GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Koraput
18.833300,82.125000
Description
Two cave entrances give access to a sacred cave, which is exploited as a religious show cave (temple cave) dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu god in charge of all things male and phallic. The cave called Gupteshwar (note 1), meaning Hidden Lord / Secreted God, contains not only several stalagmite and stalactite speleothems (note 2) but also, at least on 29th January 1997, an unexpected large amount of awfully stinking rubbish and many professional credulousness workers -- a combination attracting mainly Indian visitors of the pious pilgrim and motoring tourist classes but few foreigners. SITUATION: The cave lies just within Orissa state (Koraput district) and close to the border of Chhattisgarh state (Bastar district) in the headwaters of the river Kolab (also: Sabari) and in the isolated hill Gupteswar (note 3) at travelling distances of 85 km along the road approximately west of Koraput (N18°49': E82°43') or 60 km along the road south-east of Jaypur (note 4) town. APPROACH: From Jaypur (N18°51': E82°35'), the cave is reached by driving south along the state highway (SH25) to Patraput (N18°53': E82°31') and south-west towards Malkangiri / Malkanagiri (note 5) and »Moty« or »Motu« (note 6) but by choosing at »Boripariguda« (note 7), which lies 23 km along the road from Jaypur, the 18 miles / 29 km long road towards Ramagiri (note 8). Before reaching Ramagiri, however, one has to take a road (18 km) off to the right (north) leading to Gupteshwar Hill and it's cave. In January 1997, almost the entire distance was covered on all-weather roads. SITUATION 1960: »… the Gupteswar caves of Koraput district, Orissa … lies at a distance of twelve miles from Baipariguda on the Jeypore - Malkangiri road« (ACHARYA 1960: 267). The cave is formed in stromatolitic Jagdalpur Limestones (Kanger Series, Purana Group) above a 30 m thick band of ferruginous shale which rests on dolomitised older limestone with mottled structure (note 9). SITUATION 1972: »Another cave is located at Gupteswar [note 10], about 15 m deep, in the Jagdalpur stromatolitic magnesian limestone along the Baster (M.P.) - Korput (Orissa) border with majestic development of 'Grand statuary of Karst' [sic!]« (ADYALKAR & RADHAKRISHNA 1972: 136). SITUATION 1997: »Gupteswar cave is 85 km west of Koraput. This is in Orissa's large southern district, which is inhabited by several tribal peoples, including the Bonda« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 556). SITUATION 2002: »Gupteswar cave« at N18°45': E82°10' (apparent precision error ±2.5 km) lies »on the bank of river Kolab in the south-west Orissa« where the cave is »located at 457 to 518 m above m.s.l. [suggesting a vertical range of 61 m (of the hill?) though the cave's surveyed vertical range is only -23 m] … on the western foothills of north-east / south-west trending hill ranges« (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" page 80). SITUATION 2006: MICKLER et al (2006: 69 table 1), allegedly after YADAWA & RAMESH (2005), places »Gupteswar cave« at the utterly useless position »N19°E82°« or 36.5 km in a direct line north-west from where the cave actually is to be found. POSITION 1: ? ? Survey of India sheet 65-J/01 (circa 1930 or 1933 if not later: not seen by me) needs to be checked. POSITION 2: N18°50'00” 82°07'30” AMS sheet NE44-07 Malakanagiri (U502 series, 1963 edition) shows the hill »1847 Guptesvara« culminating at 563 m asl. POSITION 3: N18°54' 82°14' (unspecified map datum, ADYALKAR & RADHAKRISHNA 1972: 136). POSITION 4: N18°45' 82°10' (unspecified map datum, Yadava, M.G. 2002 Mss "Thesis" page 80)POSITION 5: N19° 82° (MICKLER et al. 2006: 69 table 1). GEOLOGICAL SITUATION: According to CROOKSHANK (1963), the lenticular nature of the »Upper Beds« limestone is clearly exposed in the Kolab valley north of »Gupteshvar« (sic!), where massive beds of it are sandwiched between beds of purple shale: »Curiously enough, the limestone beds do not as a rule taper off gradually into purple shale, but end suddenly against shaly beds.«According to ACHARYA (1960: 267), the cave bearing »Gupteswar limestone« of »Cuddapah age« rests on a »ferrugineous shale« (about 30 m thick), which itself lies above a dolomitic »older limestone, which is best developed at Sirivada« (note 11).