RAVAN TANK CAVITY
6.416667,81.416667
Description
There exists an »extensive mirky cavity« (DUNCAN, J 1799) or »extensive miry cavity« (FORBES 1840, 1841) called »Bhoput Tank« (note 1) and »Ravan« or »Raban Tank« (note 2), which Jonathan DUNCAN, J (1799 / 1807: 39) was told about when chatting (in the 1790ies?) with a saddhu (holy man) called »Purana Poori« at Varanasi (Banaras / Benares N25°20': E083°00') in India. SITUATION 1799: DUNCAN, J (1799 / 1807: 39) places the »cavity« on the island »Silan« (Ceylon, Sri Lanka) and at the side of the mountain »Sreepud, or The Divine Foot« (note 3) which had been from »Catlgong« or Kataragama (note 4), a town with a temple of »Cartica / Carticeya« (note 5) on the river »Manic Gunga« (Menik Ganga, the Gem River). SITUATION 1840: FORBES (1840, 1841 vol. 2: 325-326) refers to an allegedly anonymous »narrative of the travels of a Fakeer [i.e. Purana Poori in: DUNCAN 1799] in the middle of the last century« and makes an »extract from that paper« (note 6), which mentions not only »an extensive miry cavity, called the Bhoput Tank, and which bears also the name of the Tank of Ravan, or Raban« but also locates the "cavity" in question on »the Sreepud, or the ' divine foot,' situated upon a mountain of extraordinary height« (Adam's Peak N06°48': E080°33' halfway between Ratnapura and Nuwara Eliya) but also draws attention to »another plain called the Bhoput Talawa« (note 7), which Major Forbes decided to locate somewhere »near Nowera-Elliye« (Nuwara Eliya) to fix the location of »Seeta Koond« (or –>Sita Kund). SITUATION 3 (mere guesswork): The hill Sithulpahuwa (N06°23': E081°27'), which rises above the water reservoir Katagamuwa Wewa (N06°24': E081°24'), lies about 10 or 15 km approximately south-east of Katagagama (N06°25': E081°20').
NOTE 1: A »tank« would mean an artificial lake (water reservoir), which of course is sort of a cavity, but how does it come to be a »mirky cavity« ? There are hundreds if not thousands of man-made "wewa" (water reservoirs) all over Sri Lanka and some famous rock shelters are found close to some of them, including –>Galge (Monaragala district), about 3 or 4 km east of the Menik Ganga but at least 100 km in a direct line from Adam's Peak / Sri Pada. NOTE 2: »Ravan« or »Raban« (DUNCAN, J 1799), where »the b and v being pronounced indifferently in various parts of India« (1840, 1841 vol. 2: 325), is a legendary warrior and tutelary deity with the wrong membership book, hence a demon. Compare –>Ravanella Cave (near Ella). NOTE 3: »Sreepud, or The Divine Foot« (DUNCAN, J 1799) or Adamova stítu (KUKLA 1958: 168), Adamspeak (KUKLA 1958: 169), Adam's Peak (LONELY PLANET 2003: 187-188; Survey Department 1977: Road map of Sri Lanka) near N06°48'30”: E080°29'53” (WGS84, nima.mil/geonames 16.11.2003) culminating at »7360 feet« (Survey Department 1977: Road map of Sri Lanka) corresponding to 2243 m asl (LONELY PLANET 2003: 187). NOTE 4: »Catlgong« (DUNCAN, J 1799) or »Catlgang … Kattragam« (FORBES 1840, 1841 vol. 2: 326) is the town of Kataragama N06°25': E081°20' on the banks of the Menik Ganga N06°22': E081°31' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 5: »Cartica« or »Carticeya« (DUNCAN, J 1799) is Karttikeya (Kartikeya), also called Subrahmanya (Subramanya, Subramanyar, the bachelor): Heavenly minister of defense; god of war (STRASSER 1993: 419); brother of Ganesha (also: Ganapati); his parents are Parvati and Shiva but he was born from Agni (fire) and Ganga / Akashaganga (water) and reared by the tribal Krittikas (RAMAYANA I.36). The story of Karttikeya's disappointment, which was triggered by his parents conducting the marriage of his brother before his own is well-known (GUPTA, S.M. 1988: Karttikeya, the son of Shiva.- Dehli: Somaiya Publications): Karttikeya felt deceived and retired hurt to a sulking corner, where he is believed to reside pouting to this day (JAIN, Sandhya 2004: Adi deo - Arya devata: A panoramicview of tribal - Hindu cultural interference.- New Delhi: Rupa & Co, pages 206-209). NOTE 6: When I prepare an »extract from paper« the result is a watery pulp. NOTE 7: The Malayalam "talewa" or »Talawe, an elevated and open space« (FORBES 1840, 1841 vol. 2: 120 note).
Documents
Bibliography 12/12/2015- Duncan, Jonathan 1799 / 1807.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2 | GAL VIHARA, Yala | ||
| 14.4 | LUNUATUGALGE | ||
| 18.2 | TALAGURUHELA GALGE | ||
| 20.7 | DAGABA GALGE, Kimegala | ||
| 24.7 | MANDAGALA CAVES | ||
| 24.7 | KANABISUNGE GALGE | ||
| 26.7 | DIULANAGODA CAVE 1 | ||
| 26.7 | DIULANAGODA CAVE 2 | ||
| 29.7 | DEMELIYA GALGE |