ARJUNKUND, Dhangawan

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A collapse doline (note 1) gives access to a north-east facing cave entrance (note 2) which opens into a spacious, roundish collapse chamber (40 m in diameter, 12 m high) with a pool (about 20 m in diameter, up to 13 m deep, muddy bottom) of murky, apparently stagnant water (22°C, less than 0.5 m visibility on 13th January 2006) embraced on three quarters by an amphitheatre-like, circa -30° slope of fallen rocks opposite a crescent face of frequently layered and irregularly bedded crystalline limestone with siliceous intercalations and an east-southeasterly dip of approximately 120° / -20°. Tributary passages, one collapsed and the others with a floor covered by dejecta of undigested insect remains and bat guano (dry in January 2006), arrive from the north (blocked), east (11 m long, infilled), and north-east, of which the latter (8 m wide, 2.5 m high, 25 m long, descending by 20° to 120° east-southeast) is obviously of phreatic origin and -starts- (for man-sized humans) at the meetin point (mixing corrossion) of joint-controlled (080°-260° and 150°/330°) rift passages (initially on average 0.2 m wide and 0.9 m high) which soon deteriorate into rifts impenetrable for all but midgets. SITUATION (note 3): About 100 km along the road south of Khajuraho (24°51'N: 79°56'E WGS84) or 12 km north-west of Darguwan (note 4). To reach the site from the road running from Chhatarpur (note 5) south to Sagar (note 6), turn right / west at Sagani (note 7) and travel altogether 8 or 10 km west along a-kacha- or uncooked (unmetalled) fair weather road (note 8) where the vehicle, at one stage, has to climb across a low, forested ridge and, later on, ford a nulla / seasonal riverbed (note 9) at the foot of the village of Binada (note 10), picturesquely perched on a spur. Beyond Binada, the road becomes a track where even local people prefer to push their bicycles but Arjunkund lies only 2 km further ahead and the white-washed little temple on top of the hillock above the cave sigals your aim from afar. Some 200 or 300 m before reaching Arjunkund, the path crosses a stand of 16 magnificent mango trees (in Hindi: am; in botanical Latin: Mangifera indica) which shade a level, grass covered ground —probably the site where the annual fair takes place. CULTURAL HISTORY - Cave legend (after local informants, 2003.03.11, 2006.01.09-13), inspired by the classical Sanskrit epic Mahabharata: Draupati, wife of the five Pandava brothers, was thirsty and the archer / bow-man Arjuna (note 11) split the ground open by delivering an arrow, from whence the source of water has been accessible. A corresponding story is told from –>Bhimkund where, however, it was Bhim, strongest of the Pandavas, who hit the ground with his -khatta- (not a cutter but a club), and thus gave Draupati access to ground-water. CAVE CLIMATE - temperatures (2006.01.13): Water 22°C, cave air 21°C (09h00), open air 21°C (09h15). WATER LEVEL: On 13th January 2006 the water stood at –16.15 m below the cave etrance doline's lowest point (ELP). According to local communicators, the water rises 6 or 7 m ( corresponding to -9 or -10 m ELP) during monsoon (rainy season).als your aim from afar. Some 200 or 300 m before reaching Arjunkund, the path crosses a stand of 16 magnificent mango trees (in Hindi: am; in botanical Latin: Mangifera indica) which shade a level, grass covered ground —probably the site where the annual fair takes place. CULTURAL HISTORY - Cave legend (after local informants, 2003.03.11, 2006.01.09-13), inspired by the classical Sanskrit epic Mahabharata: Draupati, wife of the five Pandava brothers, was thirsty and the archer / bow-man Arjuna (note 11) split the ground open by delivering an arrow, from whence the source of water has been accessible. A corresponding story is told from –>Bhimkund where, however, it was Bhim, strongest of the Pandavas, who hit the ground with his -khatta- (not a cutter but a club), and thus gave Draupati access to ground-water. CAVE CLIMATE - temperatures (2006.01.13): Water 22°C, cave air 21°C (09h00), open air 21°C (09h15). WATER LEVEL: On 13th January 2006 the water stood at –16.15 m below the cave eals your aim from afar. Some 200 or 300 m before reaching Arjunkund, the path crosses a stand of 16 magnificent mango trees (in Hindi: am; in botanical Latin: Mangifera indica) which shade a level, grass covered ground —probably the site where the annual fair takes place. CULTURAL HISTORY - Cave legend (after local informants, 2003.03.11, 2006.01.09-13), inspired by the classical Sanskrit epic Mahabharata: Draupati, wife of the five Pandava brothers, was thirsty and the archer / bow-man Arjuna (note 11) split the ground open by delivering an arrow, from whence the source of water has been accessible. A corresponding story is told from –>Bhimkund where, however, it was Bhim, strongest of the Pandavas, who hit the ground with his -khatta- (not a cutter but a club), and thus gave Draupati access to ground-water. CAVE CLIMATE - temperatures (2006.01.13): Water 22°C, cave air 21°C (09h00), open air 21°C (09h15). WATER LEVEL: On 13th January 2006 the water stood at –16.15 m below the cave etrance doline's lowest point (ELP). According to local communicators, the water rises 6 or 7 m ( corresponding to -9 or -10 m ELP) during monsoon (rainy season).