CHHYANGRU (Cave near)
30.115300,80.866700
Description
An unspecified cave entrance is said to give access to a cave famous for decayed remnants of »dead bodies of men, women and children« (SHERRING, C A 1906 edited 1993: 138) or »remnants of many men, women, and children« (SHARMA, M M 1994), human skeletons, bones and skulls (GANSSER, A 1937), »several human skeletons« (PRANAVANANDA 1949) but also entertains a mixed population of »ghosts and goblins« (SHARMA, M M 1994) and »evil spirits« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3) or »demons and goblins, to be avoided at all costs« (SHERRING, C S 1906 edited 1993: 138). ETYMOLOGY: GANSSER, A (1937: 203) introduced the German epithet »Totenhöhle« (Cave [of the] Dead) and SHARMA, M M (1994: 117) dubbed it »Cave of the Ghosts« (note 1) but no autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for this cave which is generally referred to by the name of the nearest village and has been transcribed and spelled, edited or printed as Chagru GANSSER, A (1937: 202, 203) Changru LARGE NUMBER … (1955); AMS sheet NH44-06 Nanda Devi (U502 series, 1958 edition); CRAVEN, S A (1971: 281); VALDIYA, K S & GUPTA, V J (1972) Chhangre DUCLUZAUX, B (1993d: 54) Chhangru SHERRING, C S (1906 edited 1993: 138); PRANAVANANDA (1949: 119 note 3); CRAVEN, S A (1969: 28); SHARMA, M M (1994: 117) Chhyangru Central Service Map 75 Darchula (edition 1989). POSITION - village: north east alt source 30°06'45” 80°51'50” -- CENTRAL SERVICE Map 75 Darchula (1989) -- -- 3018 m PRANAVANANDA (1949: 119 note 3) 35°08'10” 80°53'15” -- AMS U502 series sheet NH44-06 Nanda Devi (1951) 30°08' 80°51' -- [i.e. Garbyang] CRAVEN, S A (1971: 281) POSITION - cave: -- -- 3700 m GANSSER (1937: 202) -- -- 3800 m PRANAVANANDA (1949: 119 note 3) 30°08'40" 80°52'40” -- if »2 miles ENE from Garbyang at N30°08': E80°51'« (CRAVEN, S A 1971: 281)SITUATION: The entrance to the cave was said to lie about two hours on foot (note 2) above the village of Chhyangru (note 3), which itself lies not only on the north-western flank of Mount Api (note 4) or »Nampa 7100 m« (GANSSER, A 1937: 202, 203) and in the area above the eastern (orographically left) bank of Mahakali (Kali, Vyas) but also about 3 km in a direct line south-west from the village of Tinkar (note 5) on the Tinkar River (note 6). SITUATION 1906: »Opposite Garbyang [note 7] on the Nepalese side there is a cave near the village of Chhangru … It is about 1200 feet [366 m] above the village, the climb being very steep and difficult, as there is no semblance of a path, and we had to go through thorns and bushes when we ascended to it last year« (SHERRING, C A 1906 edited 1993: 138). APPROACH 1936: GANSSER, A (1937: 203) reached the cave from the village of »Chagru« (Chhyangru) by climbing 500 metres up across steep rocky ledges and through thickets of prickly broom. The final ascent requires quite a bit of rock climbing (note 8). APPROACH 1949: If starting at Garbyang (N30°07': E080°51': 3146 m asl) on the Indian side of the Mahakali, in Pithoragarh District, one had to negotiate a »… 3/4m [1.2 km] very steep and slippery descent to the bank of the Kali … cross the wooden bridge of Sita-pul [note 9] on the Kali to its [orographically] left bank to Nepal side; here is the Nepali Police Chauki, 1/2m [0.8 km] up along the Kali« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119). »3/4m [1.2 km] up the bridge situated on the tableland [river terrace?] is the village Chhangru (9'900 feet) [3017.5 m asl] of the Bhotias situated on the tableland. There is a big cave about 1/2 mile [0.8 km] above the village …« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3). SITUATION 1955 -- deranged: »… in the village of Changru [sic!] near Garbiang on the Indo-Tibetan border of the Almora District (U.P.) [note 10]« (LARGE NUMBER OF HUMAN SKULLS … 1955). »An anonymous (1955) report briefly mentions a cave at Chhangru [sic!], near Garbiang in the Almora district« (CRAVEN, S A 1969: 28 after LARGE NUMBER … 1955). »Kumaon: Craven (1969) signale une grotte à Chhangre [sic!], près de Garbyang. Chhangre [sic!] semble en rive gauche de la Mahakali, donc au Népal?