CHAMUNDA DEVI GUFA, Dewas
22.966700,76.066700
Description
A modified natural sacred cave (?) or man-made 'cave temple' (rock-cut chamber used for religious purposes) is situated on Chamunda Devi Pahar or Devivasini (note 1), the hill at Dewas town (note 2). The cave is »dark« and contains an image (rock art) of the goddess Chamunda (note 3) cut in the rocky wall. FORSTER (1953a, 1953b edited 1983: 13, 16, 47, 95-96, 134, 137) had spent some time at Dewas and gives a few stray references to »The Hill of Devi« and »… the dark cave of Chamunda on the top.« The goddess is »… a barbaric vermilion object. […She is] youngest and most amiable of seven sisters, but I should not like to meet her on a dark night. […] Who was Chamunda, and how long had she resided up there? I never found out, but it was agreed that she had been around longer than anyone else.« The goddess was venerated on certain festivals, e.g. Dussera (Dassera, e.g. on 13 October 1921). In 1907 Malcolm had witnessed a more gorgeous celebration: »It began with the ceremonial ascent of Devi: the nobles and officials worshipped in the sacred cave on the summit, and five times circled round a fire of faggots hand in hand: the fifth time they whetted their swords in the flame.«
NOTE 1: »Chamunda Pahar« (Chamunda Hill) or »Chamunda Devi Pahar« (Hill of the Goddess Chamunda) is also called »Devivasini« (Residence of the Goddess). NOTE 2: IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 11: 281) places the town of Dewas (N22°58': E076°04': 544 m asl Everest 1830) at the foot of the conical hill which rises about »300 feet« (100 m) above the general level. NOTE 3: Chamunda, a form of Durga, is »a real terror, armed with a scimitar, noose and maze, and clothed in elephant hide; her mission was to kill the demons Chanda and Munda« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005 glossary: 1106).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37.7 | BHARTRIHARI CAVE, Ujjain (Cave of) | ||
| 107.2 | NAYAPURA SHELTERS | ||
| 129.2 | BHAIRAGARH SHELTERS | ||
| 130.4 | KATHOTIA SHELTERS | ||
| 131.3 | AWAR (Caves near) | ||
| 133.3 | NARASINGHGARH SHELTERS | ||
| 133.3 | AULIKARA CAVE-SHELTER, Narasinghgarh | ||
| 135.2 | SHAHAD KARAR SHELTERS | ||
| 135.8 | DHARAMPURI SHELTERS |