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1907: The cave is reached »by a path which leads through wild sal [Shorea robusta] jungle and is near the top of a limestone hill about 500 feet [152 m] higher than the surrounding country. It is approached by a modern flight of steps flanked with lines of trees and the entrance is about nine feet [2.75 m] wide and eight [2.45 m] high. Facing this, near the centre of a roughly circular chamber about ten feet high [3 m] and forty feet square [12 by 12 m] is a natural boulder somewhat resembling a lingam, which is held very holy and is called Guptesvara, 'the hidden Shiva,' because it was there for generations before any man knew of it. […] Behind the lingam, the cave slopes downwards into the hill, and becomes very dark [note 12]. Here are several stalactites, two of which form natural pillars [note 13] while the others are supposed to resemble the sacred cow, Kamadhenu. From the udders of this latter water drips at long intervals, and pilgrims sit with their hands spread out beneath, waiting intently to catch a drop when it falls. There are several other caves in the limestone through which the –>Kolab winds its way at this point, but none is so famous« (FRANCIS 1907 edited 1992: 260). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1960: »The Gupteswar hills is entirely of limestone and has caves where stalactites and stalagmites have formed and one is worshipped as Lord Shiva« (ADYALKAR 1960: 267). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1972: »Another cave is … Gupteswar … about 15 m deep« (ADYALKAR & RADHAKRISHNA 1972: 136) CAVE DESCRIPTION 1997 (Gebauer): Two entrances give access to the cave. The larger and lower one (6 m wide and 4 m high) lies next to the road, is seen first when approaching, and gives access to a maze of low crawls in an almost horizontal bedding cave. At one of the "ends" (follow the air-drought), an ascending crawl in sort of a sandy channel leads to the almost lowest part of the main cave above. The upper (main) entrance, reached by two neighbouring stairways (FRANCIS 1907 reported a single flights of steps), is somewhat secreted away beyond a couple of large fallen boulders. Winding stairways passing by both sides of a fallen boulder, lead into the cave proper, of which the upper part is extensively modified by steps, fencing, stairs, idols, statues, etc. The main cave, at a little lower elevation, is of quite irregular shape and characterised by an abundance of grime, soot and a repelling odour. Remarkable calcite formations (linga, speleothems) include several stalagmite bosses, columns, and even a false floor spanning an area of more than 100 square metres. Due to Hindu religious practices a typical stench of rancid butter fills the air and is positively enhanced by abusing the less-lighted parts of the sanctuary as a latrine. The main cave descends continuously below a ceiling, which appears to follow the local dip, from the entrance in the west towards cave sections at lower elevations in the east. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005: »Gupteswar Cave is a cave temple dedicated to Shiva on account of a handiliy shaped stalagmite serving as a lingam. Take a torch [for bat's sake, please don't! use an electric flashlight] as there are a few passages and chambers to explore alongside the lingam's grotto« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 580). CAVE POTENTIAL: : Gupteshwar Cave itself seems to be known but FRANCIS (1907 edited 1992: 260) draws attention to »several other caves in the limestone through which the Kolab winds its way at this point, but none is so famous.« CULTURAL HISTORY - Human use: Gupteshwar hill and cave is an attractive pilgrimage and tourist site advertised in tourist information sources (note 14) and briefly mentioned in LONELY PLANET, India (1981, 1990, 1993, 1994: 515, 1997: 556, 1999: 600; 2001: 506; 2003: 514; 2005: 580); LONELY PLANET, South India (2001: 239) but omitted in the 13th edition of the LONELY PLANET, India (2009: 664). CAVE CLIMATE: Yadava, M G (2002 Mss: Thesis: 81): »During collection the inside temperature was 20°C and relative humidity was recorded as 66%.« YADAVA & RAMESH (2005: 48) state that meteorological data from the Jagdalpur district (nearest station to the cave sites) show that the average (30 year, between 1931 to 1960) monthly rainfall during the wet season (June to October) is 270.4 mm, average annual rainfall is 1534.1 mm and the mean annual temperature is 25.5°C (Climatological Tables, 1960). YADAVA & RAMESH (2005: 53): »The estimated present-day ambient Gupteswar cave temperature is between 22.6 and 24.2°C. Two cave temperature values measured during sample collections are 20°C (February) and 26°C (June; beginning of wet season).« MICKLER et al (2006: 69 table 1) somehow arrive at assuming one single air temperature of 25.5°C in »Gupteswar.« CAVE LIFE: Seen inside the cave on 29th January 1997 were less than 50 (few) very small bats (Chiroptera: conf. Rhinolophus), several colourful geckos, crickets and relatively large spiders (conf. Heteropoda sp.?) in addition to numerous pujaris (employed professional beggars), saddhus (freelance professional beggars), pilgrims (past-time donation distributers) and, for a few hours only, two adult (male) European caving tourists collecting subterranean impressions resulting from recreational adventure.
