SARIYA SHELTER, Tandwa

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Sariya (IMAM 2001) or Saraiya (coilnet.bitmesra.net 2007.11.24) is considered, possibly due to it's pictures, one of the most picturesque of the rock art sites (IMAM 2001). Compare: Khandar Shelter. SITUATION: IMAM (2001) counts Sariya among the Sat-Pahar rock art sites (note 1) and places the painted cave wall (rock shelter) in a certain Western North Karanpura Valley (compare: Koh Bara in the Eastern North Karanpura Valley) and at a location Perched 3000 feet [314.4 m] high on an eyrie [sic!] overlooking the bifurcation of the new railway line being built from McCluskiegunj [note 2] to Mangardaha washery [note 3]. At this location, both the Thethangi and Sariya rock art sites face directly onto the Piperwar [note 4], Ashoka-I and Ashoka-II open-cast coal mines [note 5]. … It is intended that the railway line that has reached Sariya will go right past Khandar [note 6]. SITUATION 2: Cave paintings … in Saraiya [sic!] and Thetangi [Thethangi] village in Tandwa Block in Chatra distric (coilnet.bitmesra.net accessed 2007.11.24). CAVE DESCRIPTION (IMAM 2001): The rock art covers a large, grey sandstone expanse over 50 feet long [up to estimated 15 m broad] and 30 feet [estimated 10 m or so] high.CULTURAL HISTORY - rock art (IMAM 2001): This is by far the oldest rock art in the region, believed to date to around l5,000 BC. It includes the first horned deity, shamanistic figures with sacred tasselled barbs, geometric upright fish, which appear much later in Indus and Susa, ritual frogs, deer, grasshoppers, votive pyramid, and fishes and small running animals resembling rodents. … The rock art … is painted with zoomorphs, anthropomorphs, geometrical designs in boxes, very realistically painted spotted deer (Axis axis), mandalas, cattle, and ritually arranged frogs. … The blasting for the railway line directly below is in danger of destroying the site. … Both the Thethangi and Sariya rock art caves are threatened by the coal expansion project to the base of the hill. Hue dynamite blasts from the construction of the new railway line being constructed under the hill are already causing cracks in the cave walls, and the rock art is in danger of collapsing. coilnet.bitmesra.net (accessed 2007.11.24): The walls of the 6 caves in Tandwa are covered with interesting prehistoric paintings. (coilnet.bitmesra.net accessed 2007.11.24). CAVE DESCRIPTION (IMAM 2001): The rock art covers a large, grey sandstone expanse over 50 feet long [up to estimated 15 m broad] and 30 feet [estimated 10 m or so] high.CULTURAL HISTORY - rock art (IMAM 2001): This is by far the oldest rock art in the region, believed to date to around l5,000 BC. It includes the first horned deity, shamanistic figures with sacred tasselled barbs, geometric upright fish, which appear much later in Indus and Susa, ritual frogs, deer, grasshoppers, votive pyramid, and fishes and small running animals resembling rodents. … The rock art … is painted with zoomorphs, anthropomorphs, geometrical designs in boxes, very realistically painted spotted deer (Axis axis), mandalas, cattle, and ritually arranged frogs. … The blasting for the railway line directly below is in danger of destroying the site. … Both the Thethangi and Sariya rock art caves are threatened by the coal expansion project to the base of the hill. Hue dynamite blasts from the construction of the new railway line being constructed under the hill are already causing cracks in the cave walls, and the rock art is in danger of collapsing. coilnet.bitmesra.net (accessed 2007.11.24): The walls of the 6 caves in Tandwa are covered with interesting prehistoric paintings.