PATAL DWAR

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A north-west-facing cave entrance, apparently up to about 2 m wide and high, gives access to an about 25 m wide and 4 m or 5 m high cave chamber (containing secondary calcite formations, speleothems) with a floor and ceiling descending towards south and south-east. A continuation high up in the north-west corner of the cave chamber leads to a descent, which is improved with a tree trunk / climbing aid and eventually blocked about 23 m vertically below the cave entrance (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 29 cave plan). ETYMOLOGY: The East Pahari (Gorkhali / Nepali) cave name Patal Dwar (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 26) or Patal Duwari (DUCLUZAUX & SCHENKER 1992: 59; DUCLUZAUX 1993) is, perhaps, nicely translated as Underworld Door (note 1). SITUATION 1992: On the north-facing flank of Bruno Ducluzaux's massif de Bandipur (cfr. –>Andhi Gupha, –>Andhi Mul) and above the orographically right (locally southern) bank of the Marsyangdi Khola. About 2 to 5 or 6 km along the Prithivi highway ESE from Bimalnagar / Bial Nagar (note 2), the road is flanked by an about 2 km or 3 km long series of north-facing limestone cliffs above the southern (orographically right) bank of the Marsyangdi Khola. Near the eastern (ESE) end of the limestone cliffs and about 5 km ESE from Bimalnagar, there is the perennial karst spring Tatopani (note 3) below (north) of the road and the Patal Dwar about 100 m above the south side of the road (Prithivi Highway) and 130 m (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 25) above the Tato Pani. SITUATION 2010: In an unspecified spatial relation to a GPS position near (unspecified precision error) 27°56'45.2”N, 84°25'48.2”E at an altitude of 456 m a.s.l. at a location which lies at an unspecified distance of about 2 to 3 km rather along a winding routa than in a direct line from the Prithivi Highway and east from the Siddha Cave (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 26), which is the –>Siddha Gufa, Bimalnagar (27°56'55.24”N, 84°25'13.49”E: 588 m) at an about 130 m higher elevation. SITUATION 2012: Patal Dwar 27°56'45.2” N, 84°25'48.2” E) was site which about 2-3 km from the highway and east of Siddha Cave. It is located at the altitude of 456 m. The cave is surrounded by open agricultural fields (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: A -strange cave passage full of blocks- (note 4) or a -strange cave enirely in collapse boulders- (note 5) with a day roost of bats at higher places inside the cave (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30-31). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011: The cave goes deep down (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). CULTURAL HISTORY - cave legend, fabulous tunnel: DUCLUZAUX (1993d: 25) had not only gathered but also mixed up a couple of local traditions according to which Patal Dwar is not only a seven-storied matter but also reputed to connect underground to the Marsyangdi River. Another tale narrates a tale according to which a child and a dog descended to the very bottom of the cave but did not return due to the great depth of the shafts. Therefore, an unidentified villge headman (no name mentioned) is said to have cared seeing the third tier of the cave walled off and Bruno Ducluzaux is ready to subscribe to the latter tale as it provides an easy explanation for the accumulation of stones at the far end of the third storey which can be interpreted as blocked continuation (note 6). CAVE LIFE - bats (Chiroptera): An unidentified catcher mist-netted on 13th March 2010 at 18h10 at Patal Dwar an adult male specimen of Rhinolophus luctus Temminck 1834 which was seen roosting solitary inside caves. Feeds on moth. Its flight is low and rests at higher places inside the cave (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30-31).27°56'45.2” N, 84°25'48.2” E) was site which about 2-3 km from the highway and east of Siddha Cave. It is located at the altitude of 456 m. The cave is surrounded by open agricultural fields (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: A -strange cave passage full of blocks- (note 4) or a -strange cave enirely in collapse boulders- (note 5) with a day roost of bats at higher places inside the cave (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30-31). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011: The cave goes deep down (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). CULTURAL HISTORY - cave legend, fabulous tunnel: DUCLUZAUX (1993d: 25) had not only gathered but also mixed up a couple of local traditions according to which Patal Dwar is not only a seven-storied matter but also reputed to connect underground to the Marsyangdi River. Another tale narrates a tale according to which a child and a dog descended to the very bottom of the cave but did not return due to the great depth of the shafts. Therefore, an unidentified villge headman (no name mentioned) is said to have cared seeing the third tier of the cave walled off and Bruno Ducluzaux is ready to subscribe to the latter tale as it provides an easy explanation for the accumulation of stones at the far end of the third storey which can be interpreted as blocked continuation (note 6). CAVE LIFE - bats (Chiroptera): An unidentified catcher mist-netted on 13th March 2010 at 18h10 at Patal Dwar an adult male specimen of Rhinolophus luctus Temminck 1834 which was seen roosting solitary inside caves. Feeds on moth. Its flight is low and rests at higher places inside the cave (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30-31).