PUDIA BEND CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A south-east-facing, vaulted entrance (up to 3 m wide and 1.7 m high) gives access, past an offering place (note 1) or cult spot on the right-hand side and a man-made wall (piled rocks) to a vaulted chamber (up to 12 m wide, 4 m high, 15 m long) with lateral niches and some 10 m of small passages (discordant, less than a metre above the level of the floor) in conglomerate rock (compare the caves at –>Kempty Falls and –>Lakha Mandal). An extension in the far back arrives from north and descending from a meandering, some 10 m long passage which shelters an offering place (cult spot) and gives access to a tube too small to enter (after Laumanns 2006.03.29 cave plan: Pudia Bend). SITUATION: Somewhere in the vicinity of a certain Pudia village (note 2) and adjacent to the road from Dehra Dun upstream and along the Jumna River (Jamuna, Yamuna Ganga) towards the pilgrimage place Jamnotri (Yamunotri; N31°01': E078°27') and adjacent to the road beyond Kempty Falls (note 3), which lie at a istance of 15 km along the road approximately north-west from Mussoorie (N30°27': E078°05': 2000 m asl). The GPS position recorded for the Pudia Bend Cave indicates a spot which lies at linear distances of about 47 km approximately north of Dehra Dun (N30°19': E078°02': 700 m asl) and 3 km or 4 km approximately east of Lakha Mandal (N30°43'45”: E078°06'40”). CAVE DESCRIPTION: This 43 m long cave is formed in conglomerate of a former river terrace and it is most likely artificially enlarged. The 5 m wide and 2.5 m high cave entrance opens directly near the main road close to Lakha Mandal town when approaching it from the Kempty Falls. Roof and walls of Pudia Bend are covered with soot (Laumanns & Breitenbach 2006.04.15 Mss). CULTURAL HISTORY: Although a sign board at the entrance invites visitors to stay outside the cave, we experienced no difficulties while surveying it. The cave is used as an offering place (Laumanns & Breitenbach 2006.04.15 Mss). Not only man-made walls rected from piled-up rocks but also offering places suggest human use (goat pen and / or pilgrim's shelter) of this cave conveniently located adjacent to the road leading to the popular pilgrimage place Jamnotri, Yamnotri (N31°01': E078°27': 3185 m asl).istance of 15 km along the road approximately north-west from Mussoorie (N30°27': E078°05': 2000 m asl). The GPS position recorded for the Pudia Bend Cave indicates a spot which lies at linear distances of about 47 km approximately north of Dehra Dun (N30°19': E078°02': 700 m asl) and 3 km or 4 km approximately east of Lakha Mandal (N30°43'45”: E078°06'40”). CAVE DESCRIPTION: This 43 m long cave is formed in conglomerate of a former river terrace and it is most likely artificially enlarged. The 5 m wide and 2.5 m high cave entrance opens directly near the main road close to Lakha Mandal town when approaching it from the Kempty Falls. Roof and walls of Pudia Bend are covered with soot (Laumanns & Breitenbach 2006.04.15 Mss). CULTURAL HISTORY: Although a sign board at the entrance invites visitors to stay outside the cave, we experienced no difficulties while surveying it. The cave is used as an offering place (Laumanns & Breitenbach 2006.04.15 Mss). Not only man-made walls rected from piled-up rocks but also offering places suggest human use (goat pen and / or pilgrim's shelter) of this cave conveniently located adjacent to the road leading to the popular pilgrimage place Jamnotri, Yamnotri (N31°01': E078°27': 3185 m asl).