AULIYA BABA GUFA

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The sacred cave is dedicated to a -pir- (Muslim saint) known as Auliya Baba and called Aula Baba (Brooks 2001 Mss: MEGHD2001.doc) or Auwla Baba (Jantschke 2001.02.15 Mss: Indien), and represents a maquam (natural temple cave) in gravitationally dislocated (sandstone?) boulders. The sacred cave consists of a a single straight cave passage (about a metre wide, on average 2 m high, and an estimated 12 m long). The cave floor descends slightly towards the cave entrance and is partly covered with bat guano. ETYMOLOGY: The word ghinda created by Simon J. Brooks (2001 Mss: MEGHD2001.doc) is open to interpretation but little doubt remains that aula or auwla is a corruption of the fine old name Auliya (note 1) whilst the title baba (note 2) is honorable but gives no clue to the holder's identity. I have the impression of having seen the name of this temple cave recorded as Auwla Baba Höhle Jantschke, H (2001 Mss Indien 2001.02.15) Ghinda Phir (note 3) Brooks, S J (2001 Mss MEGHD2001.doc) Kre Mawkum Kharpran Daly, B D (2012.12.31 personal correspondence item 8)Krem Mukam (note 4) Kharpran Daly, B D (1997 personal correspondence item 10) Phir Baba Cave Brooks, S J (2001 Mss MEGHD2001.doc) SITUATION: At the maqbara (also: maqam), the Mucampara of Brooks, at Nalikata (the Nolicata of Brooks), a village indicated on the Survey of India sheet 78-O/08 (edition 1913) above the orographically left (eastern) bank of the river Jadukata (Kynchiang, Um Ranikor) and about 2 km or 3 km in a direct line north-east of Ranikor / Lengur Bazar (obsolete: Laour, Lour). As often is the case, this cave hermitage has been established close to a buisy trade route. PALMER (1924: 145) draws attention to a large trade in dried fish, which is caught in Sylhet and marketed at Rilang [note 5] and Lengur [note 6] Bazars on the banks of the Jadukata. The vendours from the hills carry the fish from Lengar via Nongktieh [note 7] and Rangthong [note 8] to Mawkyrwat [note 9] market, where it is sold to peope from Shillong. This route is the most importAnt in the district and could be made into a useful artery but for its passing of necessity over a great gap [N25°22'30”: E091°23'] between Rangthong and Nongktieh. Here the trIbUtaries of the Rilang and Umngi have cut back through the watershed dividing their valleys, and the path descends by rough and steep stone steps for a thousand feet and risEs nearly to its old level. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Various strands of Muslim and Hindu religious folklore mingle at this cult spot. Jantschke & Jantschke (2001 Mss: Indien) had learned (note 10) that unusual observation power is an unavoidable prerequisite to fully understand what's the matter. This is a common plot variously repeated over and over again with the many Hindu cave related stories featuring the mythical underworld Patal Bhubaneshvar (note 11). On the other hand, we are told that the cave is dedicated to a -pir- (Muslim saint), corrupted into a phir (Brooks, S J 2001 MssMEGHD2001.doc), on whom, however, the cave explorer's inquisitiveness was instantly blunted without leaving a trace (note 12). CAVE LIFE: Herbert Jantschke (2002.04.22 personal communication) told me to have noticed bat guano, which can be interpreted to indicate the presence of bats (Chiroptera).e from Shillong. This route is the most importAnt in the district and could be made into a useful artery but for its passing of necessity over a great gap [N25°22'30”: E091°23'] between Rangthong and Nongktieh. Here the trIbUtaries of the Rilang and Umngi have cut back through the watershed dividing their valleys, and the path descends by rough and steep stone steps for a thousand feet and risEs nearly to its old level. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Various strands of Muslim and Hindu religious folklore mingle at this cult spot. Jantschke & Jantschke (2001 Mss: Indien) had learned (note 10) that unusual observation power is an unavoidable prerequisite to fully understand what's the matter. This is a common plot variously repeated over and over again with the many Hindu cave related stories featuring the mythical underworld Patal Bhubaneshvar (note 11). On the other hand, we are told that the cave is dedicated to a -pir- (Muslim saint), corrupted into a phir (Brooks, S J 2001 Msse from Shillong. This route is the most importAnt in the district and could be made into a useful artery but for its passing of necessity over a great gap [N25°22'30”: E091°23'] between Rangthong and Nongktieh. Here the trIbUtaries of the Rilang and Umngi have cut back through the watershed dividing their valleys, and the path descends by rough and steep stone steps for a thousand feet and risEs nearly to its old level. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Various strands of Muslim and Hindu religious folklore mingle at this cult spot. Jantschke & Jantschke (2001 Mss: Indien) had learned (note 10) that unusual observation power is an unavoidable prerequisite to fully understand what's the matter. This is a common plot variously repeated over and over again with the many Hindu cave related stories featuring the mythical underworld Patal Bhubaneshvar (note 11). On the other hand, we are told that the cave is dedicated to a -pir- (Muslim saint), corrupted into a phir (Brooks, S J 2001 Msse from Shillong. This route is the most importAnt in the district and could be made into a useful artery but for its passing of necessity over a great gap [N25°22'30”: E091°23'] between Rangthong and Nongktieh. Here the trIbUtaries of the Rilang and Umngi have cut back through the watershed dividing their valleys, and the path descends by rough and steep stone steps for a thousand feet and risEs nearly to its old level. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Various strands of Muslim and Hindu religious folklore mingle at this cult spot. Jantschke & Jantschke (2001 Mss: Indien) had learned (note 10) that unusual observation power is an unavoidable prerequisite to fully understand what's the matter. This is a common plot variously repeated over and over again with the many Hindu cave related stories featuring the mythical underworld Patal Bhubaneshvar (note 11). On the other hand, we are told that the cave is dedicated to a -pir- (Muslim saint), corrupted into a phir (Brooks, S J 2001 Msse from Shillong. This route is the most importAnt in the district and could be made into a useful artery but for its passing of necessity over a great gap [N25°22'30”: E091°23'] between Rangthong and Nongktieh. Here the trIbUtaries of the Rilang and Umngi have cut back through the watershed dividing their valleys, and the path descends by rough and steep stone steps for a thousand feet and risEs nearly to its old level. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Various strands of Muslim and Hindu religious folklore mingle at this cult spot. Jantschke & Jantschke (2001 Mss: Indien) had learned (note 10) that unusual observation power is an unavoidable prerequisite to fully understand what's the matter. This is a common plot variously repeated over and over again with the many Hindu cave related stories featuring the mythical underworld Patal Bhubaneshvar (note 11). On the other hand, we are told that the cave is dedicated to a -pir- (Muslim saint), corrupted into a phir (Brooks, S J 2001 MssMEGHD2001.doc), on whom, however, the cave explorer's inquisitiveness was instantly blunted without leaving a trace (note 12). CAVE LIFE: Herbert Jantschke (2002.04.22 personal communication) told me to have noticed bat guano, which can be interpreted to indicate the presence of bats (Chiroptera).