DANDAK CAVE
18.859300,81.948300
Description
A 3 m wide and 2 m high cave entrance, which faces west and was walled off and closed with a sheet iron door in January 1997 but thirteen years later was in 2010 a relatively »wide entrance« by which »external light penetrates« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011: 1), gives access to the little known and but second largest show cave in the –>Kanger National Park. The Dandak Cave is speleotopographically only partly surveyed and, perhaps, mostly unexplored, contains substantial quantities of secondary calcite formations (note 1), including clean stalagmite speleothems (note 2), and may be a site of archaeological importance. ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified but one or the other government official fabricated the Anglo-Indian cave name »Dandak Cave« to avoid identifying the autochthonous and indigenous name which is locally known by the resident but despised Gond people. The classical Sanskrit "Dandaka" is the name of a forest in the Deccan (Mahabharata), a celebrated district in the Deccan situated between the rivers Narmada and Godavari, a vast region said to be tenantless in the time of Rama (KALYANARAMAN, S 1998: 4329 after Skt.lex.), a famous resort of ascetics (KALYANARAMAN, S 1998: 4329 after Civaka. 337). Dr. Jayant Biswas (Raipur 2008.05.29 personal correspondence) suggested that »Dandak name came from Dandakaranya, the whole Bastar area is known as Dandakarnya.« A popular etymology fabricated by a journalist contributing to the Indian Express suggests the »the caves were filled with porcupines, and lawbreakers were shut in the caves as punishment. Hence, Dandak (‘dand’ means punishment)« (note 3). SITUATION 1997 (Gebauer 1997.02.01): South of Jagdalpur (N19°04': E082°02') in the National Park called Kanger Ghati National Park Yadava, M G (2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 4.2, page 83) Kanger National Park K. Murugan, DFO (1997.01.31 personal communication) Kanger Valley National Park KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (circa 2003 s.a.); BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S (2011: 1, 5) Kangerghati National Park India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth (2006: 95 H2, 96 A2) and from the Kotomsar Forest Rest House (note 4) about 4 km approximately east along what had been in January 1997 an unmetalled fair weather road above the left / north bank of the Kanger River past –>Kailash Cave towards Tiria village. The cave entrance itself opens on a southern escarpment above the left (northern) bank of Kanger river, and about 50 m vertically above the parking place from where it is reached on foot by an about 250 m long footpath ascending through jungle (C3 vegetation). SITUATION 2002a: »Dandak cave in the Jagdalpur district [sic! for: Bastar district], (earlier Madhya Pradesh, now Chattisgarh state). The cave is within about 30 km distance from the Gupteswar cave [–>Gupteshwar Cave, Koraput]« (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 1.4.2, page 17). SITUATION 2002b: »Dandak cave … located at about 30 km [along the road] west from Gupteswar [note 5], is in the Kanger Ghati National Park. The altitude of this forest area is between 261 to 604 m. These caves [i.e. Dandak Cave] are within 30 km distance from Jagdalpur [N19°04': E082°02']. Based on meteorological observations between 1931 and 1960 (Climatological Tables 1960), the annual average rainfall for the Jagdalpur is about 1534 mm and the mean annual temperature 25°C. The important rock types in the area covering both the caves are purple shale, quartzite and limestone. The limestone is found to be light gray and cream colored and varies in thickness from 3 m to 6 m (Geological Survey of India 1974: Miscellaneous Publication no. 30)« (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 4.2, page 83). SITUATION 2002c: »Dandak cave, Jagdalpur district, Chhattisgarh. This cave lies within circa 30 km from Gupteswar. An active stalagmite was collected in 1996« (TIWARI, M et al. 2009: 521). SITUATION 2012: »Dandak cave of Kanger Valley National Park … is a limestone cave (18°51’30” N: 81°57’00” E) situated on the top of an isolated hillock exhibiting a few patches of exposed boulders. The cave opens at the base of a rock wall situated in a north-west direction … in order to reach this particular cave of Kanger Valley National Park one has to climb at least 450 stairs, and due to this specific reason the tourists generally avoid it« (. POSITION 1997: (±500 m) N18°51'33.5”: E081°56'53.7”: circa (±20 m) 560 m asl (WGS84, Gebauer, H D 1997.01.31 representational approximation, modified from N18°51'30”: E081°57'00” / N18.858333°: E81.95° Everest 1830, Survey of India toposheet 65-F/13 edition 1982). POSITION 2002: (unspecified precision error ±112 km = ±112'000 m) »19°00'N, 82°00'S« (sic!) instead 19°00' N: 82°00' E = N19°: E082°: unidentified altitutude (unidentified geodetic datum, Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 4.2, page 83).POSITION 2006: (unspecified precision error ±112 km = ±112'000 m) N19°: E82°: unidentified altitutude (MICKLER et al 2006: 69 table 1). POSITION 2011: (unspecified precision error ±56 km = ±56'000 m) N18°51’30”: E081°57’00”: unidentified altitutude (unidentified geodetic datum, BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 1). