HOLUND CAVE (Cave near)
15.733300,74.175000
Description
An estimated 3 m or 5 m wide pothole in »iron clay« (laterite) drops, like the cave at –>Sadda, an estimated 3 m or 5 m down into what appears to be a seasonal stream cave passage, which is suspected to lead and to drain to a resurgence cave entrance on the downstream side. First recorded some 130 years ago by FOOTE (1877: 210-211), the cave was listed by CRAVEN (1969a: 25) and GEBAUER & ABELE (1983: 8) but till today remains unexplored. ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known cave name identified FOOTE (1877: 210-211) for the this pothole near the village of Holund. SITUATION: About »one mile [circa 1.7 km or 54"] north of Holund« (note 1), a small village on the plateau high above the left (southern) bank of the Tillar ravine (Tilari Nadi). Geological situation (FOOTE 1877: 210-211): »South of the Tillar ravine [note 2], at Kolik (Koleek) [see: Cave at –>Kolik], Chigoli (Cheegooleh) [note 3], Kunkumbeh (Koonkoombeh) [note 4], Holund, and stretching out [south-] westward towards Chorleh [note 5] and to the extreme western points of the Sadda (Suda Ft.) spur [note 6], overlooking Goa, are continuous sheets of iron clay belonging to a bed or beds occurring very much at one and the same level. Southward past the top of the Parwar Ghat [note 7] these sheets of iron-clay join those occuring at the foot of the great Jamboti ridge [note 8], and pass south-eastward forming, near Ambgaon [note 9] and Chapoli (Champolee) a well defined plateau capping the extreme southern promontory of the great Deccan trap area overlooking the deep and romantic ravine of Mahadayi (Maadwee) river [note 10]. Two remarkable caves [near Holund and near –>Sadda] were observed in these lower ironclays …« CAVE DESCRIPTION 1877: Both of the two caves near Holund and near –>Sadda »… occur below the surface of wide level spreads of rock and present no other openings but large rudely circular holes 12 to 15 ft [3.7 to 4.6 m] in diameter and as about as deep. Neither is accessible without ladders, owing to the 'oubliette' character of the mouth, and torches are required. … [They] … have in all probability other lateral exits for the water which drains into them. They are probably developed due to the action of subterraneous streams formed during the tremendous bursts of the south-west monsoon. None of the openings seen had the character of swallow holes, but seemed due to the roof of the subterranean passage having fallen in locally« (FOOTE 1877). CAVE LIFE: »According to the villagers, … frequently tenanted by wild beasts, bears and tigers« (FOOTE 1877: 211).
NOTE 1: »Holund« N15°43: E74°14' (FOOTE 1877 geological map) or »Holundi« (CRAVEN 1969: 25) is indicated as »Hulond« near N15°44'30": E74°10' (AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum, U502 series, 1960 edition) but neither listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) nor shown on the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 98). NOTE 2: »Tillar ravine« (FOOTE 1877) is obviously the »Tilar Nadi« near N15°47': E74°13' on AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum (U502 series, 1960 edition), headwaters of the Chapora River, immediately north of the north-eastern corner of Goa. Not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 3: »Chigoli (Cheegooleh)« (FOOTE 1877) may correspond to the »Chigole« indicated near N15°45': E74°13' (AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum, U502 series, 1960 edition). Not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 4: »Kunkumbeh (Koonkoombeh)« (FOOTE 1877) may correspond to the »Kankumbi« near N15°43': E74°14' (AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum, U502 series, 1960 edition). Not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 5: »Chorleh« (FOOTE 1877) may correspond to »Choria« near N15°39': E74°09' (AMS sheet ND43-02) shown on the India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth (2006: 105 H1) above the banks of the Halalar Nadi. Not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 6: For »Sadda (Suda Ft.)« (FOOTE 1877) see the Cave at –>Sadda. NOTE 7: »Parwar Ghat« (FOOTE 1877) is not listed in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006 index), IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 24: 432) or on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) —a misprint for: Dharwar / Dharwad? NOTE 8: The east-west running »Jamboti Ridge« (FOOTE 1877) culminates near N15°40': E74°18' (Everest) at 3,355 feet or 1023 m asl (AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum, U502 series, 1960 edition). The village of Jamboti is shown on the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 105 H1). NOTE 9: »Ambgaon« (FOOTE 1877) may correspond to the »Amgoan« near N15°36': E74°17' (AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum, U502 series, 1960 edition). NOTE 10: »Mahadayi (Maadwee) river« (FOOTE 1877) is indicated as »Mahaday« near N15°35': E74°17' on AMS sheet ND43-02. Not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003).
Documents
Bibliography 29/03/2016Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | SADDA (Cave near) | ||
| 10.0 | KOLIK CAVE | ||
| 21.9 | KRISHNAPUR CAVE | ||
| 22.9 | ARVALEM CAVE 2 | ||
| 23.6 | MAUXI | ||
| 25.1 | PISSURLEM (Caves at) | ||
| 25.7 | TALEWADI CAVE | ||
| 28.3 | LAMGAO CAVES | ||
| 28.3 | SURLA TAR (Caves at) |