NOTE 1: Some of the spelling versions that I came across are Guptakedar KORAPUT (1989); Guptasvara, Kotab GLENNIE, E A (1951b: 11); Gupteshvara CROOKSHANK, H (1963); Guptésvara FRANCIS, W (1907 edited 1992: 260); Guptesvara AMS sheet NE44-07 Malakanagiri (U502 series, 1963 edition); Guptesvara, Kotab Glennie, Edward Aubrey s.a. circa 1948 Mss "Preliminary record" Madras Province: Vizagapatam District); Gupteswar ACHARYA, S (1960: 267); ADYALKAR, P G & RADHAKRISHNA, T S (1972: 136); MICKLER et al (2006); Yadava, Madhusudan G (2002 Mss "Thesis" page 80); INDIA ROAD ATLAS (Eicher Goodearth 2006) map 96 A2; LONELY PLANET, India (1981, 1990: 606, 1993: 515; 1997: 556; 1999: 600; 1993: 515; 2001: 506; 2003: 514; 2005: 580); LONELY PLANET, South India (2001: 239); RAMAKRISHNAN, M (1987: 150); TIWARI, M et al. 2009: 521; Yadava, Madhusudan G (2002 Mss: Thesis); YADAVA, M G & RAMESH, R (2005). NOTE 2: Yadava, M G (2002 Mss: Thesis, page 17): »An actively growing stalactite was collected on Feb. 7, 1996 from Gupteswar cave (Koraput district, Orissa). Sketch showing cave and the stalactite before collection is shown in the Fig.1-3 and Fig.1-4, respectively. This cave is occasionally visited by village people, but [the stalactite], being at height (tip part at circa 6 feet above ground) it is [sic! for: till then was] well preserved. Total length of the stalactite is about 128 cm, however, due to its large weight only some 70 cm part from the tip was collected. Presently the vegetation is densely forested and is C3 type (Fig.1-5).« Yadava, M G (2002 Mss: Thesis, table 4.6): Calcite / aragonite stalactite, 36 cm long; 3400 BP to 1996; growth rate 0.14 mm per year. MICKLER et al (2006: 69 table 1), allegedly after YADAWA & RAMESH (2005), somehow arrived at reporting a speleothem (47.3 cm high) named »Gupteswar« that was dated (233 analyses) to 3.38 to 0 ka (up to 3380 years before current) resulting in a growth rate of 14 cm/ka and other, much more enlighting data. NOTE 3: The hill is indicated as »1847 Guptesvara« near N18°50'00”: 82°07'30”: 563 m asl on AMS sheet NE44-07 Malakanagiri (U502 series, 1963 edition) and the cave is indicated as »Gupteswar« with a cave symbol in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 96 A2). NOTE 4: Jaypur is positioned as Jaypur, Jeyepore and Jeypore near N18°51': E082°35' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) and indicated as »Jaypur« in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 96 B2) but as »Jeypor« on AMS sheet NE44-08 Vizianagaram (U502 series, 1963 edition). NOTE 5: »Malakanagiri« (AMS sheet NE44-07, U502 series, 1963 edition) is positioned as Malakanagiri, Malakangairi, Malkanagir and Malkangiri near N18°21': E081°54' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 6: Motu N17°50': E081°24' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) on AMS sheet NE44-11 Samalkot (U502 series) and in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 95 G5). NOTE 7: »Boripariguda« or »Baipariguda« is positioned as Boipariguda and Boiparigurha near N18°46': E082°26' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) and indicated as »Boipariguda« both on AMS sheet NE44-07 (1963 edition) and in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 96 A3). NOTE 8: The »Ramagiri« of both AMS sheet NE44-07 (1963 edition) and India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 96 A3) is positioned as »Ramagiri« near N18°46': E082°16' (WGS84) but as »Ramogiri« (sic!) near N18°46': E082°15' on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003). GLENNIE (1951: 11) places »Guptasvara Cave (65-J/01) on the bank of the Kolab about nine miles [14.5 km] west [better: north-west] of Ramagiri (65-J/05, Lat. 18°46', Long. 82°15') …« NOTE 9: According to ACHARYA, S (1960, 1973) and ADYALKAR, P G & RADHAKRISHNA, T S (1972), the rocks of the region are of Cuddapah age (Algonkian or Upper Indravati series, Jagdalpur Limestone) and consist of limestones, shales and, to a lesser extend, of quartzites. Older than the Gupteshvar Limestone and separated from it by a 30 m thick band of ferrugineous shale, is an older, dolomitised limestone which is best developed at Sirivada and conspicuous by its mottled nature. NOTE 10: ADYALKAR, P G & RADHAKRISHNA, T S (1972: 136) position »Gupteswar 18°54': 82°14', 65-J/1« but this is not only impossible because this spot lies 13.2 km in a direct line approximately ENE from the cave but also illogical because the Survey of India sheet »65-J/1« covers the area between N18°45': E080°00' and 19°00': E082°15' while the position »18°54': 82°14'« falls