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1997: National Park staff doubling up as cave guides, provided in January 1997 illumination by hand-held tube lights recharged with solar power (note 6). A gated cave entrance (locked sheet iron door) in fallen rocks (gravitationally dislocated) at the foot of an west-facing cliff (about 10 m high) gives access to a relatively spacious initial cave chamber (60 m by 30 m wide, more than 15 m high), in ground plan resembling a horizontally mirrored letter "C" of which both (collapsed) distal corners ascend across steep slopes of fallen rocks and boulders. The Dandak Cave, just like the nearby –>Kailash Cave, is controlled by the local dip of the strata, which in the cave of the Dandak Cave, is close to horizontal. Therefore, the known part of the cave passages in the Dandak Cave are mostly level. Again, the surfaces of the cave walls and ceilings are rhythmically structured (reminiscent of corrugated iron sheets) by the frequently alternating layers of the flaggy and stromatolitic Algonkian (Proterozoic) Kanger limestone.At the base of the most easterly niche in the initial cave chamber, one has to crawl (note 7) through a constriction (0.6 m high and wide, 5.5 m long) into the inner part of the cave, which descends across clastic sediments to 160 m of horizontal passage (on average 5 m to 10 m wide and 5 m high) and eventually leads across muddy soil to a remote little place of worship, complete with Shiva lingam (note 8). About 30 m behind (south) the crawl, a funnel shaped sink hole, the »well« (note 9), secured by bamboo fencing, leads to a sloping descent (handline!) 7 m down to cross-rifts. The western branch is a narrow rift and closes down less than 10 m in. The spacious southern branch gices access to 5 m descent down to the top of an estimated 9 m descent down into not yet mapped and (as far as known), neither explored nor entered deeper regions -- compare: Cave climate, below (Gebauer 1997.02.01). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001: »The Dandak Cave is another chapter on the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites that have created many patterns on the roof and floor of the cave« (DUREJA 2001.03.12). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002: »There are huge stalactites and stalagmites in the deeper parts. Photo of the stalagmite after collection is shown in the Fig.1-7. A photograph of the surrounding dense forest which is C3 type is presented in the Fig.1-8« (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 1.4.2, page 17). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003: »Dandak cave, discovered in 1995, is 200 m long and 15 to 20 m deep. The cave has two compartments. When entered, the first one presents a view of a big 'Assembly Hall' containing huge pristine dripstone structures. To enter the second compartment, one has to almost crawl on knees. A well like structure amidst deep darkness welcome visitors here. After the well, beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations appear. Guides and solar lamps are must for visiting the cave [note 10]« (KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK circa 2003 s.a.: 4-5). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: »Dandak cave has two distinct chambers that are completely different from each other in several geophysical factors. Thus both the cave chambers offer two distinct types of ecological niche. … both chambers of this cave were dominated by mammals all year round. Additionally, the group of mammals using the outer chamber completely differs from the group using the inner one« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011 for 2010: 1). »The cave opens at the base of a rock wall situated in a north-west direction. The cave entrance is wide and opens up horizontally into a large hall; the outer chamber. Despite a few side passages and downward sloping passages the approximate length of this cave is only 360 mm. Structurally this cave is divided into two main chambers connected with each other by two small convoluted narrow passages. Due to its wide entrance, the external light penetrates to the far end of the outer chamber, which possesses massive and beautiful