KUKARNAG CAVE & SPRING
33.609700,75.375000
Description
One of the karst springs that rise near Kukarnag (note 1) »… from the ground, as usual, at the foot of a prettily wooded hill [FOSTER 1873]« once was claimed (note 2) to have »… resurged from a cave that one can look into [in: COWARD 1970d: 31].« FOSTER (1873) visited on 17th August 1868 and found: »Kookur Nag is the name of some springs … There are a great number of them close together and they issue from the ground, as usual, at the foot of a prettily wooded hill. The water is very pure and cold [note 3], and of sufficient quantity to form immediately a large and rapid stream. This place lies near the mouth of a wide gorge or valley which leads right up to the snows, and down which there must have been at one time, either a mighty rush of water or a vast glacier, as the ground is thickly strewn with huge boulders. The stratification of one mountain against which it is evident the flood impinged –is very clearly and beautifully shown.« COWARD (1971d: 33) visited Kukarnag (note 4), in 1970, investigated some of the seven (158) springs, found no cave, and suggested the resurgence cave may be lost: »The water issues from several places along a 200 foot [60 m] front at the base of the hillside, and is channelled through some gardens; part of the flow is used for another trout farm [compare: Achhibal]. Walkways have been constructed above and around the spring, usually by piling up boulders, which could well hide any former caves. As these walkways are [in 1970] a recent improvement, the cave Dr. Wakhlu saw may well have existed a few years ago although no sign of caves may be seen now.«
NOTE 1: Kukarnag (also: Kokarnag, Kokernag, Kookur Nag, Kukunath) lies some 70 km along the road from Srinagar and 20 km south-west of Anantnag (Islamabad) in the south eastern end of the Vale of Kashmir, and at elevations ranging between 1935 m (COWARD 1971d: 35) and 2020 m (jktourism.org/cities/kashmir/excurs/index.htm#3 accessed 19.09.2004).Kukarnag or Kokarnag etc. is not not positioned on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) and not shown on AMS sheet NI43-11 (1960) – where it should lie near Wangom at N33°34': E075°21' (nima.mil/geonames/> accessed 16.11.2003) but marked near N33°36'35": E075°22'30" (Stein, M.A. 1899 folding map) and –obsolete– near N33°36': E075°21' (Sinclair, Dowling & Watson 1884). Kukarnag has already been noted by ABUL FAZL (1590 edited by JARRETT 1893, JARRETT & SARKAR 1949, JARRETT, SARKAR & SEZGIN 1993, 2: 357). LAWRENCE (1895 / 1967: 23 + note) refers to ABUL FAZL (1590) and adds: »The Kashmiris … all seem to give Kokarnag the first place as a source of drinking water.« COWARD (1971d) says Kukarnag is »… a calcium spa. The water issues from several places along a 70 metres front at the base of the hillside and is channeled through some gardens; part of the flow is used for a trout farm .« NOTE 2: Dr. O.N. Wakhlu, Civil Engineering Department, Srinagar University. NOTE 3: COWARD (1971d: 35): 13.1°C temperature. NOTE 4: jktourism.org/cities/kashmir/excurs/index.htm#3 (accessed 19.09.2004): »The Kokernag spring bubbles at seven places at the foot of the forested mountain. The water of the spring is famous for its medicinal and digestive properties.« NOTE 5: KNIGHT (1863 "Diary" Introduction): »Our expeditionary force consisted … [of] the brother officer … F. … and myself.«
Documents
Bibliography 05/04/2016- Abul Fazl 'Allami 1590 (Ain i Akbari: edited by Beveridge, H, a.i.; Gladwin, Francis 1783, 1800; Blochmann, H 1873, 1939, 1949, 1993; Jarrett, H S 1891, 1939, 1949, 1993); Coward, Julian M H 1971d; Foster, J C 1873; Knight, William Henry 1863; Lawrence, Walter Roper 1895 edited 1967, 1981, 1996, 2002, 2005; Vigne, "G J " [sic! for… Godfrey Thomas] 1837.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1837: VIGNE, "G. J." [sic! qua: Godfrey Thomas] (1837: 796): »Loka Nagh« (sic! for: Kukarnag) is a notable spring. 1860.07.16: Captain William Henry KNIGHT (1863 Diary: 1860 July 16) in company with his anonymous mate »F« (note 5), was »on the road again at daybreak, with the intention of going to a place called Kukunath, where there were more springs, and which, from information obtained from the sepoy who accompanied us, was on our road to Islamabad. However, like most information relative to either direction or to distance in this country, it turned out to be wrong, and we accordingly altered our course and made for our old quarters.« 1970 (spring?): Dr. O. N. Wakhlu, of the Civil Engineering Department at Srinagar University (in COWARD 1970d: 31), remembered a spring that »… resurged from a cave that one can look into.« 1970 (late August or early September): The British Karst Research Expedition to the Himalaya 1970 (edited 1971 by Waltham, A.C.) found »walkways … constructed above and around the spring…, which could well hide any former caves« (COWARD 1971d: 33).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.4 | ADIGAM SINK | ||
| 7.9 | SUNDABRAR SPRING | ||
| 13.3 | VERINAG | ||
| 13.8 | VERINAG CAVE | ||
| 14.7 | MUNDA CAVE | ||
| 17.9 | JAWAHAR ROAD TUNNEL | ||
| 17.9 | BANIHAL RAILWAY TUNNEL | ||
| 21.4 | SURYA GOFFAR, Martand | ||
| 22.1 | BAWAN SPRINGS |