GIDHADWAR
25.016700,85.543100
Description
A cave entrance (3 m wide, 5 m high) gives access to a 30 m of joint guided rift cave passege, complete with bats (no air current), excellent views overlooking the landscape, and a not very likely but 1.6 km long fabulous underground tunnel, which is reputed to lead to Jarasandha's Tower or »Jarasandha ka baithak« (CUNNINGHAM 1871: 471ff edited 1990: 397-399). ETYMOLOGY: "Gidha" means vulture and "dwar" door, gate, opening. It is indicated as Gidda Dwar Cave (near N25°00'45': E85°32'30" Everest 1830) on the map accompanying STRASSER (1991), without further notice in the text, at the southern foot of the hill with the Giriak GTS (Great Trigonometrical Survey Station) in the east of Giriak village (N25°01'30": E85°33'45"). So far, I saw the name spelled, transcribed, or edited as Gidda Dwar STRASSER, R (1991 map) Gidhadvari STEIN, M A (1901: 55) Gidha-dwar »… in Sanskrit Gridhradwar, means Vulture's pass, or opening« (CUNNINGHAM, A 1871: 471 edited 1990) Gridhadwar CUNNINGHAM, A (1871: 471 edited 1990: 397-399). Guddeh-Dwar KITTOE (1847: 960). SITUATION 1871: »From the neighbourhood of Gaya two parallel ranges of hills stretch towards the north-east for about 36 miles to the bank of the Panchana river, just opposite the village of Giryek. The eastern end of the southern range is much depressed, but the northern range maintains its height, and ends abruptly in two lofty peaks overhanging Panchana river. The lower peak on the east is crowned with a solid tower of brick-work, known as Jarasandha ka baithak, or Jarasandha's Tower, while the other peak on the west, to which the name of Giryek peculiarly belongs, bears an oblong terrace covered with the ruins of several buildings … The two peaks are connected by a steep pavement … At two miles [3.2 km] to the south-west of the village of Giryek [Giriak, Giriyak], and one mile [1.6 km] from Jarasandha's Tower, there is a natural cavern … called Gidhadwar, [which] is generally believed to communicate with Jarasandha's Tower …« (CUNNINGHAM 1871: 471ff edited 1990: 397-399). SITUATION 1991: »Gidda Dwar Cave« is indicated near N25°00'45': E85°32'30" (STRASSER 1991 map: Rajgir Area). SITUATION, undated: »Indasala Cave« (a.k.a. Gidhadwar) lies at the base of a sheer cliff halfway up the side of Giriyek Mountain: »To get there take the Giriyek road from Rajgir which runs along the north side of the mountain. This road ends at the dam. The road was recently repaired and is in fairly good condition. From there you will have to walk around the end of the mountain and follow its south face toward the east for about 1.5 kilometres. […] Because a lot of walking and climbing is involved in getting there, a visit to the Indasala Cave should be considered a half day's trip from Rajgir. Be out of the area well before dark [note 1]« (buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_09.htm accessed 29.09.2003). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1847: Out of the wo cave entrances (–>Gidhadwar 2) at »Guddeh- Dwar« one gives access to »a passage apparently cut through the hill, which I was unable to penetrate, not only owing to fatigue and blistered feet, but it would be requisite to be provided with chloride of lime, torches and other precautions …« (KITTOE 1847: 961). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1871: »… one mile [1.6 km] from Jarasandha's Tower, there is a natural cavern … called Gidhadwar, [which] is generally believed to communicate with Jarasandha's Tower. An examination with torches proved it to be a natural fissure running upwards in the direction of the tower, but only 98 feet in length. The mouth of the cavern is 10 feet broad and 17 feet high; but its height diminishes rapidly towards the end. The cave is filled with bats, and the air oppressively warm and disagreeable, which alone is sufficient to prove that there is no exit to the cavern, otherwise there would be a draught of air right through it. Vultures swarm about the precipitous cliffs of pale grey horn stone …« (CUNNINGHAM 1871: 471ff edited 1990: 397-399). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1901: »… the total absence of any marks that this natural fissure in the rock was once a place of worship and pilgrimage [note 2]« (STEIN 1901: 55). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Despite of literary evidences (note 3), Gidhadwar is not only identified by some with the –>Buddha Samadhi Guha (note 4) but also, and more often, with the –>Indrasila Cave of Buddhist tradition (note 5). According to at least one Internet website (note 6), »… you will notice a flight of stairs leading to a cave where an old swami lives. He doesn't speak English but he is a mellow old fellow and friendly to visitors. Further up on the very top of the mountain is the Hansa Stupa, the most complete still existing in India. It is a difficult climb through the thorn bushes but offers a fine view. This remote and beautiful cave is the place where the Buddha delivered one of his most profound discourses, the Sakkapanha Sutta —a lucid translation of the Sakkaphana Sutta can be found in WALSH: The Long Discourses of the Buddha« (buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_09.htm, accessed 29.09.2003).
