KOLIK CAVE
15.750000,74.266700
Description
A relatively »large cave« (unspecified dimensions) below a waterfall (note 1) reported FOOTE (1877: 48-49; listed by CRAVEN 1969a: 24) from a micaceous rock capped by basaltic trap exposed on the north side of the Tillar Ravine (note 2) and a »little« () or »2 miles« (CRAVEN 1969a: 24), about 3 km, north-west of Kolik (note 3). To a certain extend in the same area lies –>Holund Cave and –>Sadda Cave. SITUATION 1877: Judging from the geological map (unspecified geodetic datum, scale 16 miles to one inch or approximately 1:1'013'760), which accompanies FOOT (1877), this »Kolik (Koleek)« is suspected to correspond to the settlement (without name) marked near N15°46': E74°15' on AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum (1960 edition) in the area that lies at linear distances of 30 km approximately west-southwest from Belgaum (N15°52': E74°30') and about 16 km approxmately north-east from Choria (N15°40': E74°10') at the Goa border as indicated in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 105 H1 and adjacent south of 98 D5). SITUATION 1969: CRAVEN (1969a: 24) positions »Kolik« at N15°45': E74°19' (unspecified geodetic datum probably Everest 1830) but this may be a slip of the pen for N15°45': E74°15' (±2.5 minutes or ±4.2 km). GEOLOGICAL SITUATION: »The micaceous schists are seen ... in the ravines of the Tillar and Mahadayi [note 4] rivers, also in the scarps of the Parwar and the Ram Ghats [note 5]. The micaeous beds are soft and weather away more readily than the overlying basaltic flows; hence there are frequently small caves and overhanging ledges at the junction of two rocks, especially at the points where cataracts fall over the scarps in the rainy seasons. One very fine example of this occurs on the north side of the Tillar gorge, a little to the north-west of Kolik / Koleek« (note 3 again). CAVE DESCRIPTION: »The action on the fall of the soft micaceous rock has eaten a large cave into the mountain side just below the lowest trap flow. Thick jungle grows up into the wide crescent shaped mouth of the cave, while the falling water, as seen from the opposite side of the ravine, hangs like a waving silver thread across the dark yawning space and falls among the trees below. The basaltic cliff overhanging the cave is so sheer that it is probable nothing can be seen of it from the opposite side. ... It must be a very interesting spot, and probably a very beautiful one. Many beautiful clefts and gullies of great depth are seen in other places, as, for example, from Parwar Ghat« (note 6).
NOTE 1: Mechanical energy originating from falling and spraying water wearing on rock below a comparatively more weather resistant caprock results in what some Germans call "Klingensohlenhöhle" (in short English: one of those caves both typically and exclusively found in bottom sections of variously but always steeply inclined narrow gullies, which are –no matter if rarely ever or throughout the year– more or less powerfully flushed by flows of water, which wear mechanically on the rock and wash away loosened debris that otherwise might seal the cave-bearing matrix). NOTE 2: »Tillar ravine« (FOOTE 1877) or so (not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) seems to be the gorge »Tilari Nadi« indicated near N15°47': E74°13' on AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum (U502 series, 1960 edition), a headwater of the Chapora River, immediately north of the north-eastern corner of Goa. NOTE 3: Neither Kolik nor Koleek is listed in IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909), in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006 index) or on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) and neither shown on Survey of India 1 : 1 mill sheet Goa, Daman & Diu and Karnataka (State Map series, 1981 edition) nor on AMS sheet ND42-02 Belgaum (U502 series, 1960 edition) or India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006) maps 98 D5, 105 H1). NOTE 4: »Mahadayi (Maadwee) river« (FOOTE 1877) is the »Mahaday« N15°35': E74°17' on AMS sheet ND43-02 Belagum (U502 series, 1960 edition) but not listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 5: There is one Ramghat (in Madhya Pradesh) N15°50': E74°07' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) and a small town Ramghat near N15°50': E74°06' (Everest 1830) on the Survey of India sheet Goa, Daman & Diu and Karnataka (1 : 1 mill State Map series, 1981 edition), the AMS sheet ND43-02 Belgaum (U502 series, 1960 edition) and India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 98 D5). NOTE 6: FOOTE (1877 plate 1) gives a typical view of one of these clefts in the engraving »Dry waterfall of Carwár Ghat.«
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | HOLUND CAVE (Cave near) | ||
| 12.9 | SADDA (Cave near) | ||
| 20.5 | KRISHNAPUR CAVE | ||
| 22.6 | TALEWADI CAVE | ||
| 28.1 | BELGAUM ROCK TEMPLE, Buddhist | ||
| 28.1 | BELGAUM ROCK TEMPLE, Hindu | ||
| 28.1 | BELGAUM CELLARS | ||
| 30.0 | MAUXI | ||
| 30.9 | ARVALEM CAVE 2 |