GHORMANGUR SHELTER
24.612200,83.228100
Description
One of the most famous sandstone rock shelters of India (note 1) contains rock art (haematite / hematite drawings) depicting Rhinocerus indicus (note 2), an animal which not that long ago became extinct in the area (note 3). COCKBURN, J (1883a: 123, 1883b: 126, 1883c: 58-59, plate VII) found the rock art site at »Ghormangur« (Horse Rock Cave) about »5 miles« (8 km) from the Son river, »3 miles« (4.5 km) from Bijaigarh fort (note 4) and exactly »two miles« (3.2 km) due south of a certain Mow Kallan / Kullan bridge (note 5): »This cave was visited by me on 17th of March 1883. Its exact position is two miles due south of Mow Kullan bridge, and within three miles of the celebrated fortress of Bidjeygurh, and five of the river Sone. This rock shelter has the appearance of a huge mushroom. It is a gigantic boulder, the remnant of some rocky ridge with the sides scooped out by atmospheric agency for three-fourths of its circumference leaving a huge central pedestal or stalk on which the drawings have been executed. The drawings are in the usual red pigment which was generally hæmatite, pieces of which were dug up in caves.«
NOTE 1: Possibly identical with –>Jagdaha Cave. NOTE 2: The three famous rock art sites in Uttar Pradesh showing rhinocerus (or so) are »Jagdaha Cave« (rock shelter near Ghormangur ±250 m 24°36'45”N: 83°13'40”E, about 84 km in a direct line SSE of Varanasi / Benares 25°20'N: 83°00'E), Harni Harna (±2.5 km N24°35': E083°12' about 86 km in a direct line SSE of Benares), and Roup Shelter = Temple Mound Cave (Roump village, ±2.5 km 24°39'N: 83°05'E), about 77 km in a direct line east by south of Benares (25°20'N: 83°00'E). NOTE 3: YULE & BURNELL (1886 / 1903: 762): »Rhinoceros, s. We introduce this word for the sake of the quotations, showing that even in the 16th century this animal was familiar not only in the Western Himlaya, but in the forests near Peshwar. It is probable that the nearest rhinoceros to be found at the present time would be not less than 800 miles, as the crow flies, from Peshwar. See also GANDA, (and for references to the animal in Greek accounts of India, McCrindle, Ancient India, its Invasion by Alexander, 186). c. 1387. -- "In the month of Zí-l Ka'da of the same year he (Prince Muhammed Khan) went to the mountains of Sirmor (W. of the Jumna) and spent two months in hunting the rhinoceros and the elk." -- Táríkh-i-Mubárak-Sháhí, in Elliot, iv. 16. 1398. -- (On the frontier of Kashmir). "Comme il y avoit dans ces Pays un lieu qui par sa vaste étendue, et la grande quantité de gibiers, sembloit inviter les passans à chasser … Timur s'en donna le divertissement … ils prisent une infinité de gibiers, et l'on tua plusiers rhinoceros à coups de sabre et de lances, quoique cet animal … a la peau si ferme, qu'on ne peut la percer que par des efforts extraordinaires." -- Petis de la Croix, H. de Timur-Bec, iii. 159. 1519. -- "After sending on the army to- wards the river (Indus), I myself set off for Sawâti, which they likewise call Karak-Khaneh (kark-khana, 'the rhinoceros-haunt'), to hunt the rhinoceros. We started many rhinoceroses, but as the country abounds in brushwood, we could not get at them. A she rhinoceros, that had whelps, came out, and fied along the plain; many arrows were shot at her, but … she gained cover. We set fire to the brushwood, but the rhinoceros was not to be found. We got sight of another, that, having been scorched in the fire, was lamed and unable to run. We killed it, and every one cut off a bit as a trophy of the chase." -- Baber, 253. 1554. -- "Nous vinmes à la ville de Pourschewer (Peshawur), et ayant heureusement passe le Koutel (Kotul), nous gagnámes la ville de Djouschayeh. Sur le Koutel nous apercûmes des rhinoceros, dont la grosseur approchait celle d'un elephant …" -- Sidi 'Ali, in J. As., 1st ser. tom. ix. 201-202.« NOTE 4: »Bidjeygurh« (COCKBURN, J 1883 passim) is positioned as Bidjey Gurh, Bijaigarh and Bijaigarh Fort at N24°35': E083°12' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) and indicated Bijaigarh Fort (vijai = victory; garh = castle; fort = fort) as the site of an annual fair (mela) in April on the Survey of India sheet 63-P/02 (1971 edition) near N24°34'40”: E083°11'00”: 576 m asl (Everest 1830) on AMS sheet NG44-16 Garwa (U502 series, 1962 edition), and on the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 57 H1) at a distance of about 75 km in a direct line south-east of Mirzapur town. NOTE 5: »Mow Kallan« or »Mow Kullan« (COCKBURN, J 1883 passim) is indicated as the village of »Mau Kalan« near 24°35'40”N: 83°11'25”E (Everest 1830) about 2.5 km in a direct line north-northeast of Bijaigarh Fort. The bridge (24°35'40”N: 83°11'30”E Everest 1830) seems to be drowned now in the Ghaghar Reservoir (24°38'N: 83°11'E Everest 1830).
Documents
Bibliography 28/03/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1883.03.17: John Cockurn visited, explored and recognised paintings (rock art) of extinct rhinocerus.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | JAGDAHA CAVE | ||
| 4.3 | HARNI HARNA CAVE | ||
| 5.8 | GOMUNWA CAVE | ||
| 5.8 | DHARAN GHAT SHELTER | ||
| 10.4 | GUPT NATH, Baijnath | ||
| 15.2 | ROUP SHELTER | ||
| 18.1 | GHAT CAVE | ||
| 18.1 | PANCHMUKHI SHELTER | ||
| 18.1 | SYMBOL CAVE |