SIDDHA GUFA, Bimalnagar

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Not only a NNE-facing lower (main) cave entrance (representatively 8 m wide and 2.2 m high) but also a north-facing upper cave entrance (70 m higher up, about 10 m wide and high) gives access to the Siddha Gufa at Bimalnagar, which contains not only secondary calcite formations (speleothems) and bats but also, at a vertical range of ±105 m (+2 m / -103 m), is the vertically deepest known cave of Nepal and, for that matter, the entire Himalaya. On top of that, the Siddha Gufa at Bimalnagar is a monument to the superiority of man over nature and an eyesore to look at because about each and every accessible square metre is soiled by graffitti and substantially devastated by spilled and partly burned kerosene. Additionally, the Siddha Cave is one of the most potential bat roosting sites in Tanahun district (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 24). ETYMOLOGY: Siddha (Sanskrit, Hindi, etc.) is a title indicating a particular level of rank of male person (note 1) concerned with -siddhi- (note 2) r magic power (JUDGE, W Q 1892) if not magical power, success (ELIOT 1921, 1: 110) and perfection (BÜHLER, J G 1903), etc. The Gorkhali (Nepali) cave name -siddha gufa- translates as Cave of the [Master of] Perfect Abilities or, if you prefer, of Perfect Mastery over the Powers of the Body and of Nature -- gained by genial ascetics, resulting in abilities which include travelling unhindered through massive rock. The same cave has also been referred to as Bandipur Cave KNAB, O (1990: 13) Bandipur Caves NEPAL TRAVELLER (Kathmandu), 11, 3 (May - June): 18-19 Jambawati Gupha (note 3) DUCLUZAUX, B (2001: 1944) Jambawoti Gupha DUCLUZAUX & SCHENKER (1992: 59); DUCLUZAUX (1993d: 22-24) Jambowoti Gupha DUCLUZAUX (1993d: 19 croquis de situation …) Grotte Jambuwoti DUCLUZAUX (1993a) Monk Cave ADHIKARI, H (2009: 9) New Cave, Tanahu Navabharat Times (New Delhi) 1988 April 28th New Cave, Tanahun Gorkhapatra (Kathmandu: Gorkhapatra Samsthan) 1988 June 10th Sidda Cave Duckeck, Jochen (2011.12.13 showaves.com)Sidda Gufa (note 4) yasni.de/sarad+bahadur+thapa (accessed 2011.07.14) Siddha Cave, Bimalnagar GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA (2011: 21, 22); KARKI, L (2011: 32) Siddha Cave, Tanahun THAPA, S. (2010.05.15: 26) Siddha Gufa Gorkhapatra (Kathmandu: Gorkhapatra Samsthan), 12 May 1988 Suddha Guffa yasni.de/sarad+bahadur+thapa (accessed 2011.07.14) Tanahu Cave Navabharat Times (New Delhi) 1988 April 28th Tanahun Cave Gorkhapatra (Kathmandu: Gorkhapatra Samsthan), 10th June 1988. Bruno Ducluzaux and Pascal Schenker, two French cavers in search of recreational adventure tourism, had recorded in November 1992 after an unacknowled communicator the autres noms (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 22): Balmihi Gupha philosophe (note 5) Bishal Gupha grande grotte (note 6) Chamere Gupha grotte des chauves-souris (bat cave) Shapta Rishi Gupha sept philosophs (note 7) Shittal Gupha grotte du vent (note 8). SITUATION: In the Tanahun district and on terrain administrated by the VDC or V.D.C. (Village Development Councl) and panchayat (note 9) of Bandipur (N27°56'10”: E084°24'20” high up on the hills) and Bandipur VDC ward no. 6 (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21) but much closer to the village of Bimalnagar / Bimal Nagar (note 10), which lies just above the orographically right (locally south-west) bank of the Marsyangdi, on the road from Kathmandu east towards Pokhara, 29 km along the Prthvi Highway west of Mugling or Mungling (note 11), and about 2 km along the road short of (east of) Dumre (N27°57'25”: E084°24'45”). SETTING: Siddha Cave (27°56'55.24”N, 84°25'13.49”E) is at an altitude of about 588 m a.s.l. This cave lies on the Bandipur VDC ward no. 6 about 2 km distance (40 minutes hiking) from the Bimalnagar at Prithvi highway. The vegetation near the cave area is dominated by Schima wallichi (Chilaune), Shorea robusta (Sal) etc. (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). POSITION: An unidentified GPS user (no name mentioned) recorded on 12th or 14th March 2010 the GPS position 27°56'5.24”N, 84°25'13.49”E at an altitude of about 588 m a.s.l. (unidentified precicion error, unidentified geodetic datum) for one of the two known cave entrances of Siddha Cave, Tanahun (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 26) or Siddha Cave at Bimalnagar of Bandipur V.D.C. (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). Bruno Ducluzaux and Pascal Schenker had applied on 10th or 23rd November 1992 an unidentified measuring method and create the elevations of 740 m asl for lower cave entrance and 810 m asl for upper cave entrance (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 22, 23 cave plan, 24 elevation). APPROACH 1990: To find the lower (main) cave entrance, watch out for a semi-crescent hillside immediately south or south-east of Bimalnagar. The lower cave entrance lies at a height where the steepest part of the escarpment tampers to