KHARWAI SHELTERS
23.266700,77.650000
Description
About 60 »rock shelters« or, perhaps true caves (dark, aphotic or stygian), of which more or less »some« contain rock art, were noticed in the vicinity of the populated place called Khabai or Kharwai, and Kharvai. Apparently Mesolithic microliths were said to have been collected from rock shelters with rock art (cave paintings) near Kharwai (WAKANKAR, V S S & BROOKS, R R 1976). ETYMOLOGY: Khabai AMS sheet NF43-04 Bhopal (U502 series, 1959 edition). Kharvai Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] (1966 - 67) Kharwai Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] (1966 - 67); WAKANKAR, V S & BROOKS, R R (1976). SETTING: Above the orographically left (locally north-west) bank of the Betwa (river), on the eastern rim of the Ratanpur State Forest (AMS sheet NF43-04 Bhopal, U502 series, 1959 edition) and near the National Highway NH 86 (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 54 A5 B5) in an area about halfway between Bhopal (note 1) and Raisen (note 2). SITUATION 1970: Somewhere in the vicinity of Kharwai / Kharvai, a place about 10 km approximately south of Raisen Fort (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1966 - 67). SITUATION 1985: »Kharwai is located on Raisen-Bhopal road, 16 km south-west of Raisen [23°20'N: 077°48'E]« (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39). CULTURAL HISTORY -- rock art: »About 50 painted rockshelters … in three groups. Paintings were drawn in white, light red, and dark red, and depicting hunting, dancing, fighting, scenes, geometrical and floral designs and animals. Some white figures were shown with black outline« (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39).
NOTE 1: Bhopal 23°16'N: 77°24'E, India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 54 A5. NOTE 2: Raisen 23°20'N: 77°48'E, India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 54 B5.
Documents
Bibliography 30/03/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1960-1961: To do : Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1960-61. 1966-1967: To do : Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1966-67.1982-1983: »S. S. Gupta assisted by A. S. Stevenson, A. J. Nambiraju, Pyara Singh, K. M., Girhe, P. Biswas and N. K. Nimje under the guidance of K. D. Banerjee of the Prehistory Branch of the Survey [Archaeological Survey of India] studied paintings in the rock-shelters at Ram-chhajja, Kharwai, Satkunda and Ghatla and also explored the area around Raisen« (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | IDGAH ROCK SHELTERS | ||
| 0.0 | DHARMAPURI SHELTERS | ||
| 3.9 | SATKUNDA ROCK SHELTERS | ||
| 6.5 | HATHI TOL, Raisen | ||
| 10.4 | GADARIATOLA SHELTER | ||
| 10.4 | LOHARPURA SHELTER | ||
| 13.2 | RAMACHHAJJA ROCK SHELTERS | ||
| 13.2 | RAM-CHHAJJA ROCK-SHELTERS | ||
| 13.7 | PENGAWA SHELTERS |