MOHZAR QALA

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The so-called Mohzarkhala (note 1) is a modified natural cave (temple cave) with rock art dedicated to Moh and Mabun (Ma Ban? Mother Forest?), a pair / couple of deities who are sacred or were sacred in the 1850ies to a mix of Tribal, Hindu and Muslim religion: The chief idol was said to represent Moh and his wife Mabun, formerly the gods of those regions, and even still reverenced by the half converted Musalmans [Muslims] of the country. No one dares enter the caves with shoes on [note 2], and the marks of recent fire show still stronger signs of remaining veneration (GARDINER, A 1853). CAVE DESCRIPTION: … they ascended a mound of loose debris, and found that the earthquake, that had occurred a few days before, had blocked up the mouth of two of the three caverns [note 3] they went to see. The most westerly of them, however, was still accessible. The entrance, elevated a feet above the ground of the face of a bluff rock, was nearly concealed by a veil of mossy vegetation fed by sprins oozing from the rocks. On further examination, it proofed to be of an irregular oval form, about 3.5 feet [1 m] high and 2.25 [0.7 m] broad. There were no marks of artificial labour visible on the rock, which seemed to be porphyritic, dark-red in colour, with black markings, and of extreme hardness. In position it rests on granite and lies below primitive [non-fossiliferous] limestone. The glacis below is formed of a confused mixture of granite, greenstone and limestone. Lighting their torches of split pine, they entered the cave. The first adit… [23 m long] gradually enlarged, (they could only pass in a crouching posture), then it again contracted, but finally opened into an apartment… [6 by 4.5 m wide, 2.4 m high]. At the further end of this room was a rude image in high relief on a smoothed and squared surface… [two heads, two pairs of arms: something Hindu?]. The floor of the cave was level, except in one place, about 3 feet from the idol, where there was a hollow about 2 yards ound [sacrifice, ashes, traces of recent fire]. On either side from the great idol were two smaller ones … (GARDINER 1853: 384-385). SITUATION: Gardiner places the site near the snowline beyond a certain village of Drohu (note 4), which lies somewhere in western Huzara (Hazara, Indus Kohistan, Northern Areas). The cave is said to be in porphyritic rock, but possibly developed at the contact of this rock with overlying primitive limestone. APPROACH: To reach the cave, GARDINER (1853: 383-384) descended 2000 feet (600 m) from Drohu to the bottom of an unidentified valley (no name mentioned) and crossed a bridge. Ascending along a path northwards, Gardiner reached a bed of snow at the snowline and descended into an unidentified, 6 m wide gorge (no name mentioned) with perpetual snow and ice. Torrent. Rock path to oval basin or relatively small valley (circa 250 m by 300 m) with an unidentified central pool, circa 100 m diameter (no name mentioned), the traditional site of Moh's death, ith bitter, bituminous and skin irritating water, cold and bubbling: This looks like a challenging diving spot. On the south side of the valley and ascent to mound of loose debris. CULTURAL HISTORY -- cave legend (after GARDINER 1853): Moh created the earth and his wife Mabun the wilderness. From them sprung the first giant race. They slept alternately for 999 moons and reigned 450,000 moons. After this period three sons rebelled, viz. Sheh the life-destroyer, Zhei the fire-god, and Maul the earth-quaker, and by their combined efforts Moh was buried beneath mountains. Confusion lasted for 5000 moons –after which the three victors retired each to his own region for 10,000 moons. Maul was lost in the darkness of his own creating. Sheh fled with his family towards the sun, which so much enraged Zhei, that he caused fire to spread over the earth; this was quenched by the spirit of Mabun, but not till the whole giant race was destroyed and the earth remained a desert for 3000 moons. Then Hrsh and Lethram, originally slaves of Moh and great magicians, emerged from the north, and settled in these mountains. Lethram is considered by some as the incarnate spirit of Mabun and the Queen to whom Hersh was vizier. Hersh had three sons Uz, Muz and All (whose names seem retained in the Uztagh, Muztagh and Altai mountains). These he left in charge of their families, while with a large army he travelled towards the sun in pursuit of Sheh, who was supposed to be still living. So the three sons of Hersh and their descendants reigned happily for 18,000 moons till Khoor invaded and conquered the country; but after many years' struggle they expelled the invader and retained the name Koorkush (Khoor-killer), now Khirghiz.rsh and Lethram, originally slaves of Moh and great magicians, emerged from the north, and settled in these mountains. Lethram is considered by some as the incarnate spirit of Mabun and the Queen to whom Hersh was vizier. Hersh had three sons Uz, Muz and All (whose names seem retained in the Uztagh, Muztagh and Altai mountains). These he left in charge of their families, while with a large army he travelled towards the sun in pursuit of Sheh, who was supposed to be still living. So the three sons of Hersh and their descendants reigned happily for 18,000 moons till Khoor invaded and conquered the country; but after many years' struggle they expelled the invader and retained the name Koorkush (Khoor-killer), now Khirghiz.