YONI DVARA, Bhuban Pahar
24.500000,93.000000
Description
A sacred and allegedly ramified cave in unspecified rock (note 1) is said to be characterised by a series of chambers connected by (rift ?) passages giving access to a fabulous tunnel (note 2). It functions as a sinkhole draining eastwards to the Barak or to one of its tributaries. The cave entrance seems to lie in the bottom of a doline and is reached via a dwar (note 3) between two large "laterite" (lateral?) rocks. See also the nearby Smaller –>Cachar Cave. CULTURAL HISTORY: Every year »crores« (ten-thousands) of pilgrims meet during a mela (religious sales promotion event, "festival" or kirmis) held between February and April (note 4) at the temple cave sacred to Vishnu / Bishnu or Shiva (note 5). SITUATION 2001: Neil Sootinck (2001.05.01 after communicators in the Capital Tours office at Silchar) was told that the site in the Bhuban Hills (note 6) can be reached from Silchar (N24°49': E092°48') by taking a bus (in May 2001 the fare was IRs 5) to Amraghat - Mutinagar / Matinagar (note 7), and then by a scooter up to a populated place called Nepali Basti (note 8) from where one has to proceed on foot for »two or three hours« (or so). SITUATION 1908: »Bhuban Hills.— A range of hills … run north and south between 24°15' and 24°45' N. and 92°52' and 93°5' E. … forming the watershed between the Barak and Sonai rivers. Their height varies from 700 feet [213 m asl] to 3,000 feet [914 m asl], and their slopes are very precipituous. They are formed of sandstones and shales of Tertiary origin, thrown into long folds. A temple sacred to Bhuban Baba, a local name of Siva [Shiva], stands on the summit of a hill about 30 miles [48.3 km] south-east of Silchar« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 8: 149). SITUATION 1909: EASTERN BENGAL … (1909: 156) places the cave at a distance of »about 30 miles« or 48.3 km south-east of »Siljar« (Silchar). SITUATION 1961: DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK CACHAR (1961) places the site about 3 miles (5 km) north-east of the point where a path ascending from the plains reaches the crest of the Bhuban Hills (note 9). The cave is in a spur of the main hill but at a much lower level than the Hindu and Muslim temples on the top of the spur (e.g. Shiva temple = Bhuban Baba mandir). SITUATION 1991: »From Matinagar, a garden bazaar about 25 km from Silchar, one has to negotiate 11 kilometres of hilly tract to reach the top of the hill which rises to about 1000 m [more likely: 1000 feet or 300 m] above the sea level. About a mile away from the hill top, there is a tunnel [sic! perhaps for: dwar]and a cave« (CHOUDHURY (1991: 160-161). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1902: »The second cave is much larger and has many ramifications, most of which we were unable to explore for want of time. It is approached by a narrow path, that passes between two huge black laterite rocks which are almost touching, and then suddenly emerges into a huge basin or punch bowl, picturesque in the extreme, thickly overgrown with rich tropical vegetation. From the punch bowl there is a vast rapidly descending funnel-shaped chamber which is connected with the cave proper, and the cave consists of a series of chamber connected by long narrow fissures or passages, apparently formed by running water along the lines of rock-jointing. These passages, and the floor of the cave generally, have a very rapid fall, and the rush of water in them must at times be very considerable. It is a very pretty sight to see the pilgrims climbing slowly down the funnel, and gradually appearing smaller and smaller, until, as they disappear into the cave itself, they look no bigger than sparrows; and their chanting, as it reverberates in the hollows and gradually wells up from below, has a peculiar pleasing effect. I would add that the caves are far more popular and held in more reverence than the idols [of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Hanuman on top of the Bhuban ridge], and although they cannot be entered without danger to life and limb, many thousands of men and women visit them annually. In spite of this, their sanitary condition is perfect compared with the immediate surroundings of the temples and the well, which are insanitary in the extreme« (EDE 1902: 36-37). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1961: »The tunnel is about 3 m long and 45 by 23 cm in dimension. This is known as yonidvara or Vaginal Passage. One person can crawl through this passage on his breast with difficulty. After crossing this … passage, there is a rectangular yard about 25 m long and 9 m wide and about 6 m high a wide tunnel absolutely dark [sic!]. This is known as mel-mandap, i.e., assembly hall. From this hall runs a downgrade path easily passable, for a distance of about 120 m and it leads to a second assembly hall almost of the same size as the first. From the second hall another downgrade path from a distance of about 120 m leads to the third assembly hall. There are two stone images carved on the right wall of the hall but these cannot be identified due to darkness and also due to the moss [?] having grown on them. From the third hall, there is a very narrow passage similarly downgrade for a distance of about 30 m. In the centre of the passage, there is a block of stone with teethlike nodules protruding on all sides. One can pass through this passage with great difficulty and risk to his body. From this hall [which?], there is an upgrade narrow path with faces of big boulders protruding on all sides [collapse zone?]. After a distance of 120 m there is a triangular stone in the centre of the passage on two ends. Only a dare-devil can attempt to pass through these slits. Generally nobody dares to penetrate further. It is said that after travelling through this dangerous passage for a distance of half a mile, one can reach a wide rectangular plain yard where there is a linga of Shiva. The tunnel passage and the assembly halls are the handiworks of ancient architects of great skill and imagination« (CHOUDHURY 1991 after DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK CACHAR 1961: 8-9). CULTURAL HISTORY - pseudo-scientific bullshit: »In the North Cachar Hills [sic! qua: Cachar Hills] two caves representing the earlier patterns of tribal architecture was noticed by E.D.E. Frank in 1902« (SINGH, G P 2008: 202).
