VERNA BHUYAR

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A rather smallish, south-facing cave entrance (up to 4.5 m wide and 0.7 m high) gives access to an unexpectedly spacious, ascending cave in laterite (note 1). At a volume of about 7500 cubic metre and covering an area of about 6500 square metres, Verna Bhuiyar is possibly the worldwide largest and most voluminous cave in laterite. SITUATION: The officially advertised but not managed or exploited -wild- cave (note 2) lies at a walking distance of about 2 km approximately east from the lower part Verna / Vernem village (note 3), which lies at travelling distances (numerous busses during daytime) of about 30 km south of Panjim (Panajim 15°29': 73°50'E ) and circa 10 km north of Margao (N15°18': E073°57'). APPROACH: To reach the cave, ask for a guide and/or walk (or drive a motorbike) for 2 km along a metalled road (unmetalled in November 2002, metalled in January 2007) approximately east (note 4). The entrance, hidden by a patch of vegetation (in January 2007 a near impenetrable hicket complete with nasty red ants), lies a little above the very base of a low hill that rises estimated 30 or 40 m above the adjacent, grass-covered (industrial estate covered?) plain. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The major part of Verna Bhuiyar consists of one single, nearly rectangular chamber measuring about 60 by 25 or 30 in width and, on average, 2 to 3.5 m in height. Both ceiling and floor of the chamber are inclined by moderate angles around 15° to the approximate south. Two tributary inlet passages, which arrive from uninspiring crawls, enter the two upper edges (north-east, north-west) of the chamber to leave it opposite across at an impenetrable sink (clogged by soil) in the south-east and the entrance in the south-west. The rounded passage profiles (cross-sections) are rarely influenced by subvertical faults (280° to 100°, 010° to 190°) and rise from a compact, soil covered floor with a few, partly buried collapse boulders. CAVE CLIMATE: On 30.11.2002 an air temperature of 29.5°C (0.5°C, 13h30) was measured in the entrance and 30.0°C (±0.5°C, 14h00) near survey station 3/2 (north +54 m, E +55 m, alt. +7.6 m). CAVE LIFE: On 30th November 2002 there were less than 10 tiny bats (Chiroptera, no obvious guano, only the stench of it) and two small frogs, which were seen by chance while sketching the cave between 13h20 and 13h50. There was an abandoned wire sling (gone in January 2007), apparently used to trap porcupines (Hystrix), but neither porcupine quills nor footprints were seen. On 25ths January 2007, at about 11 hours in the morning, Thomas Matthalm saw two flying bats (or one bat twice) and also noticed -threads- of larval stage fungus gnats (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) pending from the ceiling in the north-western inlet. These tend to indicate perennially moist air.hicket complete with nasty red ants), lies a little above the very base of a low hill that rises estimated 30 or 40 m above the adjacent, grass-covered (industrial estate covered?) plain. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The major part of Verna Bhuiyar consists of one single, nearly rectangular chamber measuring about 60 by 25 or 30 in width and, on average, 2 to 3.5 m in height. Both ceiling and floor of the chamber are inclined by moderate angles around 15° to the approximate south. Two tributary inlet passages, which arrive from uninspiring crawls, enter the two upper edges (north-east, north-west) of the chamber to leave it opposite across at an impenetrable sink (clogged by soil) in the south-east and the entrance in the south-west. The rounded passage profiles (cross-sections) are rarely influenced by subvertical faults (280° to 100°, 010° to 190°) and rise from a compact, soil covered floor with a few, partly buried collapse boulders. CAVE CLIMATE: On 30.11.2002 an air temperature of 29.5°C (hicket complete with nasty red ants), lies a little above the very base of a low hill that rises estimated 30 or 40 m above the adjacent, grass-covered (industrial estate covered?) plain. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The major part of Verna Bhuiyar consists of one single, nearly rectangular chamber measuring about 60 by 25 or 30 in width and, on average, 2 to 3.5 m in height. Both ceiling and floor of the chamber are inclined by moderate angles around 15° to the approximate south. Two tributary inlet passages, which arrive from uninspiring crawls, enter the two upper edges (north-east, north-west) of the chamber to leave it opposite across at an impenetrable sink (clogged by soil) in the south-east and the entrance in the south-west. The rounded passage profiles (cross-sections) are rarely influenced by subvertical faults (280° to 100°, 010° to 190°) and rise from a compact, soil covered floor with a few, partly buried collapse boulders. CAVE CLIMATE: On 30.11.2002 an air temperature of 29.5°C (0.5°C, 13h30) was measured in the entrance and 30.0°C (±0.5°C, 14h00) near survey station 3/2 (north +54 m, E +55 m, alt. +7.6 m). CAVE LIFE: On 30th November 2002 there were less than 10 tiny bats (Chiroptera, no obvious guano, only the stench of it) and two small frogs, which were seen by chance while sketching the cave between 13h20 and 13h50. There was an abandoned wire sling (gone in January 2007), apparently used to trap porcupines (Hystrix), but neither porcupine quills nor footprints were seen. On 25ths January 2007, at about 11 hours in the morning, Thomas Matthalm saw two flying bats (or one bat twice) and also noticed -threads- of larval stage fungus gnats (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) pending from the ceiling in the north-western inlet. These tend to indicate perennially moist air.