« (DUCLUZAUX, B 1993d: 54 after CRAVEN, S A 1969: 28). SITUATION 1971: »A less elevated cave from Nepal has been noted near Changru (80° 51': 30°08') 2 miles [3.2 km] ENE from Garbyang« (CRAVEN, S A 1971: 281 after RUPKUND TRAGEDY 1955; LARGE NUMBER … 1955). APPROACH 1994: »From Garbyang we can see two villages in Nepal, Chhangru and Tinkar … About 400 metres above Chhangru and at a two hours climb … is a cave … There is no vestige of a path leading up and no villager will guide you there …« (SHARMA, M M 1994: 117). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1906: »In old days it used undoubtedly to go back for a long distance into the mountain, but as one of the sides has fallen in the cave has been considerably shortened. We found it full of dead bodies of men, women and children, the hair and flesh in some instances being wonderfully preserved owing to the extraordinary dryness of the interior. It appears that this cave was unfortunately ransacked by thieves some years ago and much valuable clothing and jewellery removed; otherwise it is one of those places which would repay examination by an expert« (SHERRING, C S 1906 edited 1993: 138). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1936: A relatively small entrance cleft leads to a cave which contains not only human bones and skulls (some with mummified remnants of hair and skin) but also Tibetan butter churns (note 11) and dilapidating boxes filled with children's bones. Obviously visible boulders are ascribed to an earthquake about 10 years ago (i.e. 1926 or so) and interpreted as blocking the way on to an inaccessible (or, perhaps, nonexistent) interior treasure cave which is reputed to contain even more human skeletal remains, bones and crania in addition to weapons and jewellery (note 12) (after GANSSER, A 1937: 203-204). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1949: »… a big cave … considered to be the abode of evil spirits, where there are several human skeletons« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1994: »A cave containing the remnants of many men, women, and children. There is no vestige of a path leading up … [to] the cave of ghosts and goblins« (SHARMA, M M 1994: 117-119). CULTURAL HISTORY -- CAVE LEGEND 1906: »According to current rumour it used to be one of the abodes of the aborigines; certainly its position would make it an ideal stronghold [note 13]. It was used as a retreat by the natives during the fighting that took place in the Gurkha period of a century ago, but at present it is only visited by Hindu devotees, and then very rarely, while the ordinary Bhotia regards it as a place full of demons and goblins, to be avoided at all costs. Many who had never entered it were very glad to take the opportunity of our going to accompany us, as they considered that spirits could do no harm in our presence« (SHERRING, C S 1906 edited 1993: 138-139). CAVE LEGEND 1936: GANSSER, A (1936: 202-203) narrates a tale procured in Late May 1936 from "Himeti Padan" (snow-like made), an old Boro woman, according to which -- I mean the tale -- the well-deserved curse of an immigrant woman from a place called Marma (note 14) came true when Boro people contracted smallpox (variola), whereupon they hastened to take their household utensils and vessels, fled to the cave and succumbed there to the disease. CAVE LEGEND 1943: Richard Kenneth Saker (1909-1979) and Dr. Gordon Terry are said to have made the »… discovery [of] a series of caves [no name mentioned] high up in a limestone cliff, where some of Zorawar Singh's invading Dogra soldiers had apparently billeted themselves in 1841« (SNELLING, J 1983 edited 1990: 210-211, 440 after Colonel »R K M« [Richard Kenneth, 1909-1979] Saker 1943 unpublished memoir: Western Tibet.