DHUANDHAR
22.454200,78.441700
Description
A »rock shelter« (or cave?) containing rock art depicting armed human figures (RAMAMURTHY 1988: 96, table 5) lies somewhere east of the –>Pandava Caves at Pachmarhi (22°28'N: 78°26'E). SITUATION: Behind a Forestry Department gate (attention: beware of reckless looting of non-Indian races by forestry department officers). At a about halfway down the footpath to the Fairy Pool / Apsara Vihar (note 1) leads a sign-posted trail to the right-hand side to the well known shelter. CAVE DESCRIPTION: Dhuandhar, according to Tribune News Service (2002.09.15), is one »… of the best cave shelters and groups of shelters around Panchmarhi« --as it has been badly defaced by smoke (soot)? There is still a number of paintings, mostly in white, including a large animal with a hollow body (X-ray style) and a group of archers with the typical Gond bun and hooped ear rings (GHATE, R circa 2000 s.a.; PACHMARHI GUIDE MAP 1996; TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE 2002.09.15). CULTURAL HISTORY - rock art: NEUMAYER (1993: 245 figure 656) shows a painting from »Dunduhar« (Dhuandhar?) depicting a honey collecting scene with honey combs, bees and humans fighting monkeys. NEUMAYER (1993: 249 figure 662) shows birds on a twig at »Dunduhar« (Dhuandhar?).
NOTE 1: The Fairy Pool of the Britisher's has been saffronised into an Apsara Vihar or monastery of the heavenly dancing girls -- as members of the Hindu god-king Indra's retinue, the apsara were often sent by him on seducing missions.
Documents
Bibliography 28/03/2016- Ghate, Rhona circa 2000 s.a.; Neumayer, Erwin 1993; Pachmarhi Guide Map 1996; Ramamurthy, Krishna 1988; Tribune News Service 2002.09.15.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 | PANDAVA CAVE, Pachmarhi | ||
| 1.5 | Saint Mary's Grotto | ||
| 1.6 | BAZAR SHELTER | ||
| 1.6 | BAZAR SHELTER 2 | ||
| 1.6 | CHURNA SHELTERS | ||
| 1.6 | JHALAI SHELTERS | ||
| 1.6 | DAURI SHELTERS | ||
| 1.6 | PATTAN SHELTERS | ||
| 1.6 | BHUDIMAI SHELTERS |