PEMAKÖCHUNG NATURAL TUNNEL

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A natural sacred tunnel, perhaps a dwar, which takes part of a river (stream cave) near a 30 feet (9.1 m, BAILEY 1914: 349) or 150 feet (45.7 m, BAILEY 1945: 11) high waterfall, attracts pilgrims to the vicinity of Pemaköchung Gompa. BAILEY (1914: 349, 428 location map): The river here rushes through a gorge about 50 yards in width, and at one point dashes down more steeply some 30 feet. This fall was not vertical, partly on account of the rapidity of the current. The people perform a pilgrimage to this place, the pilgrims climbing through a natural tunnel in the cliff. I was able to go part of the way, but the mouth of the tunnel is under water in summer. Just below Pemaköchung a spur called Gyama Taki runs down to the river, and appears to cut off all possibility of further progress down the valley. [forwarded by Tony Oldham 1994.04.12 personal correspondence].