DHARAMJALI CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A south-east facing, modified cave entrance (1.55 m wide, 1.2 m high) gives access to a solitary, more than 28 m long cave passage (initially up to 7.5 m wide but a mere metre high, later 4.5 m wide and 1.5 m high) that descends at angle of 28 degrees across soil and mud (loam / clay) to a choke of angular, fallen rocks and boulders decorated with numerous sizeable stalagmites (up to 1 m high speleothems) below smallish, dripping stalactites. The cave seems to represent the relic of stream cave abandoned by flowing water. ETYMOLOGY: Little doubt remains that Dharamjali derives from the Sanskrit (Hindi, Marathi, etc.) -dharm-sala- (dharamsala, dharamshala), literally 'pious edifice', a rest house for wayfarers (YULE 1886 edited 1903: 325) or pilgrims, intended for the free use of, along routes to holy sites (including sacred caves and rock temples) and there itself. Synonymous with the -choultry- in western and south India. On the other hand, the Hindi -dhar- derives from the Sanskit -dwar- and means a door (gate, [cave-] entrance) whilst -jali- is the Hindi word for a carved lattice (often marble) screen, and is also used to refer to the holes or spaces produced through carving timber or stone. SITUATION (note 1): In a dense jungle of oaks (Quercus incana), pines and shrubs near Khedar Shiv Mandir (temple), which lies 2 km on foot and 250 m above Devlekh (note 2), the road head of Deodar (note 3), a village which is estimated to lie about 20 or 30 km along a road in an unspecified direction (south?) from Pithoragarh (N29°35': E080°13': 1815 m). APPROACH: To reach the site, drive from Pithoragarh via Aincholi (note 4), Sanggata (note 5) and Deodar to a bifurcation (roadhead) from where the right-hand side leads to the Thalkedar Shiv mandir (note 6) and peak (note 7), while the left-hand side leads initially across paved bridle path and later along a dirt track to Dharamjali. CAVE POTENTIAL - outlook: Pushing a tight, descending squeeze on the south-west (riht-hand) side of the choke, Breitenbach had the impression of hearing chirping (bats? Chiroptera). To gain possible passage beyond the -terminal- collapse, which is blocked by boulders (no obvious air current on 2nd November 2005), requires kind of intensive digging. In October 2006 Breitenbach (2006.11.03 personal correspondence) attempted to squeeze through the terminal collapse but had to resort to hoping for a shortly built, slim cave explorer: Leider kann man nicht durchkriechen nach tiefer drin, da müsste mal ein netter kleiner enger Speleo mitkommen. SPELEOTHEMS: The 24 cm long stalagmite christianed Dhar 1 was actively growing when collected from Dharamjali Cave in November 2005. It consists of dense and porous aragonite (note 8) and is laminated with thick bandings (layers) visible to the naked eye. A number of 24 Uranium concentration measurements showed 238U concentration ranges between 45 ppb and 6 ppm. The growth rate ranges from 0.04 to 0.36 mm per year. More than 800 stble isotopes samples (using a 0.3 mm drill bit) were analyzed and compared with records from Oman (note 9) and China (Dongge, Wang et al. 2001). While a decreasing ISM (Indian summer monsoon) between 3.65 and 2.9 kyr BP was observed with Dhar 1, this trend is not found in the record from Oman (Arabian Ocean branch of ISM) and China (East Asian monsoon). The d18O record shows an increase in precipitation above the cave location, lasting for 450 years from 4.1 to 3.65 kyr BP. This is a result of stronger ISM. After 3.65 kyr BP, the increase was followed by a gradual decrease until 2.7 kyr BP. Large variations in d13C (-4 to -9‰) may result from changes in vegetation type and density (after BREITENBACH et al. s.a. circa 2006). CAVE LIFE: On 2nd November 2005 Breitenbach (2005.10.29 to 11.13 Mss: Tagebuch; 2005.12.01 Mss: Bericht) had the impression of hearing from beyond the terminal collapse some chirping sounds -- as if there were bats -- and in October 2006 Breitenbach (2006.11.06 peronal correspondence) confirmed to have seen bats (Chiroptera): Dharamjali: Dort gibts doch Fledermäuse! Ich hatte recht!ble isotopes samples (using a 0.3 mm drill bit) were analyzed and compared with records from Oman (note 9) and China (Dongge, Wang et al. 2001). While a decreasing ISM (Indian summer monsoon) between 3.65 and 2.9 kyr BP was observed with Dhar 1, this trend is not found in the record from Oman (Arabian Ocean branch of ISM) and China (East Asian monsoon). The d18O record shows an increase in precipitation above the cave location, lasting for 450 years from 4.1 to 3.65 kyr BP. This is a result of stronger ISM. After 3.65 kyr BP, the increase was followed by a gradual decrease until 2.7 kyr BP. Large variations in d13C (-4 to -9‰) may result from changes in vegetation type and density (after BREITENBACH et al. s.a. circa 2006). CAVE LIFE: On 2nd November 2005 Breitenbach (2005.10.29 to 11.13 Mss: Tagebuch; 2005.12.01 Mss: Bericht) had the impression of hearing from beyond the terminal collapse some chirping sounds -- as if there were bats -- and in October 2006 Breitenbach (2006.11.06 perble isotopes samples (using a 0.3 mm drill bit) were analyzed and compared with records from Oman (note 9) and China (Dongge, Wang et al. 2001). While a decreasing ISM (Indian summer monsoon) between 3.65 and 2.9 kyr BP was observed with Dhar 1, this trend is not found in the record from Oman (Arabian Ocean branch of ISM) and China (East Asian monsoon). The d18O record shows an increase in precipitation above the cave location, lasting for 450 years from 4.1 to 3.65 kyr BP. This is a result of stronger ISM. After 3.65 kyr BP, the increase was followed by a gradual decrease until 2.7 kyr BP. Large variations in d13C (-4 to -9‰) may result from changes in vegetation type and density (after BREITENBACH et al. s.a. circa 2006). CAVE LIFE: On 2nd November 2005 Breitenbach (2005.10.29 to 11.13 Mss: Tagebuch; 2005.12.01 Mss: Bericht) had the impression of hearing from beyond the terminal collapse some chirping sounds -- as if there were bats -- and in October 2006 Breitenbach (2006.11.06 peronal correspondence) confirmed to have seen bats (Chiroptera): Dharamjali: Dort gibts doch Fledermäuse! Ich hatte recht!