MONDIL KOL 1

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The most accessible part of –>Morasora Kol. Altogether four, more or less adjacent, and bouldery cave entrances give access to a complex of calcite decorated and three-dimensionally interconnected passages that drop into wet passages at depths of 20 m to 25 m below the river bed of the Morasora (Jantschke). The cave clearly functions as an insurgence and subterranean shortcut for the Morasora river. Each and every one of the eight known cave entrances functions as a sink (swallet, insurgence). The resurgence for the drained waters is not known (H D Gebauer). ETYMOLOGY: The strange -mondil- (sic!) appears to be a version of the Bengla -mondir- or temple (note 1). SITUATION: South-East and below the village of Rongdanggai (N25°12'35”: E091°00'42” WGS84: circa 100 m asl) and above the right (western) bank of Morasora River, and at about halway along the road connecting Maheshkhola Bazar (N25°10'30”: E090°58'25”) to Khanjoy (N25°13'30”: E091°03'40” WGS84: 300 m asl) and on theleft-hand side immediately before driving onto the iron bridge (N25°12'30.7”: E091°00'51.2” ±5.7 m, WGS84, H.D. Gebauer 2003.02. GPS Garmin 12) across the Morasora River below the village of Rongdanggai (also: Rongdangkai). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after Jantschke 2003.02, Brooks 2003.02, Boycott 2003.02): Having descended the confusing cave entrance area, a stream passage is met, which joins wet river cave passages of impressive size. This houses a noteworthy bat population and ends in a sump. Just before one sump, a 12 m climb up a calcite flow leads to an abandoned, relic level (Cave Pearl Avenue) with an abundance of speleothems (note 2). CULTURAL HISTORY: A -trisul- (trishul, trident) resting in the larger cave entrance on a concrete plinth with a basic lingam (well-rounded, egg-shaped; originally a matrika?) on a yoni (made from concrete) indicating a Hindu cult spot used as a religious site sacred to Shiva. CAVE LIFE: Christian W. Fischer noticed, presumably on 2005.02.22, a toadsoal or mushroom (Fungi: conf. Coprinopsis aut Coprinellus) growing from an unidentified subtrate below a bat roost. Photographs on forum.fungiworld.com/index.php?topic=5157.msg30242… (accessed 2011.06.10).left-hand side immediately before driving onto the iron bridge (N25°12'30.7”: E091°00'51.2” ±5.7 m, WGS84, H.D. Gebauer 2003.02. GPS Garmin 12) across the Morasora River below the village of Rongdanggai (also: Rongdangkai). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after Jantschke 2003.02, Brooks 2003.02, Boycott 2003.02): Having descended the confusing cave entrance area, a stream passage is met, which joins wet river cave passages of impressive size. This houses a noteworthy bat population and ends in a sump. Just before one sump, a 12 m climb up a calcite flow leads to an abandoned, relic level (Cave Pearl Avenue) with an abundance of speleothems (note 2). CULTURAL HISTORY: A -trisul- (trishul, trident) resting in the larger cave entrance on a concrete plinth with a basic lingam (well-rounded, egg-shaped; originally a matrika?) on a yoni (made from concrete) indicating a Hindu cult spot used as a religious site sacred to Shiva. CAVE LIFE: Christian W. Fischer noticed, presumably on 2005.02.22, a toadsleft-hand side immediately before driving onto the iron bridge (N25°12'30.7”: E091°00'51.2” ±5.7 m, WGS84, H.D. Gebauer 2003.02. GPS Garmin 12) across the Morasora River below the village of Rongdanggai (also: Rongdangkai). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after Jantschke 2003.02, Brooks 2003.02, Boycott 2003.02): Having descended the confusing cave entrance area, a stream passage is met, which joins wet river cave passages of impressive size. This houses a noteworthy bat population and ends in a sump. Just before one sump, a 12 m climb up a calcite flow leads to an abandoned, relic level (Cave Pearl Avenue) with an abundance of speleothems (note 2). CULTURAL HISTORY: A -trisul- (trishul, trident) resting in the larger cave entrance on a concrete plinth with a basic lingam (well-rounded, egg-shaped; originally a matrika?) on a yoni (made from concrete) indicating a Hindu cult spot used as a religious site sacred to Shiva. CAVE LIFE: Christian W. Fischer noticed, presumably on 2005.02.22, a toadsleft-hand side immediately before driving onto the iron bridge (N25°12'30.7”: E091°00'51.2” ±5.7 m, WGS84, H.D. Gebauer 2003.02. GPS Garmin 12) across the Morasora River below the village of Rongdanggai (also: Rongdangkai). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after Jantschke 2003.02, Brooks 2003.02, Boycott 2003.02): Having descended the confusing cave entrance area, a stream passage is met, which joins wet river cave passages of impressive size. This houses a noteworthy bat population and ends in a sump. Just before one sump, a 12 m climb up a calcite flow leads to an abandoned, relic level (Cave Pearl Avenue) with an abundance of speleothems (note 2). CULTURAL HISTORY: A -trisul- (trishul, trident) resting in the larger cave entrance on a concrete plinth with a basic lingam (well-rounded, egg-shaped; originally a matrika?) on a yoni (made from concrete) indicating a Hindu cult spot used as a religious site sacred to Shiva. CAVE LIFE: Christian W. Fischer noticed, presumably on 2005.02.22, a toadsleft-hand side immediately before driving onto the iron bridge (N25°12'30.7”: E091°00'51.2” ±5.7 m, WGS84, H.D. Gebauer 2003.02. GPS Garmin 12) across the Morasora River below the village of Rongdanggai (also: Rongdangkai). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after Jantschke 2003.02, Brooks 2003.02, Boycott 2003.02): Having descended the confusing cave entrance area, a stream passage is met, which joins wet river cave passages of impressive size. This houses a noteworthy bat population and ends in a sump. Just before one sump, a 12 m climb up a calcite flow leads to an abandoned, relic level (Cave Pearl Avenue) with an abundance of speleothems (note 2). CULTURAL HISTORY: A -trisul- (trishul, trident) resting in the larger cave entrance on a concrete plinth with a basic lingam (well-rounded, egg-shaped; originally a matrika?) on a yoni (made from concrete) indicating a Hindu cult spot used as a religious site sacred to Shiva. CAVE LIFE: Christian W. Fischer noticed, presumably on 2005.02.22, a toadsoal or mushroom (Fungi: conf. Coprinopsis aut Coprinellus) growing from an unidentified subtrate below a bat roost. Photographs on forum.fungiworld.com/index.php?topic=5157.msg30242… (accessed 2011.06.10).