NOTE 1: Keyword: Naxalites. NOTE 2: Buddhist revival in the aftermath of Tibet's occupation (1950 onwards), the hippie's invasion (1960 onwards), Japanese money (1970 onwards), and "New Wave" tourist pilgrims (1980 onwards) may have changed the untouched appearance of this home of vultures (Grys var). NOTE 3: »In a sutra of the Digha Nikaya (II: 263, 269) and in the corresponding Chinese texts (Chang-a-han-ching, chapter 10; Fo-shuo-sheng-ching, chapter 2), Indra's Cave was in a mountain called Vediyaka, to the north of Amra Park village on the east of Rajagriha [Rajgir], and in the north side of the mountain. The cave of the canonical books could not have been in the side of a precipice, as Buddha is represented in them as walking up and down in front of it in conversation with Ananda {Seng-ki-lü, chapter 28). Then Yuan-chuang [Xuanzang] represents the mountain as being covered with a dense growth of vegetation, and the Vediyaka mountain was, at least in Buddha's time, without any trees to give shade and shelter to the bhikshus [monks]« (WATTERS (1905 edited 1988, 2: 172-174). NOTE 4: KITTOE (1847: 961) identifies Gidhadwar with –>Buddha Samadhi Guha: »… about half way up the steep [south] face of the north hill under Girryek, two caverns appear facing south [see –>Gidhadwar 2 and the cave of –>Ananda and Mara], and over one is a curious cleft in the rock which would seem to answer Fa-Hian's description.« NOTE 5: Compare the –>Indrasila Guha of the ancient Chinese Buddhist pilgrims FA HIAN (circa 400 A.D.) and XUANZANG (648 A.D). »Gidha-dwar, in Sanskrit Gridhradwar, means Vulture's pass, or opening. By Hwen Thsang [sic! for Xuanzang] the cave is called Indra-sita-guha, or "the cave of Indra's Stone" being thus named after a stone on which were delineated the 42 points on which Indra had questioned Buddha. Fa-Hian adds that Indra himself drew the marks upon the stone with his finger« (CUNNINGHAM 1871: 471ff edited 1990: 397-399): STEIN (1901: 55) agrees with CUNNINGHAM to identify »Indrasailaguha« with cave »Gidhadvari« (sic!). LAW, N L (1937 edited 1976: 195) positions »Indrasala Guha« (sic) on »Gijjhakuta Pabbata« (the Pali name for Gidhakuta, or Vulture Peak) near Rajgir. NOTE 6: buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/pg_09.htm (accessed 29.09.2003).
Documents
Bibliography 28/03/2016- Abel Remusat J P 1836; Ballantyne & Kittoe, Markham 1848; Cunningham, Alexander 1871, 1990; Dey, Nundo Lal 1927, 1990, 1994; Julien, Stanislas 1857-1858; Kittoe, Markham 1847; Law, Bimala Churn 1937 edited 1976, 1954 edited 1967; Legge, James 1886, 1899, 1965, 1991, 1998, 2005; Marshall, John 1951; Stein, Marc Aurel 1901; Strasser, Robert 1991; Watters, Thomas 1905, 1961, 1988; Xuanzang 648.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | GIDHADWAR 2 | ||
| 1.8 | AA CAVE, Giriak (Cave on the) | ||
| 4.7 | BRAHMIN's GIRL CAVE | ||
| 4.7 | AJATASATRU (Cave of) | ||
| 4.7 | MANIAR MATH | ||
| 4.9 | GRIDHRAKUTA CAVE 1 | ||
| 4.9 | Bhimbisera Cave | ||
| 5.1 | GRIDHRAKUTA CAVE 2 | ||
| 5.2 | VARAHA CAVE, Rajgir |