JAMBUVANTI BHOIRU
21.712500,69.716700
Description
The religious show cave Jambuvanti Bhoiru, or the Cave of Jambavati is one of the many modified natural caves in India which are hold sacred by Hindus but one of the few temple caves which is not used as a rubbish dump and toilet. On 12th December 1999 there was not a single turd of human excrement and not even the slightest tint of drying urine in the air. The surprise becomes even more atonishing when considering that the cave interior is neither covered with soot nor littered but swept, tidy and clean. Quite unusual is the unexpected fact that none of the venerated stalagmites (linga) are defaced with cheap but intensive colours or rancid milk products but washed with clean water and draped with fresh flowers on a daily basis (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: So far, I saw the "cave" (English) or "bhoiru" (Gujarati) and "bhoira" (ADYE 1917: vii, 49, 118) named after »Jambavati« (note 2), »Jambhavati« (ARCHER, W G 1957) or »Jambuvanti« (ADYE, E H 1917) referred to as Jambuvanti Bhoira ADYE, E H (1917: vii, 49, 118) Jambuvant Caves Chaudhari, Bharatkumar (flickr.com/people/44603690@N02) Jambuvati Bhoiru temple wallah (1998.12.28 personal communication) Jambuvati Gufa Chaudhari, Bharatkumar (flickr.com/people/44603690@N02). SITUATION 1998: The entrance to this cave lies 1.9 km in a direct line north-west (327°) from the »Ránáwáo« (ADYE, E H 1917) or »Ranavav« (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 66 A4) Railway Station (note 3), which itself lies at a linear distance of 13.2 km north-east of Porbandar (N21°37': E69°38'), the harbour town on the coast of the Saurashtra (Kathiawar) peninsula. The Krishna temple compound and cave entrance can be reached from the railway station by crossing the railway tracks and by walking counter-clock-wise around the cement factory (in 1998 some 10'000 tons per day). Turning west (left) behind the industrial plant, some of the supraterranean parts of the Krishna temple are seen peeping across the locally sparse vegetation, which tries its best to cover the barren rocky plain surrounding the walled-in sacred compound. SITUATION 1917a: »Nearly one mile [1.6 km] from Ránáwáo Station, alongside the Quarry Railway-Siding, the rock exposure on a level with the line, presents an aspect singulary like to that of a raised beach, with its jagged surface of consolidated shell-sand. … about a quarter of a mile [circa 400 m] farther forward, the site is reached where an underground cave, called "Jambuvanti Bhoira" … is preserved as a kind of show-place. The cave-entrance is reached by a short pathway out of the beaten track and railway-siding …« (ADYE, E H 1917: vii). SITUATION 1917b: »Approximately 1 1/4 miles [1.25 miles or 2 km] NW of Ránáwáo-Station, there is a natural shaft …« (ADYE, E H 1917: 49). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1998: A tree shelters the vertical cave entrance from the scorching heat and sun. In case visitors to the cave wear shoes, they have have to remove them and leave them outside the sacred compound. Stepping across a low wall, which guards off animals and children, an irregular shaped hole in the flat ground (about 1.5 by 1 m wide) gives access to an irregularly winding staircase cut into a narrow natural shaft piercing the calcarenite (miliolitic limestone, miliolite). About 7 m down, the spiralling staircase arrives at a level floor (dark brown coloured, coherent sand) and enters a solitary horizontal cave passage (on average 8 m wide, 2 m high, heading south-west, towards the Arabian Sea) naturally illuminated by a daylight window. The only eye-sore are three masonry columns (0.8 by 0.8 m) which reflect the global mistrust of administrative engineers to natural vaults which, of course, survive man-made structures by numerous millennia.About 50 m from the staircase, after having passed a daylight window that was modified into a well shaft which penetrates the cave to hit the water table below, the passage decreases in size to form sort of a gateway (5 m wide, 1.7 m high) to a terminal chamber of about 10 to 15 m in diameter which is centrally lit by yet one more daylight window vertically above. Set off a little to the side of it rests the main lingam (phallus shaped god), a stalagmite (in ground plan resembling an inverted letter "T") rising from the centre of its corresponding yoni (vulva) made from concrete. Close by are a few stalagmites regarded as idols of accompanying gods (probably Ganesh, Parvati and Nandi): Being of smaller size, they are of course of smaller religious importance. Where the walls of the terminal chamber should meet the level floor, three short crawls (episodical sinks) continue and descend to end sand plugged (a potent dig!) but superhuman beings are believed to enter these belly crawls to travel via fabulous tunnels to the three most famous places in Saurashtra: Dvarka, Junagadh and Porbandar.The opposite, north-eastern end of the cave is almost hidden away behind the staircase and runs into a low area of fallen rocks. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1917a: »Jambuvanti Bhoira … The cave-entrance … leads down by a semi-spiral staircase, cut through the solid rock, for a mean depth of about 20 feet [6 m]. The subterranean chambers with their passages, duly ventilated by a couple of shafts, was, without doubt, a natural formation, subsequently elaborated by man. Its geological structure shows a series of obliquely laminated beds of coarse, sandy, buff-coloured miliolite-limestone of but small commercial value, of a total thickness of from 20 to 25 feet [6.1 m to 7.6 m] deposited directly upon a fairly thick substratum of brown, earthy, ferrugineous incoherent sand full of glittering particles. The cave itself must have taken origin through the accumulation of a subterranean waters and subsequent formation of a subterranean stream, which effectually swept away the rubbly layers of stone and also a considerable portion of the underlying decomposed sand, the precise nature of which remain to be revealed by analysis in the laboratory« (ADYE 1917: vii-viii). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1917b: » . a natural shaft leading down to a subterranean tunnel, doubtless caused by underground waters, which has been made accessible by a spiral stairway cut into the sides of the original shaft. The rock of this Jambuvanti Bhoira, or cave, -- as it has been named after one of the queens of the Hindu deity Krishna -- consists of beds of a coarsly textured, buff coloured and obliquely laminated miliolite of but poor commercial value, to a total thickness of about 25 feet [7.6 m], resting directly upon a thick, (5 to 7 feet) substratum of a dark-brown sand full of glittering particles which await optical examination [note 4]. This bedding of slightly coherent sand [note 5] has, since the deposition and consolidation of the overlying miliolite, been almost entirely swept away by an underground stream formed by periodic percolating waters, to form the subterranean cave noted above« (ADYE 1917: 49). GEOLOGY: The cave walls and ceiling exposes soft and friable, buff coloured and coarsely textured, cross-bedded and obliquely laminated beds of Pliocene / Pleistocene calcarenite, termed by local geologists as Porbandar Limestone, miliolite, or miliolitic limestone. ADYE (1917: 49 note) identified the dark brown coloured, ferrugineous, coarsely structured and incoherent sand infilling, which shows many glittering particles, as decomposed granophyre. SPELEOLOGY: The visitable part of the cave occupies a space which appears to have came accessible only when parts of the ceiling collapsed into an original (vadose) cave, which developed as a stream cave by solution along a NE-SW running fault which also governs the aligned four daylight windows. A calcite floor, perched at a height of circa 0.8 m above the present sand floor, hints to a history of deposition and re-juvenation. Speleothems represent some of the Shiva linga (up to five stalagmites, circa 0.5 m high and 0.3 m thick) but others are imported (?) foundlings of proper shape. Stalagmites, stalactites and flowstone is absent. CAVE CONSERVATION: The cave is situated in an area heavily exploited for limestone. Already the IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 20: 188-190) reports »a vast series of quarries« from the area. Ten years later ADYE (1917: viii) draws the attention of quarry watchers to a number of 292 quarries of which 174 were then in operation. Since that time, the quarrying activities have