- Coll. Mrs. Angela Saker). CAVE LEGEND 1949: »When there broke out an epidemic of smallpox, the villagers fled away to the cave with all their belongings, where all perished due to the same disease. But several weird stories are woven round the cave« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3). CAVE LEGEND 1955: »India. A large number of human skulls, bones and skelitons [note 15], similar to those found in Rulkund [note 16], have been discovered in a cave in the village of Changru [Chhyangru] near Garbiang [Garbyang] on the Indo-Tibetan border of the Almora District [note 17] (U.P.). The Himalayan Society are now leading a reconnaissance expedition to Mandadevi [note 18]« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955). Good Luck (note 19).CAVE LEGEND 1994: »… it is the cave of ghosts and goblins. There are many tales and legends about these skeletons which lie here with the secret of their tragedy dead with them. It is said there was a fight between the armies of Raja Baz Bahadur and the Tibetans. The villagers fled to the safety of these caves and perished from hunger, thirst and exposure. Another version is that the inhabitants fled because of an epidemic of smallpox and perished from the disease. Of the prevalent legends, the most common version is about a human sacrifice … [note 20]« (SHARMA, M M 1994: 117-119). GEOLOGICAL SITUATION: Unidentified but one would expect that a cave near Chhyangru is rather formed in a limestone of the Changru series than the Garbyang series. HEIM, A & GANSSER, A (1939) had collected a large number of fossils in the region and gave the first systematic account of the biostratigraphy. On the basis of overlying rocks containing typical Ordovician brachiopod Rafinesquina, Heim & Gansser (1939) assigned a Cambrian age to the Garbyang formation. JEANNEL (1958, 1959) studied the fossils collected by Heim & Gansser (1939) and determined Permo-Triassic Ammonites and Norian (Mesozoic: Triassic: Keuper) cephalopods from the area between the river Tinkar (N30°08': E080°56') and the pass Lipu (Lipu Lekh, Lipulek La, Lipulekh N30°14': E081°02': 5200 m asl). VALDIYA, K S & GUPTA, V J (1972) report from »the Tethys Himalaya Zone of the Kali valley« a fossiliferous (characteristic: Eccliopteris kushanensis) Upper Ordovician Changru Series (note 21) above an unfossiliferous Cambrian (?) Garbyang Series (note 22). SHAH, S K & SINHA, A K (1974) report the presence of crinoids, a few fragments of indeterminable trilobites (glabellar pieces) and the linguilid brachiopod Eccliopteris kushanensis Grabeau from the Garbyang Formation. SINHA, A K (1979) assigned a Middle Ordovician age to the Garbyang Formation. THAKUR, V C (1992: 109 fig 4.2) gives a geological sketch map (without coordinates), which is taken from an unspecified »PAL (1986)« without bibliographical details (note 23). THAKUR, V C (1992: 162) describes the approximately 1000 m thick Garbyang Formation as consisting in the lower part (note 24) of a succession of alternating bands of calcilutile, calcsiltstone and brown dolomitic limestone. The lower part is separated by a 1 m thick band of gypsiferous marl from crinoidal and oolitic limestone in the middle. The upper part of the Garbyang formation comprises cross-bedded calcareous sandstone and alternating bands of sandstone and shale with the shaly members predominating towards the top. VEGETATION: GANSSER (1937) narrates (in German language) how he had negotiated in late May 1936 on the climb up to the cave entrance a dense kind of »Urwald« (rather sort of a "jungle" than a "primary forest“ in the strict sense of the word) characterised by juniperus thickets (Cupressaceae: Juniperus), wild roses, cotoneasters (Rosaceae: Cotoneaster) and a prickly variety of broom (Leguminosae: Cytisus aut Genista). Relatively large colourful lizards disappeared in rocky crevices.
