PINGALA DEVI (Cave of)
32.816700,75.316700
Description
Two cave entrances, of which one at the side and the other overhead, give access to a popular sacred cave (temple cave), which is not only said to be »narrow« (GANHAR s.a., circa 1973: 25) but also houses an image of the goddess Pingala Devi. SITUATION: GANHAR (s.a., circa 1973: 25) places the cave of Pingala Devi on an unidentified hill with an unspecified name, which lies in Ramnagar tahsil (Ramnagar town N32°49': E075°19') and at a distance of »14 miles« (22.5 km, probably along the road) in an unspecified direction »from the town« of Jammu (N32°44': E074°52'). CAVE DESCRIPTION: »The road is kacha [note 1] and the terrain is hilly. Despite this, the cave shrine attracts many pilgrims … Water drips from its ceiling where the image is« (GANHAR s.a., circa 1973: 25). CULTURAL HISTORY - Cave legend: »It is said that a lion once took refuge in the cave when the people were chasing him with intent to kill. But there occurred an opening in the rocks overhead through which he made good his escape. People ascribed it to the Devi's grace« (GANHAR s.a., circa 1973: 25).
NOTE 1: The adjective "kacha" derives from " kachcha" (Hindi), literally »raw, crude, unripe, uncooked« as in »the road … being "Kucha," literally UNCOOKED, but here meant to express "unmetalled," we had yet another form of conveyance to make acquaintance with« (KNIGHT 1863 Diary of a pedestrian … 4th June 1860). YULE & BURNELL (1886 edited 1903: 287): »This word is with its opposite pakka … among the most constantly recurring Anglo-India colloquial terms, owing to the great variety of metaphorical applications of which both are susceptible. The following are a few examples only, but they will indicate the manner of use better than any attempt at comprehensive definition: A cutcha Brick is a sun-dried brick. ” House is built of mud , or fo sun-dried bricks. ” Road is earthwork only. ” Appointment is acting or temporarily. ” Settlement is one where the land is held without lease. ” Account or Estimate is one, which is rough, superficial, and untrustworthy. ” Mound or Seer is the smaller, where the two weights are in use, as often happens. ” Major is a brevet or local Major. ” Colour is one that won't wash. ” Fever is a simple ague or light attack. ” Pice generally means one of those amorphous coppers currently in up-country bazars at varying rates of value. ” Coss --see analogy under Mound above. ” Roof. A roof of mud laid on beams; or thatch, &c. ” Scoundrel, a limp and fatuous knave. ” Seam (silai) is the tailors tack for trying on.«
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | MANSAR LAKE (Cave west of) | ||
| 24.1 | GAURI KUND, Devika Valley (Cave at) | ||
| 32.3 | MUTTAL SPRING | ||
| 41.7 | GUPTA GANGA, Bhadrawah | ||
| 48.6 | BUDHA AMARNATH, Ramban: Makarkot | ||
| 62.0 | KANGNEE ROCK SHELTER | ||
| 64.9 | SHALAMAR CAVES | ||
| 69.6 | TRISANDHYA DEVI TIRTHA, Dachan - Marwa | ||
| 78.4 | JAWAHAR ROAD TUNNEL |