dripstone structures. Some of the stalagmites and stalactites have joined each other forming columns. The inner chamber is configured more like a tunnel with an unexplored deep well-like vertical pit near its entrance. In this cave, the major portion of the outer chamber can be safely referred as “twilight zone” whereas the inner chamber represents a “deep zone” cave environment. It appears that in this cave, the “intermediate / transition zone” is almost absent and the existence of real “stagnant zone” is yet to be explored, if any; inside the well [note 11]« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011: 1). »Rain water enters the cave mainly through the main entrance of the outer chamber which finally drained out via the deep well existing in the inner chamber. No standing water is apparent inside any chamber of this cave. However, few very small water pockets are present in both the cave chambers, fed by seepage« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011: 1, 2). CAVE POTENTIAL: The western leg offers a crawl (0.6 m by 0.6 m) leading to an undescended narrow vertical squeeze (more than an estimated 5 m deep), a short bridge and a second undescended vertical descent of about 5 m or more. The southern leg off the crossing rifts requires 7 m of rope to ease negotiating an overhanging flowstone drop, which leads to a 6 m long descending cave passage that drops to the lips (top) of an undescended vertical drop (apparently 9 m or more down), which needs technical climbing aids. On 31st January 1997 the sound of running water was heard gurgling somewhere below here (note 12). SPELEOMETRY: Surveying the cave (1997.01.31) resulted in a survey length of 362 m at a vertical range of 48.6 m (+11.4 m / –37.1 m). An anonymous journalist was led to believe that the one and only »the Dandak caves … are about 20 metres deep and 200 metres long« (Indian Express 2005.05.16: In Danteshwari’s Land, indianexpress.com/oldstory.php?storyid=46912 accessed 2009.01.16). BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S (2011 for 2010: 2) provide a »tentative map of the cave shown in Figure 1« and exhibit »Lt. = 360 m, 20 m deep« (at a vertical range of ±20 m [+0 m / -20 m] 360 m long).CULTURAL HISTORY - Archaeology: At a distance of »100 m from the mouth, Yadawa [sic! for: Yadwa] and his colleagues dug a shallow trench to examine the material buried under sediments in the cave« and stumbled upon a fire place indicated by »burnt earth« and »pieces of charcoal« (radiocarbon dated in the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, to 6'940 - 4'030 years B.P.) along with »crop residues« represented by »remains of millet and wild grass.« The find is interpreted to »indicate domestication of plants and initiation of agricultural activity in the region« while the »three grasses and two millets among the crop residues« were identified by an unacknowledged »scientist at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow. Tribals in the Bastar region cultivate or gather the same millet variety even today.« It was one Indra Bir Singh, »a senior geologist at Lucknow University and a team member« who discovered that »the millets found inside the cave in Bastar had to be carried inside from swamps.« The absence of recognised »human artefacts [sic! for: artifacts] or tools, or any sign of artwork often found in cave shelters elsewhere in the world« is simply explained away with an untenable presumption (based exclusively on prejudice) according to which »darkness, humidity and the suffocating environment [note 13] was not conductive enough to cave art« (MUDUR 2007.03.27). CULTURAL HISTORY - Human use: Show cave: »Dandak cave … is prohibited [managed?] by the forest department for public visit« (Yadava 2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 1.4.2, page 17). CAVE CLIMATE: YADAVA & RAMESH (2005) collected in 1996 a stalagmite (details with YADAVA & RAMESH 1999a) to investigate the speleothem's potential as a climate proxy. Amplitudes of d18O and d13C variations were found to be relatively large and likely to be primarily controlled by past rainfall. Contribution from past temperature variations seemed to be relatively small. A tentative chronology to these speleothems was assigned by 14C radiometric dating method. Assuming that the variations in d18O of cave carbonates are interpreted as being solely due to the past variations in rainfall. One history of the latter was reconstructed. The proxy records of the Dandak stalagmite sample is interpreted to show an arid phase between circa 3700 and 3200 BP, which agrees with the other palaeoclimatic results (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" chapter 4.2.2, page 93; YADAVA & RAMESH 2005: 56). CAVE CLIMATE 1996: At an unknown time on 8th February 1996 »the