Charigaon Dwar

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A natural bridge or arch is formed by a 7.5 m long and daylight lit cave passage (3 m wide and 5 m high) which pierces a limestone outcrop (Jantschke, H 2002.02.05 Mss: Cherragaon Border Cave Arch; Jantschke, H 2002.04.22 personal communication). ETYMOLOGY: The Bengali -chara- is one of the words for stream, river but the Bengali (Sanskrit, Hindi, etc.) numerical -char- means four and the Bengali -i- is equivalent of an apostrophe indicating possession while -gaon- is one of the Bengali names for a village, a town. The UK caver's -Cherragaon Border Cave- echoes a liberal English translation of the Bengali -charigaon dwar- (door, arch, gate, passage below the Four Villages). SITUATION: To reach the site, make friends with important people of the BSF (Border Security Force) and the local police, drive to the small village of Cherragaon (also: Charigaon) and have a cup of tea. Starting from the tea house beyond the bridge, follow a footpath through karstic terrain to the Bangladesh borer (300 m to 250°), slip through a hole in the fence and continue for about 100 m to a sudden 5 m drop down to the very plain of Bangladesh at an elevation of about 25 m asl. A minor foot path runs through the natural bridge. CAVE DESCRIPTION (note 1): The western (right-hand side) wall has collapsed and a huge boulder has slid down and leans onto a ledge. Some 5 m short of the cave entrance on the Indian side (if facing Bangladesh, on the right-hand side of the path), it is possible to enter an about 10 m long and up to 6 m high fissure. Near the Bangladesh entrance is a small spring (source of water). Partly eroded nummulite fossils protrude from the walls. POSITIONS: N25°11'41.5-: E091°06'55.5- [±10, WGS84, Jantschke H 2001.02.15); N25°11'42.2-: E091°06'55.8- [±4.9, WGS84, Brooks S J 2001.02.05): 26 m asl. (GPS). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: A footpath from India to Bangladesh runs through the arch.A natural bridge or arch is formed by a 7.5 m long and daylight lit cave passage (3 m wide and 5 m high) which pierces a limestone outcrop (Jantschke, H 2002.02.05 Mss: Cherragaon Border Cave Arch; Jantschke, H 2002.04.22 personal communication). ETYMOLOGY: The Bengali -chara- is one of the words for stream, river but the Bengali (Sanskrit, Hindi, etc.) numerical -char- means four and the Bengali -i- is equivalent of an apostrophe indicating possession while -gaon- is one of the Bengali names for a village, a town. The UK caver's -Cherragaon Border Cave- echoes a liberal English translation of the Bengali -charigaon dwar- (door, arch, gate, passage below the Four Villages). SITUATION: To reach the site, make friends with important people of the BSF (Border Security Force) and the local police, drive to the small village of Cherragaon (also: Charigaon) and have a cup of tea. Starting from the tea house beyond the bridge, follow a footpath through karstic terrain to the Bangladesh borer (300 m to 250°), slip through a hole in the fence and continue for about 100 m to a sudden 5 m drop down to the very plain of Bangladesh at an elevation of about 25 m asl. A minor foot path runs through the natural bridge. CAVE DESCRIPTION (note 1): The western (right-hand side) wall has collapsed and a huge boulder has slid down and leans onto a ledge. Some 5 m short of the cave entrance on the Indian side (if facing Bangladesh, on the right-hand side of the path), it is possible to enter an about 10 m long and up to 6 m high fissure. Near the Bangladesh entrance is a small spring (source of water). Partly eroded nummulite fossils protrude from the walls. POSITIONS: N25°11'41.5-: E091°06'55.5- [±10, WGS84, Jantschke H 2001.02.15); N25°11'42.2-: E091°06'55.8- [±4.9, WGS84, Brooks S J 2001.02.05): 26 m asl. (GPS). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: A footpath from India to Bangladesh runs through the arch.