SHELGYI DUKHAN, Shel-gyi sgrub-khang

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The second of the two east-facing caves (the other is –>Tshechi Dukhang, Tshe-chu'i sgrub-khang), which provide shelter for shephards and pilgrims at the holy place (ne / gnas) of Ama Buchung. SITUATION 1990: Approximately one day's walk down the Barun Valley from the white lake [note 1], there is the the holy place (ne / gnas) of Ama Buchung (A-ma bu-buyung), the mountain of the -Pregnant Mother- (note 2) in the valley of the Barun River (note 3). The east face of the -pregnant mother- looks like a huge face with a mouth, a nose and two big caves as eyes (DIEMBERGER 1990 edited 1991: 66). SITUATION 1992: Parvati's Cave (sic!) lies next to Shiva Cave (i.e. –>Tshechi Dukhang) and both at a trekking distance of three hours in an unspecified direction from one meadow called Mera, which lies from one Yangri (note 4) a short day's walk upstream the valley of Barun river towards Makalu. The pair of caves lies about 700 vertical metre of steeply inclined meadow, which is either negotated by a fast and direct but difficult and harzardous route or by a longer, more methodical treck (CHILD 1992: 58). To reach Parvati's cave (CHILD 1992: 58) from –>Shiva Cave (Tshechi Dukhang), CHILD (1992) sidled along a narrow ledge above a precipice [note 5] … CAVE DESCRIPTION: CHILD (1992: 58) narrates from Parvati's cave (Shelgyi Dukhan) how another fountain spattered the rock floor. As the sun neared the horizon, our Nepali friends again made puja.The second of the two east-facing caves (the other is –>Tshechi Dukhang, Tshe-chu'i sgrub-khang), which provide shelter for shephards and pilgrims at the holy place (ne / gnas) of Ama Buchung. SITUATION 1990: Approximately one day's walk down the Barun Valley from the white lake [note 1], there is the the holy place (ne / gnas) of Ama Buchung (A-ma bu-buyung), the mountain of the -Pregnant Mother- (note 2) in the valley of the Barun River (note 3). The east face of the -pregnant mother- looks like a huge face with a mouth, a nose and two big caves as eyes (DIEMBERGER 1990 edited 1991: 66). SITUATION 1992: Parvati's Cave (sic!) lies next to Shiva Cave (i.e. –>Tshechi Dukhang) and both at a trekking distance of three hours in an unspecified direction from one meadow called Mera, which lies from one Yangri (note 4) a short day's walk upstream the valley of Barun river towards Makalu. The pair of caves lies about 700 vertical metre of steeply inclined meadow, which is either negotated by a fast and direct but difficult and harzardous route or by a longer, more methodical treck (CHILD 1992: 58). To reach Parvati's cave (CHILD 1992: 58) from –>Shiva Cave (Tshechi Dukhang), CHILD (1992) sidled along a narrow ledge above a precipice [note 5] … CAVE DESCRIPTION: CHILD (1992: 58) narrates from Parvati's cave (Shelgyi Dukhan) how another fountain spattered the rock floor. As the sun neared the horizon, our Nepali friends again made puja.