BHIMKUND, Munger: Bhimabandh

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

What appears to consist of a pool of cold water, which is called Bhimkund, is sacred to Bhima and visited by pilgrims, is situated downstream of several hots springs and under an over-hanging rock of Damadama Hill. NOT SEEN: HEBER, Reginald (1828 edited 1829 etc): Narrative of a journey through the upper provinces of India. SITUATION 1926: From the village of Bhimbandh or Bhimabandh (note 1) about 300 yards north (SHERWILL 1926 in District Gazetteer of Monghyr). SITUATION 2005: … some hot springs, called Tatal-pani (Tapta-pani) in Munger (also: Mungir, Monghyr at N25°23': E086°28' WGS84) district in the Kharagpur subdivision […] about 12 miles [19.3 km] south-west of Kharagpur [note 2] and four miles [6.4 km] north of Guddih [note 3] (munger.nic.in/ATMA/Munger/place%20of%20interest_pa… accessed 2005.12.19). SITUATION 2007: The India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006) map 42 quadrangle C5) indicates a nameless but noteworthy Hot Spring on the border of the districts of Jamui (eadquarters Jamui at N24°55': E086°13') and Munger (headquarters Munger, Mungir, Monghyr). DESCRIPTION: BHIMBANDH … Close to the village are some hot springs, called Tatal-pani (Tapta-pani) with [sic! qua: which] are by far the finest in the district. The District Gazetteer of Monghyr published in 1926 quoted Captain Sherwill “The first spring is situated about 300 yards to north of village immediately under a small detached Hill named Mahadeva, from whose base the water issued in a fine stream at temperature of 1470 Fahrenheit [799°C or, more likely, 147°F = 63.9°C]. A few hundred yards farther to the north, at foot of the hornstone hill Damadama, we came upon a region of hot springs. Hot water appeared to be spouting from the ground in every direction; the principal spring, of which there are eight or ten, had uniform temperature of 1450, all rising within a space of about 300 yards square. The united waters of all these hot springs are conveyed pool of cold water under an over-anging rock in that river, called Bhimkund, which is sacred to the Bhima and is visited by pilgrims. These springs, rising at about 300 feet above sea-level are the principal source of the Man itself. The highest temperature recorded by Dr. Buchanan on the 21st March, 1811, was 150 F [65.6°C]. Sherwill in September of 1847, Waddell in January of 1890, and Schulten in August of 1913, observed temperatures of 147 F [63.9°C], 146.2 F [63.4°C], and 148 F [64.4°C] respectively; but Mr. V. H. Jackson considers that there are twelve sources in the Mahadeva group and at least nineteen in the Damadama group; and the hottest of them may not have been observed; readings taken between 1912 and 1919 varied from 145.5 F [63.1°C] to 146 F [63.3°C] in the Mahadeva, and from 148 F [64.4°C] to 148.8 F [64.9°C] in the Damadama series (munger.nic.in/ATMA/Munger/place%20of%20interest_pa… accessed 2005.12.19).anging rock in that river, called Bhimkund, which is sacred to the Bhima and is visited by pilgrims. These springs, rising at about 300 feet above sea-level are the principal source of the Man itself. The highest temperature recorded by Dr. Buchanan on the 21st March, 1811, was 150 F [65.6°C]. Sherwill in September of 1847, Waddell in January of 1890, and Schulten in August of 1913, observed temperatures of 147 F [63.9°C], 146.2 F [63.4°C], and 148 F [64.4°C] respectively; but Mr. V. H. Jackson considers that there are twelve sources in the Mahadeva group and at least nineteen in the Damadama group; and the hottest of them may not have been observed; readings taken between 1912 and 1919 varied from 145.5 F [63.1°C] to 146 F [63.3°C] in the Mahadeva, and from 148 F [64.4°C] to 148.8 F [64.9°C] in the Damadama series (munger.nic.in/ATMA/Munger/place%20of%20interest_pa… accessed 2005.12.19).