temperature was 27°C and relative humidity was 92% at a distance of about 220 m [sic! more likely: 100 m] from the cave mouth« (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis" page 83). CAVE CLIMATE 2005: »During several visits to the cave, it was observed that the cave temperature varied between 25 and 29°C -- during the wet season it was in the range of 25.5 to 25.4°C, whereas during the winter it was between 27 and 29°C [note 14]« (YADAVA & RAMESH 2005: 53). CAVE CLIMATE 2006: MICKLER et al (2006: 69 table 1) proposed to take a temperature of 25.5°C in the air for granted. CAVE CLIMATE 2010: »The geophysical factors between the two chambers apparently differ from each other while compared between dry and wet season (Fig. 2). … No standing water is apparent inside any chamber of this cave. However, few very small water pockets are present in both the cave chambers, fed by seepage which have almost constant temperature (18.0°C - 20.00°C) and pH values (7.2-7.5) throughout last year [2010]« (BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 1, 2).CAVE LIFE: BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S (2011) noticed that the easily accessible part of the »Dandak cave has two distinct chambers … [which] different from each other in several geophysical factors« that were interpreted to »offer two distinct types of ecological niche. … both chambers of this cave were dominated by mammals all year round. Additionally, the group of mammals using the outer chamber completely differs from the group using the inner one … Though the major portion of the outer chamber of the cave is mostly lit during the day time, the organisms we observed here are mostly trogloxene. Nevertheless, the organisms we observed in the inner chamber represent all the categories of cavernicoles« identified as: Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae: Rhinolophus rouxii Temminck 1835, Rufous Horseshoe bat (note 15). Chiroptera: Hipposideridae: Hipposideros cineraceus Blyth 1853, Ashy Leaf-nosed Bat (note 16). Carnivora: Viverridae: Viverricula indica Desmarest 1804, Small Indian Civet (note 17). Rodentia: Hystricidae: Hystrix indica Kerr 1792, Indian Crested Porcupine (note 18) Anura: Ranidae: Hydrophylax malabaricus Tschudi 1838, Fungoid Frog (note 19) Anura: Bufonidae: Duttaphrynus melanostictus Schneider 1799, Black-spined Toad / Common Indian Toad (note 20) Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropoda venatoria Linnaeus 1767, Giant crab spider or the banana spider (note 21). Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Phalangopsidae: Kempiola shankari Sinha and Agarwal 1977, Cave cricket (note 22). Lepidoptera: Tineidae: Kangerosithyris kotumarensis Skalski 1992, Guano-moth (note 23) Giant millipede (unidentified), Trogloxene (accidental), Outer Chamber, Round the year (note 24). »Few arthropods such as isopods acari, ants etc. were often seen in both the chambers of this cave. Since we failed to record any permanent population(s) of these animals we did not tabulate them as an inhabitant of this cave. Possibly they represent the accidental trogloxene categories which have been entered into the cave via air current, with certain habitual trogloxene or by flood during rain« (BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 5).
NOTE 1: »The stalagmite and stalactite formations of Kutumsar caves, Kailash cave and Dandak cave are popular attractions« (dailyexcelsior.com/web1/03dec03/national.htm#2 accessed 2006.09.17). »Dandak Cave … White stalactite formations here look resplendent« (gatewayforindia.com/tourism/bastar.htm accessed 2008.05.23). NOTE 2: Yadava, M G (2002 Mss: Thesis, chapter 3.7, page 67): »The Dandak stalagmite turned out to be pure calcite.« Yadava, M.G. (2002 Mss: Thesis, chapter 4.2, page 83): »A stalagmite was collected from Dandak cave … [on 8th] February 1996, at a distance of about 220 m [sic! more likely: 100 m] from the cave mouth. … The stalagmite was about 28 cm long and the diameter was about 9 cm. For stable isotope measurement 117 subsamples were prepared from the Dandak stalagmite. Three representative layers were taken for test to isotopic equilibrium deposition and d13C, d18O values relative to PDB. … About 1‰ variation in d18O and up to about 4‰ in d13C relative to modern value are observed in the stalagmite.