NOTE 1: The Nepali noun "pret" signifies the ghost of a dead person, especially in the sense of a malevolent (ill-wishing) or evil (harmful or tending to harm) demon. NOTE 2: The spatial relation of the cave's entrance has been determined as 1906 »near Chhangru … [and] about 1200 feet [366 m] above the village« (SHERRING, C A 1906 edited 1993: 138). 1936 about 500 m above the village of »Chagru« and at an elevation of 3700 m (GANSSER 1937: 203). 1949 »about 1/2m [800 m] above Chhangru (9,999) [3047.7 m asl]« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3). 1955 »in the village of Changru« (LARGE NUMBER OF HUMAN SKULLS … 1955). 1994 »about 400 metres above Chhangru and at two hours climb« (SHARMA, M M 1994: 117). NOTE 3: Changru (AMS sheet NH44-06 Nanda Devi, U502 series, 1958 edition), falling on the Survey of India sheet 62-B/16 (not seen), is indicated as »Chhyangru« near (±500 m) N30°06'45”: E080°51'50” on Central Service Map sheet 75 Darchula (edition 1989). NOTE 4: Api .7131 near (±500 m) N30°00'20”: E080°55'50” (Central Service Map sheet 75 Darchula, edition 1989) culminates at 7132 m asl both on the Central Service Map 75 Darchula (1989 edition) and in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 13 F2). NOTE 5: Tinkar (±500 m N30°07'00”: E080°54'25” Central Service Map sheet 75 Darchula, edition 1989), also »Tinker« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3) and Tinakar. NOTE 6: The Tinkar Khola or »Tinker river« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119 note 3), also Tinakar, near (±500 m) N30°07'30”: E080°52'45” (Central Service Map sheet 75 Darchula) joins the left bank of the Mahakali from the east. NOTE 7: Garbyang (N30°07': E080°51' nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) at an elevation of 3145.5 m asl or »10,320 feet« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119), also referred to as »Garbiang« (LARGE NUMBER OF HUMAN SKULLS … 1955), is the village indicated as »Garbyang« near (±1 km) N30°07'40”: E080°51'20" (AMS sheet NH44-06 Nanda Devi, U502 series, 1958 edition) and about 400 m or 500 m above the western (orographically right) bank of the Mahakali (also: Kali, Byas, Vyas) River and thus in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand state, India. NOTE 8: »Chagru … Über steile Felsbänder, durch stacheliges Ginstergestrüpp klettere ich mit ein paar Eingeborenen zu der besagten Höhle hinauf. Der kleine Eingang liegt 500 m über dem Dorfe, etwa 3700 m hoch. Ein Urwald von dichtem Juniperusgestrüpp, wilden Rosen, Kotoneastern und stacheligen Ginstern läßt uns fast nicht vorwärtskommen. Die Hände schmerzen von den kleinen Stacheln des Ginsters, die sich hier ähnlich den Stacheln gewisser Kaktusarten gleich loslösen und in der Haut stecken bleiben. Grosse bunte Eidechsen verschwinden in den Felsspalten. Trotz der 3700 m muss hier auch vor den Schlangen etwas aufgepasst werden. Die kleine Eingangsspalte der Höhle wird sichtbar. … In den letzten Felsen muss noch gehörig geklettert werden« (GANSSER 1937: 203). NOTE 9: »Sita-pul« (PRANAVANANDA 1949: 119) or »Sitapul« near (±500 m) N30°06'35”: E080°51'12” (Central Service Map sheet 75 Darchula, edition 1989). NOTE 10: One problem is, that the Almora district lies not at all »on the Indo-Tibetan border« but borders the districts of Rudraparayag and Bageshwar in the north, Garhwal in the west, Nainital and Champawat in the south, and Pithoragarh in the