NAGARJUNA HILL CAVE 1, Balaju

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

What formerly had been a triangular-shaped, north-east facing cave entrance (up to 4 m wide and 1.3 m high) but later (some time between 1984 and 2005) was walled up and gated, gives access to natural sacred cave (temple cave) in Bastard Limestone (citation needed). ETYMOLOGY: The Nagarjun Cave near Balaju is culturally important to Tamang community (GHIMIRE, R et al. 2010: 22) and reputed to have been used as a sGrub Phug (note 1) not only by the Tibetan Buddhist saint Nagarjun himself but also by his disciple Buffalo Buddha (note 2). One branch of the cave is associated with Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth (note 3) and others say it is the cave of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava but then there is probably not one single cave in the Himalaya, which is not associated with this Tibetan Buddhist magician saint. So far, I saw this cave called Buffalo Buddha Cave Decleer, Hubert (1991.06.13 personal correspondence) Dike Pako (note 4) Martens, J (1983.01.26 personal correspondence) Dike Pku Gupha GEBAUER & ABELE (1983: 128); GEBAUER (1987: 23-24); KNAB (1990: 6-7, 9-11, 12); DUCLUZAUX (1993d: 32); DUCLUZAUX et al. (2001: 1944); Lindenmayr, Franz (2005.03.23 lochstein.de accessed 2005.04.28) Lakshmi Gufa Decleer, Hubert (1991.06.13 personal correspondence) Nagarjuna Cave GHIMIRE, R et al. (2010); MACDONALD & DVAGSPO RINPOCHE (1987b: 120); Malla Rojan (2000 M. Sc. thesis); RUBINSTEIN, Joshua 1988a (dated 1985 May): 8.; THAPA, Sanjan (2010.05.15: 24) Ma-he Sangs-rgyas shul Decleer, Hubert (1991.06.13 personal correspondence); MACDONALD & DVAGSPO RINPOCHE (1987b: 120 after Tenzing Choskyi Nyima 1755). SETTING: Nagarjuna Cave is … a small cave … up to 400 m in length … located at N 27°44'43.7”: E 83°17'39.4”: and altitude 1337 m within Shivapuri - Nagarjun National Park along the Kathmandu - Trishuli Highway. The site is culturally important to Tamang community. The surrounding area of the cave is a northward facing slope dominated by Schima wallichi (Chilaune), Alder lnus nipalensis (Utis), Plum Prunus sp. (Payaun) and Chir Pine Pinus roxburghii (Raani Salla). Down there is settlement of Newar community and agricultural lands (GHIMIRE, R et al. 2010: 22). SITUATION: At the eastern margin of the Rani Ban (Queen's Forest), now declared as the Nagarjun Reserved Forest (citation needed) or Shivapuri - Nagarjun National Park (GHIMIRE, R et al. 2010), a Pangolin habitat (note 5) on an eastern spur of the hill Jamachok (also: Jamacok, Nagarjun Danda / Giri, obsolete: Jat Matrochcha) and about 4.5 km along the road east-north-east of Kathmandu - Thamel or 1.5 km north-east of the village of Balaju (public garden, swimming pool) on the road to Trisuli / Trishuli. DUCLUZAUX (1993d: 32) opted for locating Dike Paku Gupha at an unspecified distance of 5 km either in a direct line or along a winding route north from an unidentified spot somewhere in Kathmandou (Kathmandu).POSITIONS: x = 127,83 y = 69,63 z = 1380 m (DUCLUZAUX, Bruno 1993d: 32) 27°44' 43.7” : 85°17' 39.4” E: 1373 m asl (THAPA, Sanjan 2010.05.15: 24) N 27°44'43.7”: E 83°17'39.4” 1337 m (GHIMIRE, R et al. 2010: 22). APPROACH: Arriving from Kathmandu - Thamel, the north-east-facing cave entrance lies about 100 m past (approximately north) the entrance gate to the Nagarjun Royal Forest (a kind of nature preserve + tourist spot), on the left-hand side (west), and about 7 m or 8 vertical metre above the level of the road. CAVE DESCRIPTION: A north-east facing, triangular-shaped cave entrance (originally up to 4 m wide and 1.3 m high but at some time between 1984 and 2005 walled up and gated) gives access to a mostly joint-controlled cave in an argillaceous (fine grained sandy), obviously of vadose origin and frequently layered 'Bastard' Limestone of Palaeozoic age, which dips (approximately 135°/-80°) almost vertically and concurrent with the cave's general trend south-west. A short distance in, the initial passage enters the main chamber (up to 5 m wide, 7 m high,8 m long) where two statues (note 6) are put up (February 1984): One of Buddha and another, new one of Nagarjuna, teaching the king of nagas manners (note 7). At the far end of the main chamber, a large breakdown boulder seems to block the way on but can be bypassed on the right-hand side (note 8) to gain two relatively small, descending descending passages (note 9). The eastern cave passage, called -Lakshmi Gufa-, descends across man-made steps cut from the living rock to a somewhat tube-shaped gallery (on average 0.6 m in diameter). Beyond a sudden 1 m-drop the passage height increases to 2 m, takes a right angle turn to the right-hand side and an at least 0.34 m high crawl (at 11 vertical metre below the entrance the deepest point of the cave). The belly crawl ascends across fallen rocks, takes a second right angle turn to right, and pops into a small terminal chamber housing a Buddha image in relief (40 cm broad, 60 cm high) put up at a distance of 35 m from the entrance. The westrn passage is shorter, drops by cut steps to another crawling passage (rectangular cross-section, on average 0.5 m wide and high) in comparatively consolidated collapse debris. Beyond a squeeze (0.25 to 0.3 m wide, 0.5 m high) one gains a second terminal chamber, which is smaller than the first one and empty. Secondary calcite deposits are absent. Tsha-tshas were seen. