NARBUGANG

Location

A rift cave formed in what looks like a sandy (arenaceous) limestone appears to result from gravitational dislocation. SITUATION: Adjacent to a footpath about 20 m north-east and below the old palace at Yoksum, Yoksam, or Yuksom (note 1). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after Uwe Scherzer 1997.05.07 Mss): The cave Narbugang is formed along a north-east to south-west trending rift and has two cave levels. The upper level consists of a maze of relatively small cave passages between dislocated boulders. One of these descends down into an underlying rift cave passage where air current (air flow) was felt issuing from a narrow crack at the deepest reached point of the lower level. This lead is blocked with rocks but beyond the constriction the passage appears to to become larger. CULTURAL HISTORY: According to local tradition travelled one Lama Thing Khonk Slang via a fabulous tunnel from the cave called Narbugang to a place called –>Youkhumney, which lies »a mile« (one or two kilometers) NNW of »Kechoiperi Lake« (Scherzer 1997.05.07 Mss) or Kecheopalri Lake (note 2). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 28/02/2016

NOTE 1: Yuksom (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 572), the »pretty village of Yuksom (1780 m) … can be reached by public transport from Geyzing (Gezing, Gyalshing, Gyalzing N27°17': E88°16'] or Jorethang« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 535), is indicated as Yaksam N27°22': E88°13' (AMS sheet NG45-03 Kanchenjunga U502 series, 1963 edition) Yuksam INDIA ROAD ATLAS (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 26 C4); LONELY PLANET, India (1997: 572) Yuksom LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 572)and as Yoksum 1707 m asl (VERMA 1996 Map of Sikkim: 5,600 feet).According to VERMA (1996: Road Map of Sikkim, Darjeeling Area & part of Bhutan), Yuksom is accessible along roads from Darjeeling (N27°02': E088°16') by travelling 20 km to Jorethang, ? km to Reshi and 16 km to Legship (Ligship N27°17'30”: E088°17'30”), from where one of two road runs 13 km via Tashiding and 19 km to Yoksum and another road runs 16 km to Geyzing (Gezing, Gyalshing, Gyalzing N27°17': E088°16'), 8 km to Pemayantse (Pemayangtse N27°18': E088°15'), 16 km to Melli (Melli Bazar N27°06': E088°27') and 17 km to Yuksom. NOTE 2: »Kechoiperi« (Scherzer 1997.05.07 Mss), pronounced "catch a perry" (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 571; 2005: 533), is not only spelled Khecheopari LONELY PLANET, India (1997: 571) but also Khecheopalri INDIA ROAD ATLAS (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 26 C4); LONELY PLANET, India (1997: 571) Khechepari LONELY PLANET, India (1997: 571) Khechupherei LONELY PLANET, India (1997: 571) The small lake, surrounded by prayer flags and forested hills, and highly revered by Sikkimese Buddhists, lies at an elevation of 1951 m asl (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 535) and at a walking distance of 13 km west of Pemayangtse (Pelling N27°18': E88°15' nima.mil/geonames, accessed 16.11.2003): 2040 m asl (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 534 ) on the »Monastic Trek« from Tashiding N27°19': E88°20' (AMS sheet NG45-03 Kanchenjunga, U502 Series, 1963 edition): 1740 m asl (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 535). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 28/02/2016