Mahmud Hanafi Ghazi (Cave of)

Various descriptions

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A modified natural temple cave (note 1) or man-made rock chamber (note 2) used for religious purposes contains two cave chambers (in sandstone?), including one burial chamber, and a relatively small sized tube leading up to a bifurcation (T-junction?). SITUATION: Not far from the moving sand (WOOD 1841: 182 edited 1872, 1976) or flowing sand (BURSLEM 1846, chap. XIX) of Rege Rawan (note 3) in the south (LINDBERG 1958: 117; 1961a: 8) or approximate south-west (AIMS 2002: PI-42-07) of Golbahar (note 4). CULTURAL HISTORY (Keyword: exitcave): The Muslim cult spot is a venerated burial site (dargah) associated with Seyyed Mahmud-e Ghazi (note 5): Fastening his steed to a tree hard by, he descended into the earth, from which, like the spectre of Loch Awe, he has never again appeared to mortal eye. In this valley there are many such places pf pilgrimage, with similar legends attached to them (WOOD 1841: 182). The back story, understood as religious folklore, has been exploited by politicianssince centuries (note 6). CAVE DESCRIPTION (after LINDBERG 1961a: 8): The cave entrance to the sanctuary is found inside a small hut from where a few steps lead down to the burial chamber. Short of arriving at that chamber, there is, on the left-hand side, another cave section which was said to have served as a mosque. Access to this lateral chamber was completely obstructed by dirt and digging was necessary to get into it. The cave eventually leads to a narrow tube which cannot be entered even with crawling on one's belly. The left branch is some 5 m long and the other about 10 m. The moist floor is covered with mud and sand. CAVE LIFE: LINDBERG (1958: 118) records to have collected Isopoda, Blattida, Psocida, Coleoptera (-Carabique-, Staphylinida) Diptera (Sciarida, Culicida, Phorida, Anthomyida), Lepidoptera (-Noctuelles-), Pseudoscorpionda, Arachnida (Araneida), and lizard. JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1746) notice Arachnida: Aranea: Leptyphantes nebulosus SUND; and JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1747) notice Insecta: Coleoptera: Pterostichinae: Laemostenus rigrevanensis COIFFAIT.since centuries (note 6). CAVE CLIMATE: Temperature in the air of the small tube was 15°C by a humidity of 80% when 30°C were measured at the entrance on 26th July 1957.