more gentle angles. Starting from Bimalnagar, one first has to ascend across a few stacked paddy field terraces before walking uphill along the one and only trail heading for the centre of the 'amphitheare'. Gaining height, the trail ascends through forest with trees standing fairly widely apart, allowing rich undergrowth of stinging nettles --getting in touch is initially shocking but on the long run not painful. Soon the trail gains about 250 m or 300 m of height, zigzagging past a rock shelter, and eventually turning to cross a shoulder. About 30 or 45 minutes above Bimalnagar, the path levels out and leada straight to the obvious shadow signalling the lower cave entrance to the Siddha Gufa. APPROACH 1993: La grotte est à une demi-heure de marche de la route de Kathmandou à Pokhara (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 22). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The lower (main) entrance leads to a more or less horizontal passage with lots of massive calcite formations (speleothems) which passes a climbable rift down to the left and gives access to a terminal (?) aven with a hue of daylight high above. This daylight enters from the upper cave entrance where a slippery ramp smeared with bat piss and guano descends to a ide balcony high up in the terminal aven. As soon as one enters the Main Entrance one feels a cool breeze emitting from the cave (note 12). The first few metre of the cave are strewn with breakdown blocks, just sufficiently inconvenient to keep visitors with inadequate lightning out. The cave passage soon becomes straight and unbroken with a level floor covered with hardened mud and calcite. The cross-section of the main gallery is smooth as in a slowly grown cave of young age. The Mahabharat Range rose from the plains within the last million years and not much destructive tectonic action could have taken place since the formation of this more than 7 m diameter tube with its amazingly large scallops, some wider than half a metre. These can be seen along the ceiling and the upper parts of the walls. In Himalayan terms, this cave contains enormous masses of calcite (mostly flowstone speleothems), which actually seal the voluminous main passage at its southern end. The surface of the calite formations --spoiled with graffiti-- is brittle and soft and seems to indicate fast deposition followed by aerial deterioration. The cave passage to the east, as shown in the cave plan (survey), is a relatively narrow, joint controlled and steeply descending canon-like cave gallery that breaches off the bottom of a depression in the otherwise almost level passage. This canyon, unfortunately, drops a few metre down into a rift blocked with rounded, washed-in pebbles. To reach the upper cave entrance, one has to ascend from the lower cave entrance along trails which, eventually, pass below a relatively large, solitary, and flat-laying boulder at the border of a cultivated top of a shoulder. From here one has to traverse the level ground of what had been in 1991 a cultivated area and traverse into the thicket while loosing slightly height. A few metre inside the upper entrance a slippery 15 m descent (handline recommended) coated with bat guano descends steeply to a spacious 50 m lon and slightly inclined gallery which leads to a wide balcony 30 m above the main gallery below. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1992: The main gallery of the deepest cave of Nepal is 220 m long and, on average, 8 m large (note 13). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011: The cave is the largest in dimension among caves throughout Nepal although it's only 400 m in length (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 21). CAVE POTENTIAL: The prospects for further extending the cave's vertical range are promising -- if prepared for a spell of serious bolting. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use, show cave: Tanahun district (27°74' - 28°13' Lat, 83°94' [sic!] - 84°56' Lon, Altitude 200 -2325 msl, Area 1,546 Sq. km) … have lot of tourist importance caves and generate some income for the society with the entrance fee from the tourist (KARKI, L 2011: 32). Without any doubt, the obvious cave entrance has been known to local people since times immemorial. In around 1988, however, somebody had a brilliant idea that turned havoc. The oiginal scheme was to -develop- the cave into a show cave to raise money for the Bandipur Campus (boarding school), thereby supporting students in need while accumulating unknown dimensions of spending money for equipment, excursions, and the like. Initially the energy was great and invested in 1st) clearing the entrance area (destroying one of the potentially most promising archaeological spot in the region), 2nd) putting up rough wooden resting places and a signboard at the entrance at a walking distance of hours from the road, and 3rd) promoting tourism by inventing an attractive name and informing newspapers. Quite unexpected (for the organisers), the public response was instantly nil and