« Yadava, M G (2002 Mss: Thesis, table 4.6): Calcite stalagmite, 28 cm long; 3700 BP to 3200 BP and 1200 BP to 1996 AD; growth rate 0.18 mm/year. MICKLER et al (2006: 69 table 1) somehow arrived at listing a 63.7 cm high (sic! for 28 cm high) speleothem named »Dandak« that was dated with 177 (sic! more likely: 117) analyses to 3.54 to 0 ka (up to 3540 years before current) resulting in a growth rate of 18 cm/ka. NOTE 3: indianexpress.com/oldstory.php?storyid=46912 (accessed 2009.01.16). NOTE 4: The Forest Rest House is indicated as »RH (Forest)« near N18°53'25”: E081°55'40” (Everest 1830, Survey of India sheet 65-F/13, 1982 edition). NOTE 5: The Gupteshwar Cave (±500 m) N18°50'00”: E082°07'30” in Koraput lies at linear distances of 18 km east of the Dandak Cave (±500 m) N18°51'33.5”: E081°56'53.7” and 25 km SSW (-23 km north, -8.5 km west) of Jagdalpur / Jugdalpur (N19°04': E082°02').NOTE 6: »Solar lamps are used to light the cave« (gatewayforindia.com/tourism/bastar.htm accessed 2008.05.23). NOTE 7: CRAWL 2003: »To enter the second compartment, one has to almost crawl on knees« (KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK circa 2003 s.a.: 4). CRAWL 2007: »The mouth of the cave is so narrow an adult has to crawl in. But it widens into passages and chambers« (MUDUR 2007.03.27 after YADAWA, M G 2007). CRAWL 2011: »Structurally this cave is divided into two main chambers connected with each other by two small convoluted narrow passages« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011: 1). CRAWL s.a.: »Dandak Cave … is divided into two compartments. To go from the first compartment to the second, you need to go on your knees« (gatewayforindia.com/tourism/bastar.htm accessed 2008.05.23). NOTE 8: LINGAM: "Chhattisgarh biodiversity strategy and action plan" page 95 notices only from –>Kailash Cave that »at the end of the cave one can see the Shivaling« (cg.nic.in/cgbsap.htm accessed 2008.05.20). gatewayforindia.com/tourism/bastar.htm (accessed 2008.05.23) notices only from »Kutumsar Cave« (cave near –>Kotomsar) that »at the end of the cave one can see the Shivaling« (literally quoted). NOTE 9: The funnel shaped sink hole was interpreted as a tunnel »Only the brave at heart would hazard a trip down this tunnel. Eerie as it is -- dark, humid, and booming with echoes« (In Danteshwari’s Land.- 2005.05.16 The Indian Express), online: indianexpress.com/oldstory.php?storyid=46912 (accessed 2009.01.16). well KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK circa 2003 s.a.: 5) »well like structure amidst deep darkness welcome visitors here. After the well, beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations appear« (KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK circa 2003 s.a.: 4). »well-like vertical pit« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011: 1). NOTE 10: Dr. Daniel B. Harries (2004.12) kindly forwarded a photocopy of the tourist information leaflet KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (circa 2003 s.a. ). As far as Dandak Cave is concerned, the governmental Chhattisgarh website cg.nic.in/cgbsap.htm (accessed 2008.05.20) literally repeats (page 95) KANGER VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (circa 2003 s.a.: 4-5). NOTE 11: BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S (2011: 1, 7) refer here not only to »Vermeulen, J. & T. Whitten. 1999. Biodiversity and cultural property in the management of limestone resources. World Bank, Washington, DC, 1999, p. 120« (not seen) but also to »Biswas 2009, 2010« NOTE 12: Upon enquiring if anybody of the Kanger Valley National Park's executive staff had descended here, Dr. Jayant Biswas, Raipur, told me »No Sir, how far my knowledge is concerned no body entered that shaft, this year [2008] when Saro [Rosario Ruggieri] was here I've approached him to visit there only to open the curtain from that suspense, as my prof Pati was interested to go there with the team if they could. But due to their tight schedule it could not get possible« (2008.05.29 personal correspondence). NOTE 13: It is surprising to fear a »suffocating environment« in the face of a fireplace where so much wood had been burnt that sufficient charcoal was left to allow for carbon dating. NOTE 14: The unexpectedly large difference of up to 3.5°C (warm in winter, cool in summer) in the temperature of the air seems to indicate at least one secondary cave entrance: In winter, when the outside temperature is comparatively high, the lighter, relatively warm air rises from the bowels of the cave (keeping almost the same temperature throughout the year) to leave through the known main entrance, the upper end of the cave. During summer, however, the relatively cool and heavy "bowel air" sinks to leave through lower openings and the main entrance sucks hot outside air. Detecting in summer cool spots on the surface below the cave can be ecspected to indicate spots (potentially successful digging sites) where access to the vertically deep areas of the Dandak Cave can be gained. NOTE 15: Rufous Horseshoe bat »A small colony of about 50-60 individuals roost in the outer chamber of Dandak Cave. We marked 4-5 different locations (small habitats) which are from time to time used by this colony. Roosting sites could be easily recognized by