PANCHMUNDA CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A tiny, natural temple cave, mis-used by some to exploit public insecurity and to spread fears of natural threats (note 1), is apparently developed along a rift in sort of a limestone (note 2) and contains not only the locally usual religious paraphernalia (brass bells, red-coloured powder smearings and soot complete with the stench of rancid butter and putrifying milk) but also minor occurrences of in-attractive secondary calcite deposits (speleothems) interpreted as linga (phallic emblems and uniconic representations of the he-god Shiva). CAVE DESCRIPTION: There are twin natural Shivalingams [either a pair of stalagmites or a stalagmite with two points] inside the cave. At one time only one person can go ahead. The cave has a height of nearly 6 feet [less than 1.83 m or so] with available inside space to accommodate not more than two persons at a time. Inside the cave, there are a pair of [sic!] 2 ft high [0.6 m] hard rock natural Shivalingams with a cluster of rocks hanging over it(tribuneindia.com/2003/20030109/region.htm accessed 2006.06.30). SITUATION: The Panchmunda Dhar / Panch Munda ridge (note 3) lies at travelling distances (along the railway line and National Highway) of about 15 km (or so) north-east of Kalka (30°50'04”N: 76°56'E on AMS sheet NH43-08 Ambala 1959) and 35 km or 40 km south of Shimla (31°06'N: 77°07'E on AMS sheet NH43-04 Simla 1959). Panchmunda Cave lies not only on a hilltop at a height of 6000 ft (1828.6 m asl) but also in the middle of a vertical cliff reached by walking 2 km in an unspecified direction steeply uphill on a narrow zigzag footway through dense forest from a village called Chewa and about 8 km from Kumarhatti (tribuneindia.com/2003/20030109/region.htm accessed 2006.06.30). The cave is accessible both from Barog (note 4) and from Koro Khanthari (note 5): Both ways meet near Shri Bhagwati Nagarkoti temple at Patta Ghat [note 6], another religious place in the midst of a dense growth of pine trees. However for motoists an easy alternative is first one from Barog, where one has to turn from the Kalka - Shimla national highway to a motorable kutcha road up to Chewa village from where a 2 km long, steep path starts. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The cavelet once has suffered activism in the mantle of developping a major holy place by governmentally financed promotion of imagined but fortunately absent motorists. The Chewa panchayat [note 7] is all set to develop Panchmunda cave as a major holy place. The cave … has got little attention … Mr Ramesh Chauhan, head of the Chewa panchayat [Chewa village council], says a road to the cave will be constructed soon. Besides getting some financial assistance from the district administration, the panchayat will soon collect funds from the residents. The panchayat plans to repair the rain shelter, asserts Mr Chauhan. Natural water sources near the cave provide water during community langar during Shivaratri [note 8]. The Solan Forest Division is already in th process of forming the Barog Eco-Tourism Society under the development of Eco-Tourism in HP by the state forest department (tribuneindia.com/2003/20030109/region.htm accessed 2006.06.30).Chewa gram panchayat [cooperative Chewa village council] has decided to develop Panchmunda cave as a major holy place. The cave, situated at a height of 6000 feet, is also to be promoted as a tourist spot. Giving details of the renovation plan, Sarpanch Ramesh Chauhan stated that roads would be constructed to make Panchmunda more accessible to motorists. Apart from approaching the district administration for financial assistance, donations will also be collected from the residents of the village (issin.org/institute-social-science_2.asp?id_lvl_1=… accessed 2006.07.01).ists an easy alternative is first one from Barog, where one has to turn from the Kalka - Shimla national highway to a motorable kutcha road up to Chewa village from where a 2 km long, steep path starts. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The cavelet once has suffered activism in the mantle of developping a major holy place by governmentally financed promotion of imagined but fortunately absent motorists. The Chewa panchayat [note 7] is all set to develop Panchmunda cave as a major holy place. The cave … has got little attention … Mr Ramesh Chauhan, head of the Chewa panchayat [Chewa village council], says a road to the cave will be constructed soon. Besides getting some financial assistance from the district administration, the panchayat will soon collect funds from the residents. The panchayat plans to repair the rain shelter, asserts Mr Chauhan. Natural water sources near the cave provide water during community langar during Shivaratri [note 8]. The Solan Forest Division is already in thists an easy alternative is first one from Barog, where one has to turn from the Kalka - Shimla national highway to a motorable kutcha road up to Chewa village from where a 2 km long, steep path starts. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The cavelet once has suffered activism in the mantle of developping a major holy place by governmentally financed promotion of imagined but fortunately absent motorists. The Chewa panchayat [note 7] is all set to develop Panchmunda cave as a major holy place. The cave … has got little attention … Mr Ramesh Chauhan, head of the Chewa panchayat [Chewa village council], says a road to the cave will be constructed soon. Besides getting some financial assistance from the district administration, the panchayat will soon collect funds from the residents. The panchayat plans to repair the rain shelter, asserts Mr Chauhan. Natural water sources near the cave provide water during community langar during Shivaratri [note 8]. The Solan Forest Division is already in th process of forming the Barog Eco-Tourism Society under the development of Eco-Tourism in HP by the state forest department (tribuneindia.com/2003/20030109/region.htm accessed 2006.06.30).Chewa gram panchayat [cooperative Chewa village council] has decided to develop Panchmunda cave as a major holy place. The cave, situated at a height of 6000 feet, is also to be promoted as a tourist spot. Giving details of the renovation plan, Sarpanch Ramesh Chauhan stated that roads would be constructed to make Panchmunda more accessible to motorists. Apart from approaching the district administration for financial assistance, donations will also be collected from the residents of the village (issin.org/institute-social-science_2.asp?id_lvl_1=… accessed 2006.07.01).