east. »Garbiang« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955), the village of Garbyang near (±1 km) N30°07'40”: E080°51'20"( WGS84) lies not in Almora but in the Pithoragarh district, then (1955) an administrative subdivision of the Indian Union state Uttar Pradesh, currently of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal). Another problem is, that neither the village of »Changru« (better: Chhyangru) nor the nearby cave lies anywhere in India but east of the Pithoragarh district and opposite across the Mahakali in Nepal (Darchula district, Mahakali zone, Far Western Nepal region). NOTE 11: Tibetan butter churns double up as mixers for the salted Tibetan herbal broth mis-nomed "butter tea" by Europeans. NOTE 12: »Wir klettern um eine Felsnase herum und -- stehen plötzlich im Eingang einem hockenden Skelett gegenüber. Daneben liegt der Kopf am Boden und grinst uns aus seinen dunklen Augenhöhlen an. An den Schädelknochen kleben noch einige fein gezöpfelte Haarreste. Wir dringen in die Höhle ein. Meine Begleiter pressen Lumpen vor ihr Gesicht, auf dass die bösen Geister keinen Eingang finden. Innen liegt alles voll menschlicher Knochen. Halbe Skelette mit pergamentener Haut überzogen, teilweise noch mit einigen Fetzen bunten Stoffes behangen. Holzzylinder, wie sie von den Tibetanern zur Bereitung des Buttertees benützt werden, liegen neben Schädeln und Felstrümmern. Im hinteren Teil der Höhle stehen einige halbverfallene Kisten, ganz mit Kinderknochen gefüllt. Der Hintergrund der Höhle ist zusammengestürtzt. Grosse Felsblöcke verhindern ein weiteres Eindringen. Nach den Aussagen meiner Begleiter soll die ganze Gegend vor etwa zehn Jahren von einem Erdbeben heimgesucht worden und so auch der innere Teil der Höhle verschüttet worden sein. Dort hätten Waffen, Schmuck und weitere Skelette herumgelegen. … Ich habe die letzten Überreste des Stammes der Boro gesehen« (GANSSER, A 1937: 203-204). NOTE 13: Since this cave is literally bone dry, it certainly would serve as a quite miserable stronghold »owing to the extraordinary dryness« (SHERRING, C A 1906 edited 1993: 138). NOTE 14: Marma is reputed to lie somewhere south of Chhyangru and across a high pass on the western flanks of the »Nampa« (GANSSER, A 1937: 202) known as Mount Api. NOTE 15: »skelitons« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955) from "skeleton" (English, noun; plural: skeletons), an internal or external framework of bone, cartilage, or other rigid material supporting or containing the body of an animal or plant (Oxford Dictionary 2005); from "skeleton" (Greek), neuter of "skeletos" (dried up), from "skellein" (Greek, verb), dry up. NOTE 16: »Rulkund« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955) is known among outsiders of the British Speleological Association rather as »Rupkund« than as »Roopkund« (Sanskrit, Hindi, etc. combining "rupa" = silver + "kund" = lake), is »situated [Garhwal Himal, Uttarakhand state, India] at a height of 5029 metres in the lap of Trishul massif [N30°19': E079°47']. The mystery lake of Roopkund has attracted many a besotted traveller since the discovery of human skeletons in the lake and the glacier descending into it. For many years the origin of the skeletons remained a mystery. Some thought it to be the remains of General Zorawar's army that lost its way while returning from Tibet. But the popular belief, narrated in the folk traditions about the pilgrimage to Nanda Devi undertaken