seeing the decomposed deposits of guano piles in the floor. Occasionally a few solitary bats were also apparent in some of the hidden cavities of this chamber. Observed evidence supports that this particular bat remains under predation pressure in this cave. However, during our few visits we failed to observe this colony, which directly indicates that it often travels to an alternative roosting site, perhaps to avoid predation pressure« (BISWAS, J & SHROTRIYA, S 2011: 2-3). NOTE 16: Ashy Leaf-nosed Bat »… occupies the inner chamber … and was found to be highly sensitive to human disturbance. Whenever we entered the inner chamber this bat flew away. We confirmed the species by mist net capture« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 3). NOTE 17: Civet »During our routine survey, we observed several pieces of evidences that altogether support that the small Indian civet is a regular visitor for the outer chamber … This civet can climb the vertical wall very well, the claw marks on the cave wall as well as unconsumed bat remains directly suggests that it preys upon roosting bats« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 3). NOTE 18: Porcupine »We counted in the inner chamber eighteen possible dens … [of which] eight were … either blocked by debris or partially collapsed. It is possible that none of these dens are directly connected with the external epigean world. Some well demarcated passages exist in the inner chamber which appear to be used by this porcupine species to enter the chamber. Due to their long term use, the walls and floor of these passages have become textured by the quills of these porcupines. Occasionally porcupine dung was also observed, but we had never seen any other organism feeding upon it. The occurrences of quill(s) in the entrance of their passage confirmed its taxonomical status« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 3). NOTE 19: Fungoid Frog »This frog can be easily seen in the outer chamber. Its population generally diminished during rain. However, juveniles could be apparent inside the cave from August-September. Cave cricket … was observed to be the major prey for it« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 3). NOTE 20: Black-spined Toad »A small population of this toad species was always observed during rainy seasons in a particular hidden rocky enclosure of the outer chamber. Perhaps it remains under torpid conditions in remaining months. Possibly, the abundantly occurring cave cricket is the major food source for this particular species« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 3). NOTE 21: Giant crab spider »Throughout the year juveniles and adults, both of this species can be easily seen in every nook and corner of the outer chamber. It has prominent eyes but generally remains unaffected from torch lights, as their eyes reflect light (Wallace 1937; Biswas 2010). This species seems a little sluggish in nature …« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 5). NOTE 22: Cave cricket »… is the only species that can be easily observed directly from the entrance gate of the outer chamber through the deeper zones of the inner chamber of the Dandak cave. It is the most abundantly occurring species in this cave. The species is highly endemic for the caves of this specific zone (Biswas 2010). The insect has been observed to reproduce throughout the year and all developmental stages can be easily found inside the cave« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 5). NOTE 23: Guano-moth »… endemic for the caves of Kanger Valley National Park (Biswas 2010), is guanophilic moth, only apparent during wet season when humidity is high. It occurs only around the guano deposits in the inner chamber of this cave. It rarely flies, usually moves in short leaps. It is truly cave adapted and never responds to light (Skalski 1992; Biswas 2010)« (BISWAS & SHRTOTRIYA 2011: 5). NOTE 24: Giant millipede »frequently observed … in the outer ecotone zone of this cave, which sometimes often enters far end of the twilight zone of this cave. Perhaps, this millipede plays a role on the ecosystem of the outer chamber …« (BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 5). NOTE 26: The act of stumbling across the entrance to a cave results in a "find" because »the word 'discovery' might well be reserved for the fruits of mental effort« (MEDLICOTT, H B 1883a: 3). NOTE 16: »A stalagmite was collected from Dandak cave in February 1996, at a distance of about 220 m from the cave mouth (Fig.1-6A). The temperature at the sample location was 27°C and relative humidity was 92%. The stalagmite was about 28 cm long and the diameter was about 9 cm. For stable isotope measurement 117 subsamples were prepared from the Dandak stalagmite« (Yadava, M G 2002 Mss "Thesis": 83).