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1981 (DOWMAN 1981: 222-223) XXX to be added CAVE DESCRIPTION 1987 (MACDONALD 1987) XXX to be added CAVE DESCRIPTION 1988: The entrance opens on a large room separated by rock into halls. From the smaller short hall on the left, a crawl leads off. This crawl, as is typical for those in this type of bedrock, corkscrews steeply downwards. Then it's (umph) up through passage like (Sorry, folks, but here Josh's handwritten manuscript becomes illegible for six words. –- Editor}. Somebody has dragged in a 2' x 3' stone relief of a god. These Nepalis are tough (RUBINSTEIN 1988 dated May 1985: 8) CAVE DECRIPTION 1983: Dike Paku Gupha lies near Balaju / Balachu to the north of Kathmandu … The cave is a sanctuary with a Buddha sculpture in the back (J. Martens, pers. corr.) (GEBAUER & ABELE 1983: 128). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1990 (KNAB 1990: 6-7, 9-11, 12 with cave plan, longitutinal section, photopraghs) describes -N7: Dike Paku Gupha- in Swiss German language XXX to be added CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001: Les massifs autour de Kathmandu renferment des calcaires et des petites grottes dont, au nord, la Dike Paku Gupha (DUCLUZAUX et al. 2001: 1944). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: A small cave in the sense of a cave with relatively small-sized cave passages, which gives the impression of providing up to 400 m length (weel, let's say 400 small feet, each 20 cm span long), CULTURAL HISTORY: Though the temple cave is small, it may be considered as a religious show cave, which attracts many pious, predominantly Tibetan pilgrims / visitors, who are not deterred by inconvenient constrictions (regarded as dwars?)but venerate and feast on the few drops of water accumulating at certain spots on the rocky ceiling. In the early 1980ies, no external improvements marked the neglected but not soiled cave. Apart from the statues put up, the only signs of man-made improvements were stray rocks piled to the sides of the passages and a cave floor disturbed by digging activities in one section of the eastern passage. By 2005 Franz Lindenmayr (lochstein.de/hoehlen/nepal/nepal.htm accessed 2005.04.28) encountered a widely visible -darwaza- (gate of honour) and hoisted prayer flags signalled that visitors were welcome to climb the flight of steps (absent in 1984) to the terrace, complete with public conveniences, in front of the entrance, which was turned into a -decent- rectangular entrance opening in a white-washed wall. Inside, the cave floor was sealed with concrete. CAVE LEGEND: When one asks the Nepalese for its history they say that, in former times, when the master Nagarjuna was living in this grott, there was an ignorant buffalo herder from Kathmandu who had firm faith in the Master and who came constantly to meet him and make offerings to him of curd, milk, etc. One fine day, when he invited the master to come into town, the latter did not accept and said to him: -If you can meditate on truth (emptiness), stay here.- When he pratized (doing so), because he was so used to looking after buffalo, he thought he thought constantly about buffalo. The master said to him: -Meditate that you are yourself a buffalo.- So it happened, when he was meditating in the cavern which is today called Ma-he Sangs-rgyas shul [-mahe- in Newari means 'buffalo'], that after some time he actually became a buffalo. In the cave there are now some traces of horns and hooves. The master said further: -Meditate on your real body.- When he mediated in this manner, his body became as it was beforehand. Comprehending that he had acute capabilities, the master gave him initiations and instructions which he ollowed; it is told that his body itself went through the roof of the cave and that he rose up intothe sky. In this place, there are hoof marks and traces of penetration [ceiling karren] of the grotto which are still clear (Tenzing Choskyi Nyima [Btan-'dzin Chos-kyi Nyi-ma, 1730*-1779†], IVth Khamthrul Rinpoche [Khams-sprul Rin-po-che] circa 1755 translated by Vincanne Adams in MACDONALD & DVAGSPO RINPOCHE 1987b: 120). CAVE LIFE: Prof. Dr. Jochen Martens (1983.01.26 personal correspondence) told me to have probed in 1973 the cave called Dike Pako for cave fauna (no published result known). BATS (Chiroptera). Way back in 1984 (15th February) I had seen about 50 bats (conf. Rhinolophus) roosting in the cave passage named Lakshmi Gufa. 2010a: THAPA, S. (2010.05.15: 25) reports from Nagarjuna cave, Kathmandu bats recorded on 4th September 2008 or between 5th to 7th January 2010 including Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth 1844 … roost in colonies inside caves. They are mid evening flier mistneted during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 60 KHz. Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31). Rhinolophus pusillus Temminck 1834 are mid evening flier mistnetted when out for foraging at 17:50 to after 18:20. First single individuals comes out and then in group. They roost in colonies inside caves. They were found roosting in colonies on cone surface, and large crevices of the ceiling of the Nagarjuna Cave near its entrance. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 40- 65 KHz (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31-32). 2010b: [2010 January 6] Bats in flight emerged early evening (5:37 pm) with crowding at 5:43 pm. The first bat was netted at 5.58 pm, second bat netted at 7:59, and third netted at 9:40 pm. … The three individuals were confirmed to be three separate species namely Big-eared Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus macrotis, Greater Horseshoe Bat R. ferrumequinumand Intermediate Horseshoe Bat R. affinis, respectively. … [2010 January 7] … Two of us focussed a light and searched bat colonies (R. pusillus) at the upper height of the cave just few metres inside of the entrance. We couldn't find them. Also we couldn't see bat droppings (GHIMIRE, R et al. 2010: 22).ed during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 60 KHz. Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31). Rhinolophus pusillus Temminck 1834 are mid evening flier mistnetted when out for foraging at 17:50 to after 18:20. First single individuals comes out and then in group. They roost in colonies inside caves. They were found roosting in colonies on cone surface, and large crevices of the ceiling of the Nagarjuna Cave near its entrance. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 40- 65 KHz (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31-32). 2010b: [2010 January 6] Bats in flight emerged early evening (5:37 pm) with crowding at 5:43 pm. The first bat was netted at 5.58 pm, second bat netted at 7:59, and third netted at 9:40 pm. … The three individuals were confirmed to be three separate species namely Big-eared Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus macrotis, Greater Horseshoe Bat R. ferrumequinumed during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 60 KHz. Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31). Rhinolophus pusillus Temminck 1834 are mid evening flier mistnetted when out for foraging at 17:50 to after 18:20. First single individuals comes out and then in group. They roost in colonies inside caves. They were found roosting in colonies on cone surface, and large crevices of the ceiling of the Nagarjuna Cave near its entrance. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 40- 65 KHz (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31-32). 2010b: [2010 January 6] Bats in flight emerged early evening (5:37 pm) with crowding at 5:43 pm. The first bat was netted at 5.58 pm, second bat netted at 7:59, and third netted at 9:40 pm. … The three individuals were confirmed to be three separate species namely Big-eared Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus macrotis, Greater Horseshoe Bat R. ferrumequinumed during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 60 KHz. Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31). Rhinolophus pusillus Temminck 1834 are mid evening flier mistnetted when out for foraging at 17:50 to after 18:20. First single individuals comes out and then in group. They roost in colonies inside caves. They were found roosting in colonies on cone surface, and large crevices of the ceiling of the Nagarjuna Cave near its entrance. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 40- 65 KHz (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31-32). 2010b: [2010 January 6] Bats in flight emerged early evening (5:37 pm) with crowding at 5:43 pm. The first bat was netted at 5.58 pm, second bat netted at 7:59, and third netted at 9:40 pm. … The three individuals were confirmed to be three separate species namely Big-eared Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus macrotis, Greater Horseshoe Bat R. ferrumequinumed during 17:58- 20:30. Feed on moth. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 60 KHz. Its fast flight was observed. It was found inundated with single-few parasites (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31). Rhinolophus pusillus Temminck 1834 are mid evening flier mistnetted when out for foraging at 17:50 to after 18:20. First single individuals comes out and then in group. They roost in colonies inside caves. They were found roosting in colonies on cone surface, and large crevices of the ceiling of the Nagarjuna Cave near its entrance. Bat detector detected the frequency of echolocation call of 40- 65 KHz (THAPA, S. 2010.05.15: 31-32). 2010b: [2010 January 6] Bats in flight emerged early evening (5:37 pm) with crowding at 5:43 pm. The first bat was netted at 5.58 pm, second bat netted at 7:59, and third netted at 9:40 pm. … The three individuals were confirmed to be three separate species namely Big-eared Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus macrotis, Greater Horseshoe Bat R. ferrumequinumand Intermediate Horseshoe Bat R. affinis, respectively. … [2010 January 7] … Two of us focussed a light and searched bat colonies (R. pusillus) at the upper height of the cave just few metres inside of the entrance. We couldn't find them. Also we couldn't see bat droppings (GHIMIRE, R et al. 2010: 22).