LEARN AND TEACH CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A natural rift cave in sandstone with a sandy floor showing traces of a small seasonal rivulet. SITUATION: At a travelling distance of an estimated 4 km or 5 km along the road (linear: 4.68 km) to the south (195°) from the seven way junction (note 1) Jaistambha / Jai Stambh (victory pillar) at –>Pachmarhi town, about halfway between Handikoh and Kodaighat, and a few hundred metres behind kilometer stone 32. The cave entrance lies in a 20 m long and 5 m high cliff, some 5 m above the left (eastern) side of the road to Mahadeo / Mahadev Mandir. The cliff exposes a karstified horizon with several small and numerous tiny holes and is marked with generously protruding secondary quarzite veins (-boxwork- but bedding -planes- only). The keyhole shaped entrance (more than 2 m wide and almost 4 m high) faces north and leads to a sand floored passage developed along a vertical joint (176°-356°). Seven metres from the entrance deteriorates the solitary passage to a tight shoulder crawl on the flor level and another two tiny crawl at a height of 2 m. None of these crawls was pushed to a conclusion. Secondary calcite deposits (stalagmitic formations) are absent and rock sample did not react with hydrochloric acid. HUMAN USE: Slings of wickerwork stowed away into a secluded corner of the cave hint to poachers trapping wild life while a section of a broken glass bangle and the left side-piece (bow) of cheap sunglasses in front of the cave indicate stray human visitors of apparently two different sexes. Painted onto the cliff face and clearly visible from the road below, is the Hindi inscription in Devanagari letters of the wellknown literacy motto Learn and teach. CAVE LIFE was absent but a few, black coloured animal droppings (3 by 9 mm) and scattered remants of insects might hint to an occasional bat or two (Chiroptera).or level and another two tiny crawl at a height of 2 m. None of these crawls was pushed to a conclusion. Secondary calcite deposits (stalagmitic formations) are absent and rock sample did not react with hydrochloric acid. HUMAN USE: Slings of wickerwork stowed away into a secluded corner of the cave hint to poachers trapping wild life while a section of a broken glass bangle and the left side-piece (bow) of cheap sunglasses in front of the cave indicate stray human visitors of apparently two different sexes. Painted onto the cliff face and clearly visible from the road below, is the Hindi inscription in Devanagari letters of the wellknown literacy motto Learn and teach. CAVE LIFE was absent but a few, black coloured animal droppings (3 by 9 mm) and scattered remants of insects might hint to an occasional bat or two (Chiroptera).