VYAS GUFA, Bilaspur, HP
31.333300,76.750000
Description
An unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) is said to give access to the »interesting Vyas Gufa« (LONELY PLANET 1990: 194, 1993: 259) or not (note 1). SITUATION: Originally on the eastern (orographically left) bank of river Satluj or »Sutluj« (note 2) but currently on the shores of (the lake) Gobind Sagar, which had been made below the new township of Bilaspur (note 3), which lies on the 202 km long road from Chandigarh (N30°44'14”: E076°47'14” WGS84) to Mandi (N31°43': E076°55'), in the south-western part of Himachal Pradesh. Internet websites confirm that the profitably exploitable temple cave (note 4) »is situated at the foot of the new township« (note 5). »The ancient Lakshmi Narayan and Radheyshyam temples, along with the Vyas Gufa, escaped being submerged by the swirling water of the dam as modern man's monument to nature clashed with the old« (note 6). CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore: »Vyas Rishi meditated in this cave. The origin of the town, Vyaspur is believed to have been derived from this cave. The Vyas Rishi of Mahabharata fame philosophy of life in meditation in this cave, which lies on the left bank of river Satluj. It is a place of pilgrimage« (note 7). »Vyas Cave: Situated at the foot of the new township, the belief is that Vyas Rishi meditated in this cave. The origin of the town, Vyaspur is believed to have been derived from this cave. Lying on the left bank of river Satluj, this place is famous as a pilgrimage too« (note 8). »In the dim past, many centuries ago, Rishi Vyas came to the bank of the Satluj River to do penance in the verdant and fertile district abounding in low hills, forests, grazing lands, rivulets and streams. In the Vyas Gufa, which draws a continuous host of tourists and pilgrims, the Rishi who penned the Mahabharata, lived as he prepared himself for the arduous task, which he was about to perform latter in another Gufa in the Uttrakhand way up in the celestial heights of the mighty Himalayas« (note 9). FABULOUS TUNNEL: »A tunnel connected Markand [see: Markandeya Gufa at Bilaspur: Makri, in a direct line 27 km east] to Vyas cave and the two rishis Vyas and Markandeya used to visit each other through this sub-terrain [sic! qua: subterranean] path« (balaknath.com accessed 29.08.2004).
NOTE 1: The »interesting Vyas Gufa« (LONELY PLANET, India 1990: 194, 1993: 259) at Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh is no more mentioned in the later editions of LONELY PLANET, India (1997, 2003, 2005, 2009) or in LONELY PLANET, North India (2001). NOTE 2: »Satluj« (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006 maps 5 H5, 6B3; LONELY PLANET, India 1993: 259) and »Satluj or Langchen Khambab« (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 7 H4) or »Sutluj« (HERBERT 1826).NOTE 3: The drowned town of Bilaspur near 31°20'N: 76°45'E (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) or 31°19'N: 76°50'E: 450 m (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 8: 234) is indicated on AMS sheet NH43-04 Simla (U502 series, 1959 edition). NOTE 4: The possibly most profitably exploited religious show cave, which doubles up as the site where Yyasa Rishi arranged for having the Mahabharata compiled, may be the Vyasa Gufa at Mana (Chamoli district, Uttaranchal) but several other Vyas cave establishments compete not ony in Uttaranchal State (in Pithoragarh district one at Kuthi and another at Kalirang and in Tehri Garhwal one on Khandakhya peak) but also in Nepal (Damauli, Tanahun district, Gandaki zone) and in Bihar (Pansabda, Rajgir area, Gaya district).NOTE 5: The ground on which Old Bilaspur (64 km from Kiratpur on the Chandigarh - Manali National Highway NH21) stood is now submerged in the lake Gabind Sagar (Gobindsagar) upstream of the Bhakra Dam (at 225 m the highest in the world), an artificial lake exploited for hydro-electric power. The original town had been situated at 450 m asl (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 8: 234) on the south east bank of the river Sutlej (Satluj) and the new, planned "Bilaspur Township" is situated just above the old town of Bilaspur at heights around 610 m or 670 m asl ( himachalpradesh.us/webs/tourism/bilaspur, accessed 29.08.2004). Bilaspur is one of the hottest places in Himachal Pradesh but because of lake, evenings may become soothingly pleasant. The Nalwari, an annual cattle fair, is held at Bilaspur for four or five days in March / April, the occasion is marked by wrestling and other amusements like cattle brought from Nalagarh and neighboring parts of Punjab. NOTE 6: hillwaystravels.tripod.com/id1.html (accessed 2006.07.01). NOTE 7: himachalpradesh.us/WEBS/TOURISM/BILASPUR (accessed 29.08.2004). NOTE 8: himachaltourism.net/chamba.html (accessed 29.08.2004). NOTE 9: hillwaystravels.tripod.com/id1.html (accessed 2006.07.01).
Documents
Bibliography 04/07/2016- Indien Handbuch 1984, 1994, 1998; Lonely Planet, India 1990, 1993.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20.9 | NAINA DEVI GUFA | ||
| 21.0 | PAJYARE RA KOTLA 1 | ||
| 21.1 | PAJYARE RA KOTLA 2 | ||
| 22.7 | GHIANA CAVE 1 | ||
| 22.8 | GHIANA CAVE 2 | ||
| 23.7 | Saug Goffar | ||
| 27.7 | SHALAGHAT, Solan (Cave at) | ||
| 28.0 | DUNGA DORA | ||
| 28.1 | Arki Resurgence |