the only crowds attracted were students from the school itself. They, having finally found a place were nobody cared, proudly left lots of territory markings -- but not a single paisa for the school funds. After many boring weeks of waiting in vain for a paying customer, the ticket booth was left lone, along with rotting seats, a rusting signboard, and hundreds of square metres of the cave walls marred, smeared and defaced (note 14). CAVE CLIMATE: Either on 10th or on 23rd November 1992 Bruno Ducluzaux and Pascal Schenker measured, probably in the air, at an unidentified time the cave temperatures 17.5°C, 18.7°C, 19.2°C, 21.8°C, and 20.6°C (DUCLUZAUX 1993d: 23 cave plan). CAVE LIFE - bats (Chiroptera): 1998: Gábor Csorba, Gy. Laszlo, G. Ronkay and L. Rongkay from the Hungarian Museum (Budapest) had collected six specimen (four males and two females) of the vespertillionid great evening bat (Ia io Thomas 1902) for the first time from Nepal (ADHIKARI, H 2009: 9 after CSORBA, G 1998). 2010: A colony of bats was observed at the height of 200 m [sic!] inside the Siddha Cave. However, the species assemblage couldn't be distinguished. Netted bat species might be the colonized bats except Myotis nipalensis and Miniopterus schreibersi. The bat population of species couldn't be estiated. However, the total population of bats in the cave has decreased according to the key informants (guide and local cave visitors). Ten and 15 individuals were mist netted on 12th and 14th March 2010 at Siddha Cave … (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 22). R. ferrumequinum and M. nipalensis are added to the list of bat species recorded from Siddha Cave. However, the critically endangered species Ia io and R. pearsonii could not be recorded from Siddha Caven mentioned before in Csorba et al. 1999 (GHIMIRE, ACHARYA & THAPA 2011: 24). Among bats mistnetted in Siddha Cave on 12th or 14th March 2010 wereHipposideros armiger Hodgson 1835 (two adult males and one female): A single ecto-parasite was present in an individual from Siddha Cave. It?s roosting in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted at 18:56. Its flight is low (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 28). Rhinolophus affinis Horsfield 1823 (four adult males and three adult females): Cave roosting … The flight emergence was noed 18:38-21:40 (mistnetted) … inundated by numerous ecto-parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 29-30). Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreiber 1774 (one adult male): Cave roosting. The flight emergence was noted 18:18-19:58 PM (mistnetted). Inundated with numerous parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30). Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 (four adult males and three adult females): … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth … Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 31). Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1819 (one adult and sexually active male) … roosting inside crevices and small holes. When disturbed emerged in flocks, and after a very short flight again goes to rest. Each individual were inundated by numerous ecto-parasites. They are late evening flier mistnetted at 19:50 PM (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 32). Myotis nipalensis Dobson 1871 (three adult males (one sexually active) and two ault females): Cave roosting in colonies inside caves holes and crevices. Supposed flying over water pool and open fields at the edge of foot-hill primary forest during the early evening. They are late evening flier mistnetted earliest at 19:56 PM … Its flight is fast. Ecto-parasite (lice) observed in their body and wings (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 33-34). 2011: Tanahun district (27°74' - 28°13' Lat, 83°94' [sic!] - 84°56' Lon, Altitude 200 -2325 msl, Area 1,546 Sq. km) … Visual encounter encounter surveyes had been conducted and bat had been identified roosting in following caves respectively Byas Cave, Siddha Cave Bimalnagar, Parasar Cave, Millenium Cave, Siddha Cave Bhanumate (KARKI, L 2011: 32).ed 18:38-21:40 (mistnetted) … inundated by numerous ecto-parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 29-30). Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreiber 1774 (one adult male): Cave roosting. The flight emergence was noted 18:18-19:58 PM (mistnetted). Inundated with numerous parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30). Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 (four adult males and three adult females): … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth … Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 31). Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1819 (one adult and sexually active male) … roosting inside crevices and small holes. When disturbed emerged in flocks, and after a very short flight again goes to rest. Each individual were inundated by numerous ecto-parasites. They are late evening flier mistnetted at 19:50 PM (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 32). Myotis nipalensis Dobson 1871 (three adult males (one sexually active) and two aed 18:38-21:40 (mistnetted) … inundated by numerous ecto-parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 29-30). Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreiber 1774 (one adult male): Cave roosting. The flight emergence was noted 18:18-19:58 PM (mistnetted). Inundated with numerous parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30). Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 (four adult males and three adult females): … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth … Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 31). Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1819 (one adult and sexually active male) … roosting inside crevices and small holes. When disturbed emerged in flocks, and after a very short flight again goes to rest. Each individual were inundated by numerous ecto-parasites. They are late evening flier mistnetted at 19:50 PM (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 32). Myotis nipalensis Dobson 1871 (three adult males (one sexually active) and two aed 18:38-21:40 (mistnetted) … inundated by numerous ecto-parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 29-30). Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreiber 1774 (one adult male): Cave roosting. The flight emergence was noted 18:18-19:58 PM (mistnetted). Inundated with numerous parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30). Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 (four adult males and three adult females): … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth … Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 31). Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1819 (one adult and sexually active male) … roosting inside crevices and small holes. When disturbed emerged in flocks, and after a very short flight again goes to rest. Each individual were inundated by numerous ecto-parasites. They are late evening flier mistnetted at 19:50 PM (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 32). Myotis nipalensis Dobson 1871 (three adult males (one sexually active) and two aed 18:38-21:40 (mistnetted) … inundated by numerous ecto-parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 29-30). Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreiber 1774 (one adult male): Cave roosting. The flight emergence was noted 18:18-19:58 PM (mistnetted). Inundated with numerous parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30). Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 (four adult males and three adult females): … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth … Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 31). Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1819 (one adult and sexually active male) … roosting inside crevices and small holes. When disturbed emerged in flocks, and after a very short flight again goes to rest. Each individual were inundated by numerous ecto-parasites. They are late evening flier mistnetted at 19:50 PM (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 32). Myotis nipalensis Dobson 1871 (three adult males (one sexually active) and two aed 18:38-21:40 (mistnetted) … inundated by numerous ecto-parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 29-30). Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Schreiber 1774 (one adult male): Cave roosting. The flight emergence was noted 18:18-19:58 PM (mistnetted). Inundated with numerous parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 30). Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 (four adult males and three adult females): … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistnetted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth … Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 31). Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl 1819 (one adult and sexually active male) … roosting inside crevices and small holes. When disturbed emerged in flocks, and after a very short flight again goes to rest. Each individual were inundated by numerous ecto-parasites. They are late evening flier mistnetted at 19:50 PM (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 32). Myotis nipalensis Dobson 1871 (three adult males (one sexually active) and two ault females): Cave roosting in colonies inside caves holes and crevices. Supposed flying over water pool and open fields at the edge of foot-hill primary forest during the early evening. They are late evening flier mistnetted earliest at 19:56 PM … Its flight is fast. Ecto-parasite (lice) observed in their body and wings (THAPA, S 2010.05.15: 33-34). 2011: Tanahun district (27°74' - 28°13' Lat, 83°94' [sic!] - 84°56' Lon, Altitude 200 -2325 msl, Area 1,546 Sq. km) … Visual encounter encounter surveyes had been conducted and bat had been identified roosting in following caves respectively Byas Cave, Siddha Cave Bimalnagar, Parasar Cave, Millenium Cave, Siddha Cave Bhanumate (KARKI, L 2011: 32).