ALOPE GUFA
28.220800,83.688900
Description
Not only a seasonaly active sinkhole (with altogether 5 distinct cave entrances in dislocated boulders, including the temple cave called Gupteshor or Gupteswor and the –>Gupteshwar Cave, Kusma, Duchene 2011)) but also a relic sinkhole (abandoned by flowing water) gives access to almost 500 m of perenially active stream cave in alluvial conglomerate or »conglomérat alluvionnaires« (Duchene, Maurice 2011.07.13 personal correspondence), which drains water to the main cave entrance (about 15 m high and, perhaps, 4 m wide), a resurgence 63 vertical metres below the insurgence. At a survey length of 491 m and a vertical range of ±63 m (+0 m / -63 m), the »Alope Guffa, Kuja Bisauna« (LISIECKI 1986: 47-49) is one of the longest known caves of Nepal. ETYMOLOGY: The meaning of »Alope« has not yet been discovered (note 1). SITUATION: In connection with a certain »Kuje Bisauna« (note 2) and in the vicinity of an unidentified spot which lies a) on the way from Kusma (N28°13'00”: E083°40'50”) west via Karkineta (N28°10'10”: E083°46'10”) to Pokhara, b) not far from the confluence of the Modi Khola (N28°09'27”: E083°40'12”) and the Kali Gandaki, and c) above the orographically left (eastern) bank of the Modi Khola. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1986: In Polish language (LISIECKI 1986: 47, 49) with cave plan (LISIECKI 1986: 48).
NOTE 1: »Kuje Bisauna« (LISIECKI 1986) makes no sense to me unless it derives from something like "khoji" (exploration, investigation, research) or "khusi" (happy) and "bis" (twenty, 20), "au" (and), na (neither, nor) or "nau" (nine, 9). NOTE 2: In Greek mythology Alope (Aloph) was in a mortal woman, the daughter of Cercyon, known for her great beauty [1] [2]. Poseidon, in the guise of a kingfisher, seduced Alope, his granddaughter through Cercyon, and from the union she gave birth to Hippothoon. Alope left the infant in the open to die of exposure, but a passing mare suckled the child until it was found by shepherds, who fell into a dispute as to who was to have the beautiful royal attire of the boy. The case was brought before Cercyon, who, on recognizing by the dress whose child the boy was, ordered Alope to be imprisoned in order to be put to death, and her child to be exposed again. The latter was fed and found in the same manner as before, and the shepherds called him Hippothoon. The body of Alope was changed by Poseidon into a spring, which bore the same name [3] [4]. [1] Schmitz, Leonhard (1867): Alope.- in: Smith, William (1867): Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology.- (Boston: Little, Brown and Company), 1: 133 online ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0142.html.[2] Hyginus (ca. 64 BC - AD 17), Fabulae 187. [3] Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 5. § 2. [4] Aristophanes (414 BC): Ornithes 533. NOTE 3: It is when we come to LISIECKI (1986: 47) that we are told how »Jaskinia znajduje sie na trasie Kusma - Karkineta, niedaleko miejsca gdzie Modi Khola wpada do Kali Gandaki, na wprost mostu z orograficznie lewej strony Modi Khola.«
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Kusma | ||
| 1.9 | Gupteshwar Gupha | ||
| 2.5 | BHOOME GUFA | ||
| 3.4 | ALAPESHOR GUFA | ||
| 3.4 | KALIDAHA | ||
| 4.1 | NAYAPOOL SHELTER (aa -) | ||
| 9.3 | KANYAGAR CAVE (Caves near) | ||
| 11.7 | ANDHI KHOLA (Cave in the) | ||
| 13.5 | Myagdi Shelter |