without explainable orientation from one unspecified place to another. Conway, J (ca. 1971 s.a. "Map of Caving District Arki" without coordinates) shows »Dawaras« at a linear distance of about 3.5 miles (5 km or 6 km) approximately south of Arki (31°09'N: 76°58'E: 1045 m) and in an area with the populated place »Dhwar« near 31°04'20”N: 76°56'45”E (AMS sheet NH43-04 Simla, U502 series, 1959 edition). POSITION: Glennie (1971 Mss: table) recorded the final item »5 Dawaras« at »North Latitude 31°06.10' / East Longitude 76°57.60' / Height in feet above sea level 3600« or 31°06'06”N: 76°57'35”E: 1097.3 m (unspecified map datum probably Everest 1830). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The "British Speleological Society Expedition to the Himalayas 1970" »did not pay to much attention to these caves, as they were very small and mostly horizontal« (Conway, John circa 1982.09.15 s.a. personal correspondence). »We also found [sic! were shown] four more caves [no names mentioned: Dawaras, Jakholi, Lutru Mahadev Goffar and »Nagdwar« = Matru Mahadev Goffar] in this same valley [no name mentioned: Arki Dun], all 100 to 200 feet [30.5 m to 61 m or about 45 m] long« (HALL, C 1971: 6).
NOTE 1: Conway, John (undated 1971 Mss: Map of caving district Arki); Glennie, Edward Aubrey (1972 Mss "British Speleological Expedition to the Himalayas 1970" table).
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1971: The »British Speleological Society Expedition to the Himalayas 1970« had learned from an unidentified person representing the »Government of Himachal Pradesh« (CHABERT & CONWAY 1972: 73) not only about –>Lutru Mahadev and –>Matru Mahadev / Nagdwar) but also about a cave, which is rather called »Dawaras« (Conway, John undated 1971 "Map of caving district Arki" unpublished; Glennie, Edward Aubrey undated 1972 Mss) than »Dawaraf« (CHABERT & CONWAY 1972).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9 | JAKHOLI CAVE | ||
| 5.4 | KOTLA CAVE (Glennie 1937) | ||
| 5.6 | DUNGA DORA | ||
| 6.1 | MUTRU MAHADEV GOFFAR | ||
| 6.6 | LUTRU MAHADEVA CAVE | ||
| 6.6 | Arki Resurgence | ||
| 9.3 | SHALAGHAT, Solan (Cave at) | ||
| 9.5 | GAMBHAR BRIDGE (Cave near) | ||
| 12.5 | Saug Goffar |