by Raja Jasdhaval and his wife, the Garhwali Princess Rani Balampa, who perished in a hailstorm at Jurangali, appears to be closer to the truth; especially since the carbon dating of the skeletons and its anthropological studies point towards the authenticity of this folk-lore. The lake, surrounded by rock strewn glaciers and snow clad peaks, is magnificent« (tourismofindia.com/sts/stuttadv.htm, accessed 05.09.2004). NOTE 17: Almora, the district, lies not at all »on the Indo-Tibetan border« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955) but west of Pithoragarh District (Uttarakhand state, India) and far from the cave and the village of »Changru« (Chhyangru) in Darchula district (Nepal). NOTE 18: »Mandadevi« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955), typographical error instead of Nanda Devi (N30°23': E079°59': 7817 m), the Himalayan peak in the Kumaon Himal (Uttarakhand state, India), opposite across the Mahakali from Mount Api (N30°00'20”: E080°55'50”: 7132 m) in the Api Himal, Far Western Nepal region. NOTE 19: If the Himalayan Society still searches for the cave near »Changru« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955) on the India side of the Mahakali, then it has not yet found it. NOTE 20: »A girl of the village was married in a far off place in Nepal. She came home to her parents with a small child. One day, the child was playing near a building, which was under construction. A stone fell on his foot and some blood came out. On that day, the progress in construction was very encouraging. The owner thought that if a little blood could make so much of a difference, the sacrifice of the child would surely lead to its completion. The innocent child was kidnapped and sacrificed. The girl came to know of the tragic death of her offspring, and wailed to the gods. If this was to happen to her child in her parent's village, where could she go for shelter. The fury of the gods hit the village and the entire populace went mad. Many went to the caves and perished there« (SHARMA, M M 1994: 117, 118). NOTE 21: Changru Series (VALDIYA, K S & GUPTA, V J 1972) is represented by basal ferrugineous, concretionary, detrital limestone alternating with pyrituous shales and massive limestone. NOTE 22: Garbyang Series (VALDIYA, K S & GUPTA, V J 1972): Calcareous flysch showing rythmic alternation of argillaceous limestone, marl and ferrugineous dolomites and siltstone. NOTE 23: THAKUR, V C (1992: 109 fig 4.2) refers to a certain »PAL (1986)« but THAKUR, V C (1992: 339 bibliography) lists no »PAL (1986)« (or so). NOTE 24: KUMAR, S; SINGH, I B & SINGH, S K (1979) studied aspects of the lithofacies and sedimentary structures in the Garbyang Formation and considered the lower and middle part of the formation as deposits of tidal flats while the upper part has been deposited under a transition zone / shelf mud area of an open tidal sea. NOTE 25: »Landor, Henry Savage -- An English writer and traveller whose exaggerated accounts of his travels in Tibet and the surrounds were extremely popular at the time with the public. He was a buffoon of sorts, and his claims were soundly criticized by those familiar with the area …« (Bill Buxton 2003.01.15: Dramatis Personae of the history of the Greater Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamirs, Hindu-Kush, Tibet, High Tartary and surrounding territories, up to 1921.- Online: billbuxton.com/dramatis.html (accessed 28.05.2004).