on the Survey of India sheet 65-i/1. NOTE 11: »The rocks of this region consist of limestones, shales and quartzites -- the first two being more common and they all are of Cuddapah age. The Gupteswar hill is entirely of limestone … The limestones [limestone?] older than the Gupteswar one, is [are?] separated from it by a ferrugineous shale about 100' feet [some 30 m] thick. This older limestone, which is best developed at Sirivada [*], is conspicuous by its mottled structure that it presents throughout the entire length and breadth of it. This limestone has a much higher MgO content than Gupteswar limestone and this seems to be due to dolomitisation« (ACHARYA, S 1960: 267). * »Sirivada« (ACHARYA, S 1960) or Shirivada, Shrivada, Sirvada, Sirwada, etc., is not identified as it is neither listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) or in IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 25: 530, 541, 550) nor in theIndia Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006 index). Is it a "shripada" or sacred footprint? NOTE 12: »Io venni in luogo d'ogni luce moto« (Dante Alighieri, Inferno V: 28) or, if you prefer: I came to a place stripped bare of every light. NOTE 13: A "pillar" would be remnant bedrock joining the cave floor with ceiling. What FRANCIS, W (1907) reports is a "column": Stalactite and stalagmite that have grown until they connected, thereby joining ceiling to floor (WALTHAM & LOWE 1995: ISBN 0-900265-19-1).NOTE 14: KORAPUT (1989a: 2): »Famous for the cave shrine of Lord Shiva, the place is ideal for natural scenery … the sacred lingam is called "Gupteswar", which literally means the "Hidden God". Gupteshwar is popularly known as "Guptakedar" in Madhya Pradesh.« NOTE 15: »The length of the stalactite was 36 cm and in the middle part the diameter was 16 cm. A total of 233 stable isotope measurements were carried out on the Gupteswar stalactite … Four laminae representing the sample growth were taken to test for isotopic equilibrium deposition« (Yadava, Madhusudan G 2002 Mss: Thesis: 81).
Documents
Bibliography 28/03/2016- Acharya, S 1960, 1973; Adyalkar, P G & Radhakrishna, T S 1972; Crookshank, H 1963; Francis, W 1907, 1992; Gebauer, Herbert Daniel 1997b, 2000; Glennie, Edward Aubrey 1951b; Indien Handbuch 1984, 1994, 1998; Koraput 1989a; Lonely Planet, India 1981, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005; Lonely Planet, South India 2001; Mickler, Patrick J, Stern, Libby, A & Banner, Jay L 2006; Tiwari, Manish, Managave, S, Yadava, M G & Ramesh, R 2009; Yadava, Madhusudan G 2002; Yadava, Madhusudan G & Ramesh, R 1999a, 2005.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: Gupteshwar has been known to people familiar with the area since time immemorial. 1907: FRANCIS (1907) gave the earliest cave description (known to me) of »Guptesvara« Cave. 1960: ACHARYA (1960: 267) had a chance to visit »Gupteswar caves« (consider a honorific plural). 1972: ADYALKAR & RADHAKRISHNA (1972: 136) had made a photograph (plate XVII figure 6) of »another cave located at Gupteswar …« 1996.02.07: Madhusudan G. Yadava (2002 Mss: Thesis: 17) collected from »Gupteswar cave (Koraput district, Orissa) an actively growing stalactite [note 15] … Sketch showing cave and the stalactite before collection is shown in the Fig.1-3 and Fig.1-4, respectively. This cave is occasionally visited by village people, but [the stalactite], being at height (tip part at circa 6 feet [1.8 m or so] above ground) it is well preserved. Total length of the stalactite is about 128 cm, however, due to its large weight only some 70 cm part from the tip was collected. Presently the vegetation is densely forested and is C3 type (Fig.1-5).YADAVA & RAMESH (1999a) not seen.YADAVA & RAMESH (2005: 48) collected from »Gupteswar cave (18°45'N, 82°10'E) a stalactite hanging in the passage at about 100 m distance from the [upper, main] cave entrance.« 1997.01.29: H. Daniel Gebauer and Werner Busch mapped, assisted by M. Narayana Reddy (Nandyal). 2002 (before): Yadava, M G (2002 Mss: Thesis: 79-87) deals with »Speleothems from Gupteswar and Dandak caves.« 2009: »Gupteswar cave, Koraput district, Orissa. An actively growing stalactite was collected in 1996« (TIWARI, M et al. 2009: 521).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13.5 | KAILASH CAVE, Kanger Valley | ||
| 17.6 | DEVGIRI CAVE | ||
| 17.6 | KANGER KARPAN CAVE | ||
| 17.6 | KANGER CAVE (Autar 1993) (aa -) | ||
| 18.8 | DANDAK CAVE | ||
| 20.4 | KOTOMSAR (Cave near) | ||
| 20.5 | GREEN CHAMBER CAVE | ||
| 33.6 | MALGAM KARST SPRING | ||
| 34.9 | KUMARGAON SPRING |