GARBH YONI, Malabar
18.950000,72.800000
Description
BALFOUR (1885 edited 1968, 2: 802-803) reports from »Malabar Hill [note 1], in Bombay Island« that the »Malabar Point, in Bombay, has the ruins of a very ancient black stone temple, and has many fragments strewn about with a variety of images sculptured on them. Below the point, among the rocks, there is a cleft [note 2] esteemed very sacred, where the believing Hindu obtains regeneration or a second birth. He comes to the spot and deposits all his clothing, then, passing through the aperture [dwar], he is supposed to be born again, and ablution in the tank and gifts to the priests complete the washing away of his sins.« DOUGLAS (1893, 2: 232-233, 240) reports from Malabar Hill a »stone cleft« which is regarded as yoni and is known to regenerate persons passing through it (note 3). MACMUNN (1931: 164) not seen (source: SVEDJA HIRSCH 1992: 11 note 8). MACMUNN (1933: 99): »… at Malabar in Bombay a great cleft in the rock is known as The Yoni, and through it pass barren women desirous of child who travel far and wide to do so …« SVEDJA HIRSCH, L (1992: 11) draws attention to »das Durchschreiten eines perforierten Felsens« (the strutting through a perforated rock) and refers (footnote 8) to »Macmunn (1931: 164), der das selber von der Malabar-Region [sic!] berichtet« (who reports the same from the Malabar region) but we can safely assume she could not tell the difference between the Malabar coast and the Malabar Hill at Bombay while her »perforierter Felsen« is the Garbh Yoni.
NOTE 1: IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 8: 398): »Bombay City … the highest point, Malabar Hill, being only 180 feet [55 m] above the sea.« nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) positions Malabar Hill at N18°57': E72°48', the "PPLX" (populated area) Malabar Hill at N18°57': E72°47' and the Malabar Point at N18°57': E72°47' (WGS84). NOTE 2: CARTER (1861: 170) reports »granular, crystalline basalt of the dykes and of the seaward ridge (Malabar Hill) on the outer part of this island.« NOTE 3: I owe this reference to Manfred Moser (2006.09.10) who told me about one GOODLAND, Roger (no date mentioned): Bibliography of sex rites.- Page 168.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.7 | SEWRI CAVES (Caves at) | ||
| 13.8 | Elephanta Caves | ||
| 17.9 | KARTTIKEYA, Karanja / Dronagiri (Cave of) | ||
| 18.3 | DRONAGIRI CAVES, Bombay: Karanja | ||
| 19.3 | KHARVALI CAVE, Karanja | ||
| 19.5 | JOGESHWARI CAVES | ||
| 21.8 | MAHAKALI CAVES, Mumbai: Udayagiri | ||
| 21.8 | KONDIVATE CAVES | ||
| 24.3 | MAROL (Caves at) |