CHANDIKA GUWA, Yana

(Kumata taluk - IN)
14.589900,74.567200
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A natural temple cave used as a prospering religious show cave (note 1), modified by man and used as a sacred garbha griha (holiest) dedicated to Chandi Amma (note 2) with a 3 feet high bronze figurine of the mother goddess (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 24: 413; kamat.com/kalranga/kar/yana.htm) and Ganga (KAMATH 2001). Water trickling into a niche (note 3) keeps a lingam (note 4) wet. SITUATION: The main temple of the Bhairava kshetra (sacred compound of Bhairava) lies at the bottom of the western face of the Bhairaveshwara Shikara (literally 'Lord Bhairava's temple spire', mundane: 'god Bhairava's karst tower) at Yana (off the Kumta- Sirsi road) in the Motiguddi Hills, part of the Sahayadri Range (Western Ghats). CAVE DESCRIPTION: A walled off cave entrance with man-sized door, barred by a foldable waist high iron gate (access is limited to priests) gives way to a 12 m long (note 5), close to 2 m wide and high vadose tube (arriving from 020° or north-north-west, with roundd ceiling, artificially smoothed? walls and concrete floor) to a terminal (?), moist and possibly joint controlled T-junction, where --if peeping in from the cave entrance-- one can imagine, but his is mere guesswork, lateral extensions petering out into impenetrable fissures. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003, beware of Journalese nonsense: A two meter tall Shivalinga is two feet high and called Bhiraveshwara [sic! qua: Bhairehvara] is in the middle of a cave [in a niche adjacent to the main passage]. Water drips from the hanging rock [sic! for: from a bulge of the ceiling] over the head of the linga, described [sic! for: interpreted] as Gangodbhava [not the lingam but the trickle of water]. To the south [sic! qua: initiallly west, later north] of this cave are smaller caves [sic! qua: much larger –>Shiva Cave at Yana] (KOOGTEMANE 2003). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use - folklore: Close by are the dwellings of Havik ministrants, who, along with their families, live in housings near the cave and undrtake the daily worship: performing rituals, selling souvenirs (guidebooks in Hindi and English were in press in 2002), lukewarm -cold drinks- and light snacks. CAVE LIFE: Tiny flies in the entrance area, moving not unlike fungus gnats (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) are suspected to molest visitors with small bites which turn itchy later on.d ceiling, artificially smoothed? walls and concrete floor) to a terminal (?), moist and possibly joint controlled T-junction, where --if peeping in from the cave entrance-- one can imagine, but his is mere guesswork, lateral extensions petering out into impenetrable fissures. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003, beware of Journalese nonsense: A two meter tall Shivalinga is two feet high and called Bhiraveshwara [sic! qua: Bhairehvara] is in the middle of a cave [in a niche adjacent to the main passage]. Water drips from the hanging rock [sic! for: from a bulge of the ceiling] over the head of the linga, described [sic! for: interpreted] as Gangodbhava [not the lingam but the trickle of water]. To the south [sic! qua: initiallly west, later north] of this cave are smaller caves [sic! qua: much larger –>Shiva Cave at Yana] (KOOGTEMANE 2003). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use - folklore: Close by are the dwellings of Havik ministrants, who, along with their families, live in housings near the cave and undd ceiling, artificially smoothed? walls and concrete floor) to a terminal (?), moist and possibly joint controlled T-junction, where --if peeping in from the cave entrance-- one can imagine, but his is mere guesswork, lateral extensions petering out into impenetrable fissures. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003, beware of Journalese nonsense: A two meter tall Shivalinga is two feet high and called Bhiraveshwara [sic! qua: Bhairehvara] is in the middle of a cave [in a niche adjacent to the main passage]. Water drips from the hanging rock [sic! for: from a bulge of the ceiling] over the head of the linga, described [sic! for: interpreted] as Gangodbhava [not the lingam but the trickle of water]. To the south [sic! qua: initiallly west, later north] of this cave are smaller caves [sic! qua: much larger –>Shiva Cave at Yana] (KOOGTEMANE 2003). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use - folklore: Close by are the dwellings of Havik ministrants, who, along with their families, live in housings near the cave and undrtake the daily worship: performing rituals, selling souvenirs (guidebooks in Hindi and English were in press in 2002), lukewarm -cold drinks- and light snacks. CAVE LIFE: Tiny flies in the entrance area, moving not unlike fungus gnats (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) are suspected to molest visitors with small bites which turn itchy later on.

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018
  • Imperial Gazetteer 1907-1909; Kamath, J 2001; Koogtemane, Raghvendara 2003.

Histoire

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1801: Francis Buchanan [later: Hamilton] possibly visited XXX? 2002.12.11.: H. D. Gebauer was allowed to peep into entrance, estimated dimensions, and took a compass bearing. Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Cavités proche

Distance (km)NomLongueur (m)Profondeur (m)
0.0SHIVA, Yana (Cave of)
0.1BHAIRAVESHWARA SHIKARA (Cave at)
0.3MOHINI SHIKARA, Yana (Cave at)
0.3MOHINI SHIKARA SHELTER, Yana
44.9HALESIDDA, Wadehakli (Cave of the)
44.9BAVALIHAKKI CAVE
45.3RUDRAKSHI MANTAPA GAVI
45.4AKKA NAGAMMA GAVI
45.4AKALA GAVI, Ulvi