JOGIGHOPA
26.233300,90.566700
Description
Five man-made rock-cut chambers, probably excavated in the "medieval period" (Salasthambha period) as troglodyte hermitage retreats, consist of small cubicles just big enough for sitting or sleeping, but not always high enough for a full-grown man to stand upright. ETYMOLOGY: The town of Jogighopa (note 1) derives its name Jogigopa / Jogigpha / Yogighopa (yogin gupha, gufa, cave) from troglodyte meditation retreats, which were cut from the rocks near the river bank and at one time used to be occupied by ascetics (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 201). SITUATION: On the north bank of the Brahmaputra, 212 km west from Guwahati, and at the point where it is joined by the Manas (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 200-201). GEOLOGICAL SETTING: »Brahm-putra … on the northern bank of the river is a hill at Jogigopa, which is connected, not however without some breaks or intervals, with the Bhotan mountains. The body of the hills consist of a large hemispherical mass of gneeiss. On either side it is granite; graphic granite on the one hand, and granite of a different character and middling-sized grain on the other. The last-mentioned rock is in nearly vertical masses (Mr. Scott terms them strata), the direction of which is from north-east to south-west. Toward the west graphic granite occurs, on the top of a large mass of gneiss. It appears to be divided by transverse fissures into rhomboid forms; a few cracks crossing the rhobs diagonally« (COLEBROOKE, H T 1821: 132). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The best preserved and largest (2.6 by 1.8 m wide and up to 1.9 m high, roughly rounded ceiling) of the five meditation cells at Jogighopa lies in the back of a symbolic "verandah" (rather a threshold 0.75 by 0.35 m wide). Inside, there is a platform of brick and mud masonry but this is obviously a later addition. A notch above the cave entrance serves to drain away the rainwater collecting on the facade. Flights of steps have been cut into the rock on either side. The cave bears no sculptural designs. The other four, smaller sized caves have neither flights of steps nor a verandah. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: 1879 »Another place of Hindu pilgrimage is the temple of Dudh-náth, sacred to Siva, at Jogigophá, on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, opposite Goálpárá. There are several artificial caverns, or holes cut into the rocks, found in the neighbouring hills, which are said to have been constructed by olden sages for the purposes of devotion and meditation; and their position and the surrounding scenery seem to favour this supposition« (HUNTER, W W 1879, 2: 51). 1909 »Jogighopa [sic!] derives its name from some caves cut out of the rocks near the [Brahmaputra] river bank, which at some time used to be occupied by ascetics« (ALLEN, B C 1909: 529-530). 1995 »The place called Yogighopa [sic!] still contains some relics recalling the influence of Tantrism which appear to be contemporary with the specimens from Kamakhya and Pandu of the ninth-tenth century A.D.« (BHATTACHARYA, N N 1995: 107 after Indian Archaeology 1928-1929: 143-144).
NOTE 1: Jogighopa near N26°14': E90°34' (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 200) or near N26°14': E90°35' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003): Jogighopa ALLEN, B C (1909: 529); IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 14: 200); India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth (2006: 45 E1) Jogigopa COLEBROOKE, H T (1821: 132) Jogigopha HUNTER, W W (1879, 2: 51) Yogighopa BHATTACHARYA, N N (1995: 117).
Documents
Bibliography 29/03/2016- Allen, B C 1909; Bhattacharya, N N 1995; Hunter, William Wilson 1879, 1998; Imperial Gazetteer 1907-1909; Indian Archaeology 1928-1929.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9 | ANDHAR MAHA PAHAR rock shelter | ||
| 78.8 | GEYLEG PHUG SPRINGS | ||
| 94.8 | HAJO | ||
| 107.5 | BOREHOLE TE-2/W1, Ledung: Tshebar (Cave of) | ||
| 113.8 | KAMAKHYA GUHA | ||
| 114.1 | MANOBHAVAN GUHA | ||
| 114.4 | BHUBANESHWAR, Nilochal (Patal) | ||
| 117.6 | UMANANDA ISLAND (Cave on) | ||
| 117.6 | UMANANDA GUHA |