Documents
Bibliography 15/07/2016- Craven, Stephen A 1969, 1971; Ducluzaux, Bruno 1993d; Gansser, August 1937; Large Number of Human Skulls 1955; Rupkund Tragedy 1955; Pranavananda, Swami [alias: Somayajulu, Kanakadandi Venkata] 1949 edited 1983; Sharma, Man Mohan 1986, 1994; Sherring, Charles Atmore 1906 edited 1993; Snelling, John 1983 edited 1990. GEOLOGY: Heim, Arnold & Gansser, Augusto 1939; Jeannel A 1958, 1959; Kumar, S & Singh, S N 1979; Shah, S K & Sinha, Anshu K 1974; Sinha, Anshu K 1979; Thakur, Vikram C 1992.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1905, circa: Charles Atmore Sherring (then District Commissioner of Almora) seems to have been the first European who had not only visited the cave near »Chhangru« but also pointed out that some of the bodies are remarkably well preserved (SHERRING, C A 1906 edited 1993: 138-139). 1936, late May: August [Augusto] Gansser (born 1910.10.28), Lugano, geologist on the Swizz Expedition to the Himalaya 1936, assisted by one Paladin from Darjeeling, a Sherpa porter, and a certain »No. 1« (a »Dotial porter« from Doti in south-western Nepal), recorded at the village of »Chagru« oral tradition (cave legend) narrated by Himeti Padani (literally: snow-like made), an old Boro women. Later, he climbed up to the cave entrance with the help of unidentified "aborigines" (GANSSER, A 1937: 201-208 with cave plan; forwarded by Oliver Knab, Zürich 2013.05.09). 1943: Captain Richard Kenneth Saker [1909*-1979†] and Dr. Gordon Terry »discovered« the locally well-known »series of caves high up in a limestone cliff« and were apparently the first who narrated the military worker's tale according to which the human remains represent »some of Zorawar Singh's invading Dogra soldiers« who »had apparently billeted themselves in 1841« (SNELLING, J 1983 edited 1990: 210-211 after unpublished »Saker, R K M 1943« Mss, private property held by Angela Saker). 1949: Swami PRANAVANANDA (1949: 119 notes 1, 3) published a cursory cave descripton, apparently collated after hearsay information, which lacks the wealth of details, which he usually provides with personally investigated caves. 1955: An anonymous newspaper clipping (guesswork: forwarded by R D Leakey), which was edited (no source mentioned) in the Bulletin of the British Speleological Association, reported the "discovery" of this cave for about the third time and misplaced the location to the Indian side but brought the cave to the attention of the caving club's world: »A large number of human skulls, bones and skelitons [sic!], similar to those found in Rulkund [sic! qua: Rupkund], have been discovered in a cave in the village of Changru near Garbyang on the Indo-Tibetan border of the Almora District« (LARGE NUMBER … 1955). 1969: CRAVEN, S A (1969: 28) referred to LARGE NUMBER … (1955) and dedicated two lines on a »cave near Chhangru« in Almora district (India). 1971: CRAVEN, S A (1971: 281) referred to RUPKUND TRAGEDY (1955), another anonymous newspare cutting, and dedicated two lines to the »cave near Changru (80°51': 30°08') 2 miles ENE of Garbyang« (the coordinates, however, do not indicate »Changru« but Garbiang) and mislead to the 9th October 1955 issue of the 'The Hindu' (Madras) instead to The Hindu Weekly Magazine of the same date (page 10, column 5) -- it is the latter, which mentions skeletons at Rupkund and stresses how the parliamentarian Jagmohan Singh Negi Mad, Uttar Pradesh's former Deputy Minister for Forests, said on 5th October 1955 in Lucknow, that a further study by nobody less than he himself of »historical records and the photographs taken by Mr. H. K. Madhwal, a U.P. forest officer, of the Rupkund region, pointed to the incontrovertible fact [sic!] that the bodies found were of the men of Zorawar Singh, Commander-in-Chief of the Raja of Jammu, who invaded Western Tibet in 1841-42.« 1993: DUCLUZAUX, B (1993d: 54) had undersood that it was CRAVEN, S A (1969: 28) who indicated a cave at »Chhangre« (sic!) near Garbyang above the left bank of the Mahakali river but, who knows, perhaps already in Nepal: »Craven (1969) signale une grotte à Chhangre, près de Garbyang. Chhangre semble en rive gauche de la Mahakali, donc au Népal?«
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 | CHANGRU CAVE, Almora District: Garbyang | ||
| 1.8 | BHUDI (Caves near) | ||
| 3.6 | PELSITI (Caves at) | ||
| 7.3 | LUNGTIYAR (Caves at) | ||
| 17.0 | VYASA GUFA, Kalirang | ||
| 23.6 | RAPLA (Grotte près de) | ||
| 24.3 | KHAR UDYAR | ||
| 24.4 | VYASA GUFA, Kuthi | ||
| 25.6 | GUKUNG (Troglodyte settlement of) |