NOTE 1 : IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, VIII: 149) reports from the Bhuban hills sandstones and shales of Tertiary origin thrown into long folds. NOTE 2 : The fabulous tunnel is said to connect Yoni Dvara with Kamakhya hill near Gauhati (CHOUDHURY 1991: 161), in a linear distance about 220 km away. NOTE 3: EDE (1902: 36) draws the attention of squeezers to »two huge black laterite rocks which are almost touching.« NOTE 4: Neil Sootinck (2001.05.01) interpreting communicators in the Capital Tours office at Silchar. NOTE 5: »16th April 1994 recordings of the Zeliangrong Religious Council judgement. On the subject, of the official name for the religion. This conference resolved that the religion be known as the “ Tingko Rawang Chap-Riak” vide resolutions no.5: The Zeliangrong religion like any other is a traditional religion. But the identity of the faith is in relation to other faiths of the world is yet to be established. The census of India In 1961 tried to give a name to this religion , but... Heraka is the name of the reformed cult developed by the Rani Jadonang by Tinkao Ragwang through Haipou Bhaomei Bishnu at the holy caves of Bishnu at the Bhuvan hills of Assam in 1931. Heraka means in Zeme “pure”« (Neil Sootinck 2003.06.16 Mss, 2003.06.17 personal correspondences). NOTE 6: »A temple sacred to Bhuban Baba, a local name of Siva [Shiva], stands on the summit … Manipuris, up-country men, and garden coolies resort to this place on occasion of the Sivaratri [Shivaratri], the Sripanchami, and the Barunisan festivals, when they bathe in a tank in the neighbourhood of the temple, and make offerings at the shrine« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 8: 149). NOTE 7: »Amraghat« (Neil Sootinck 2001.05.01) and »Mutinagar / Matinagar« (Neil Sootinck 2001.05.01) is not identified. NOTE 8: »Nepal Basti« (Neil Sootinck 2001.05.01), literally »shanty town [of the] Nepali« (people) is not identified. NOTE 9: The Bhuban Hills, also called Bhoban Pahar and Bhuvan Pahar (CHOUDHURY 1991: 160), form the watershed between the Barak and »Surma« (sic! for: Tuival?) rivers in Cachar district, Assam (DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK CACHAR 1961) and demarkate the plains of Cachar from the hilly tract of Manipur (CHOUDHURY 1991), which is indicated as »West Manipur Hills« on India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006) maps 46 D5 and 63 H1). NOTE 10: Gaidiliu, born 1915 as a Rongmei Naga in the village of Langlao in Tamenglong, was the niece of the Heraka priest Chadunang. In 1928, at the age of 13, Gaidiliu became a sacrifice priestess in the "Pubon Cave of the Cachar Hills" (i.e. Yoni Dvara, Bhuban Pahar). Three years later (1931), at the age of 16, Gaidiliu was the leader of the Heruka cult, which had become politic and fought against the British. In spring 1933 she was imprisoned for life. Only in 1946 Gaidiliu, now a »Rani« (queen) and popular freedom fighter, was allowed to return to the Naga Hills (GANGULI 1970, 1976: 274).
Documents
Bibliography 05/07/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1900-1901: Frank EDE (1902) appears to have visited and partly explored the two sacred Cachar Caves (see also: Smaller –>Cachar Cave) »with rope ladders, etc« during the dry season (winter) of 1900-01. His written account was communicated by the Anthropological Secretary on 1901.05.01 at a meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (Park Street, Calcutta). An abbreviated version of the paper was published 1903 in the 1902 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (vol. 71, part 3, no. 2, pages 36-37). 1928: Gaidiliu, later Rani Gaidiliu (note 10), became, at the age of 13 a sacrifice priestess in »Pubon-Höhle in den Katschar Bergen« (GANGULI 1970, 1976: 274)..
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | CACHAR CAVE (Smaller) | ||
| 15.9 | THINKRA (Cave below) | ||
| 24.3 | BINNAKANDI TUNNEL | ||
| 36.5 | LONGKAIPHUM, Longkaiphun (Cave near) | ||
| 44.7 | CHANDIKA WELL, Kacha Kanthi | ||
| 60.7 | TONGLON CAVE | ||
| 67.6 | THANGJING HILL (Caves on) | ||
| 75.1 | RANACHANDI ROCK TEMPLE | ||
| 75.1 | MAHUR TUNNEL |