Documents
Bibliography 27/03/2016- Autar, Krishna 1993. Biswas, Jayant & Shrotriya, Shivam 2011. Dureja, Mona 2001.03.12. Gebauer, Herbert Daniel 1997b, 2000. Joshi, K V 2003.11.15. Kanger Valley National Park, circa 2004 s.a.; Mickler, Patrick J ; Stern, Libby, A & Banner, Jay L 2006. Mudur, G S 2007.03.27. Tiwari, Manish, Managave, S, Yadava, M G & Ramesh, R 2009. Yadava, Madhusudan G & Ramesh, R 1999a, 2002, 2005.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: Without any doubt, the entrance to this cave has been known to »local tribes that had been illegally hunting the Indian (crested) porcupine (Hystrix indica)« since time immemorial. 1995: Even out-of-the way people became aware of this cave when so-called "staff" (employees, no names mentioned) of the Kanger National Park found the entrance (K. Murugan, DFO 1997.01.31 personal communication). »Dandak cave … was initially discovered [note 25] in 1995 by the forest staff of the National Park while chasing some of the local tribes that had been illegally hunting the Indian (crested) porcupine (Hystrix indica). The episode ended as the porcupine entered a deep tunnel that turned out to be the entrance of Dandak cave« (BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 1).1996.02.08: Madhusudan G. Yadava in the pay of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (2002 Mss: Thesis, chapter 1.4.2, page 17) and Indra Bir Singh, a senior geologist at Lucknow University (MUDUR 2007.03.27) collected a stalagmite speleothem (note 26) from »Dandak Cave« (YADAVA, M G & RAMESH, R 1999a, 2005: 48). 1997.01.31: H. D. Gebauer and Werner "Baje" Busch mapped and explored, assisted by M. Narayana Reddy and K. Murugan (director), one Ram (cave guide) refusing to admit having a more specific name, and other employees of Kanger Valley National Park. 1997.02.01: H. D. Gebauer descended the first two drops in the Southern Leg to the top of a third drop. 2002 (before): YADAVA, M G (2002: 79-87) collected »speleothems from Gupteswar and Dandak caves.« 2007.03.27: »Geologists from Ahmadabad [Madhusudan G. Yadava] and Lucknow [Indra Bir Singh] found the charcoal and the crop residues nearly three years ago [ten years ago?] while exploring limestone caves in Kanger to look for chemical signatures of ancient monsoon patterns« (MUDUR 2007.03.27). 2012: »Since the cave discovery several construction projects have been undertaken inside the cave to make the cave more accessible for tourism. However in order to reach this particular cave of Kanger Valley National Park one has to climb at least 450 stairs, and due to this specifi c reason the tourists generally avoid it. At the present time the cave is not open for general tourism; special permission is required to enter« (BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 1). 2010: Shivam Shrotriya and Jayant Biswas constructed »… a tentative layout of the cave by mapping it with the help of measuring tape and compass. We noted all the possible openings and blow holes on the map where the cave connects to the outer surface. We carefully surveyed the entire cave that includes recognizing and noting all sorts of small and spacious habitats which could be used by any animal / organism. The survey included the locations, where drip water accumulates as well. In addition, several geophysical parameters viz; atmospheric temperature, humidity, water temperature and its pH value were also measured during dry (May) and wet (September) seasons in the fi eld by using digital thermo-hyrometer (Pacer® TH 402) and pH meter. The observations were made at every second month through a span of one year and in each fi eld visit every nook and cranny of the cave was carefully observed to document the direct /indirect evidence(s) of any animal which used the cave for any purpose. Evidences were photographed and also other scientifi c techniques were employed to determine the animal species. Help from local tribes were taken to confirm the existence of suspected animals. We also attempted to determine the role of each visitor and / or permanent inhabitants inside the cave, in their particular zone of occurrence« (BISWAS & SHROTRIYA 2011: 1-2).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | DEVGIRI CAVE | ||
| 1.5 | KANGER KARPAN CAVE | ||
| 1.5 | KANGER CAVE (Autar 1993) (aa -) | ||
| 1.8 | KOTOMSAR (Cave near) | ||
| 1.8 | GREEN CHAMBER CAVE | ||
| 5.5 | KAILASH CAVE, Kanger Valley | ||
| 18.8 | GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Koraput | ||
| 26.8 | KUMARGAON SPRING | ||
| 33.0 | CHITRAKOT CAVES (Cooper 1983) |