multiplied, perhaps (?) not in number but in turn out. The cave survived only due to the civil non-obedience of Shree Jamneshwar Baji Babu, who interrupted a 12 year long retreat in this cave to mobilise the population when a cement factory was built. Since the Archaeological Survey of India declared the site a protected monument, no blasting is allowed in the vicinity. In the meantime, Shree Jamneshwar Baji Babu has passed away and became a saint with his own temple in the sacred compound at Jambuvanti Bhoiru.Apparently no blasting is allowed in the vicinity. In the meantime, Shree Jamneshwar Baji Babu has passed away and became a saint with his own temple in the sacred compound at Jambuvanti Bhoiru. His spirit and enthusiasm, however, is alive and in vigorous power due to the friends of the cave named after and associated with Jambuvanti, one of the queens of the Hindu deity Krishna. In addition to these idealistic cave protectors there is quite a number of pilgrims and / or tourists from all over India. CULTURAL HISTORY: Cave legend: When visiting the cave in 1998 a young Saddhu tried to communicate a Jambuvanti Mahatmya (a main cave legend) with a limited command of English to make it understood for my restricted Hindi: A certain "lion" Sattrajit got a light emitting vajra (diamond) from surya (the sun). Somehow, Jambuvanti (daughter of the bear" and one of Krishna's 16'108 wives) found the cave illuminated by the precious stone and a dead lion beside it. Krishna wanted the stone also. Jambuvanti and Krishna fought for 28 days. Jambuvanti realised that an enemy such strong must be also a god and made him her lover or became his consort. ARCHER, W G (1957a, 1957b, 1960: 56-60) recalls this story from the Mahabharata: »Having married Rukmini [note 6], Krishna has now the full status of a grown prince. But he is nothing if not supernormal; and just as earlier in his career he has showered his affection on a host of cowgirls, he now acquires a whole succession of further wives. The first is Jambhavati, the second Satyabhama. Satyabhama's father is a certain Sattrajit who has obtained from the sun the boon of a jewel. The jewel flashes with light and Krishna advises him to surrender it to King Ugrasena. The man refuses; whereupon his brother seizes it and goes away to the forest. Here a lion pounces upon him, devours the man and his horse and hides the jewel. The lion is then killed by a bear who centuries earlier had served with Vishnu's earlier incarnation, Rama, during his campaign against the demon king of Lanka. The bear carries away the jewel and gives it to its mate. When Sattrajit hears that his brother is missing, he concludes that Krishna has caused his death and starts a whispering campaign, accusing Krishna of making away with the jewel. Krishna hears of the slander and at once decides to search for the missing man, recover the jewel and thus silence his accuser for ever. As he goes through the forest, Krishna finds a cave where the dead lion is lying. He enters it, grapples with the bear but is quickly recognised by the bear as Krishna himself. The bear bows before him and begs him to accept his daughter Jambhavati in marriage. He includes the jewel as part of the dowry. Krishna marries the girl and returns. Back at the court he upbraids Sattrajit for falsely accusing him. 'I did not take the jewel,' he says. 'The bear took it. Now he has given the jewel to me and also his daughter. Take back your jewel and be silent.' Sattrajit is overwhelmed with shame and by way of amends gives Krishna his own daughter, Satyabhama. Krishna marries her and Sattrajit begs him to take the jewel also. Krishna refuses and the jewel remains with its owner. A little later, Sattrajit is murdered and the jewel once again stolen. The murderer thief is tracked down by Krishna and killed, but only after many delays is the jewel at last recovered from Akrura – the leading Yadava who earlier in the story has acted first as Raja Kansa's envoy to Krishna and later as Krishna's envoy to Kunti. Krishna orders him to return it to its owner, Sattrajit's grandson. Akrura places it at Krishna's feet and Krishna gives it to Satyabhama. The upshot, then, is that the slander is ended, the jewel is regained and in the process Krishna acquires two further wives …« (note 7).
NOTE 1: At about 10 a.m., well before breakfast time, an aged pujari who refused to be photographed, took care of the main stalagmite in the terminal cave hamber. Equipped with an oil lamp inverted from a tin of Dairy Maid milk powder and a lavishly polished aluminium bucket (costly!) full of clean water and a broad variety of fresh flowers not easy to get in a desert. He washed the lingam by rubbing the sprinkled water his hands while chanting the name of Shiva and his consort Parvati again and again. Having thoroughly washed the lingam three times over, he arranged, still chanting, the most gorgeous of the flowers on the top of the lingam, the others around it, lit incense and closed his chanting prayer with invocations of Krishna. Having finished his routine he left with a stray gesture of "you may continue" (your job). Only then struck him an afterthought. Now he took notice of me, turned and asked a question in Gujarati which I did not understand. Since about everybody in India always ask first "Where do you come from?" I tried my luck with saying "Cherrrmenny", the well tested Indic rendering of Germany. His face darkened when asking back "Factory?" and I replied with wide open eyes "Nay! Nay! Jerrmenie …" With relief in his voice he agreed "Acha" (OK). I understood that the cement factory is not regarded as a benevolent factor for cave friends. NOTE 2: Jambavati, the daughter of Jamali (a bear killed by »Crishna« a.k.a. Krishna) and the mother of Gamba, is one of wifes of Krishna (Asiatic Researches 1812, 11: 70). NOTE 3: The Ranavav Railway Station or »Ránáwáo Station« (ADYE, E H 1917: vii) near (±25 m) N21°41'54": E69°43'36": 79.3 m asl (Gebauer, H D 1998.12.28 GPS Garmin 12). NOTE 4: »This sand has been proved by analysis of R. E. J. M'Cully, the expert chemist to the Porbandar Cement Works, to be nothing more nor less than thoroughly decomposed granophyre or rock of the mountain-massive« (ADYE, E H 1917: 49 footnote). NOTE 5: »Incoherent sand, the mode of occurrence of which has already been recorded (vide supra, p. 49) has been analysed (ut supra, p. 94) and found to tally closely in composition with the granophyres of the mountain massive. It is therefore assumed that the material is nothing but more or less than a thoroughly 'Decomposed Granophyre' physically altered beyond recognition but maintaining the integrity of its proximate principles« (ADYE, E H 1917: 118). A marginal note draws here the attention to »Incoherent Sand: Decomposed Granophyre or Felsite, from Cave called 'Jambuvanti Bhoira' « (ADYE, E H 1917: 118 marginal note). NOTE 6: »Rukmini« (ARCHER, W G 1957) is the »moon-faced, tulip-complexioned, gazelle-eyed, bird-voiced, elephant-gaited, slim-waisted, divine Rukminee« (KNIGHT 1863). NOTE 7: ARCHER, William G. (1957a, 1957b, 1960, 2004): The loves of Krishna in Indian painting and poetry.- (Chapter IV.2, pages 56-60) online: gutenberg.org/dirs/1/1/9/2/11924/ (accessed 25.12.2004)
Documents
Bibliography 29/03/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1917: E. Howard ADYE (1917: vii-viii, 49) visited, entered and described »Jambuvanti Bhoira« (sic!). 1998.12.28: After a series of failed attempts to track the whereabouts of the »Jambuvanti Bhoira« (ADYE, E H 1917) with the help of tourist information officers, taxi drivers or professional tourism providers at Porbandar, it was the Porbandar Railway Station Manager who procured not only information from employees but also arranged for a dudh wallah (dudh = milk, wallah = a male person associated with a particular place, activity, or occupation) who had just brought from Ranavav a bicycle loaded with four huge milk cans. This milkman put me on a local train and accompanied me up to the Ranavav Railway Station where he hailed down a lorry heading towards the cement factory. Eventually, the lorry wallahs dropped me in remote and uninhabited inland region at a spot from where the walls surrounding the temple compound were visible at some distance. After a few hours of introduction to the temple wallahs, complete with so many cups of tea-coloured sugar liquified with a little cowmilk, H. D. Gebauer mapped »Jambuvanti Bhoiru« to grade 4b and chatted without common words with the pujari, walked back to the Ranavav Railway station, then hitch-hiked back to Porbandar and from there onwards to more detours.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.9 | Dolatagadh Ka Bhoiru | ||
| 26.3 | GHOJHARA KA BHOIRU | ||
| 80.5 | KHAPARA KHODIA | ||
| 80.8 | NAVAGHAN KUVA | ||
| 84.4 | BHIMKUND, Girnar | ||
| 93.9 | BUDDHIST CAVES | ||
| 135.2 | BHADRESHWAR STEPWELL | ||
| 171.0 | BHUJ ROCK-SHELTER CAVE, Kutch | ||
| 172.9 | RAMAKUND |