GOKAK CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A relatively small cave (NEWBOLD, T J 1845a: 279) containing alum (note 1) is situated somewhere at the base of the falls of the river Ghatprabha (note 2) or Ghatanabha (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 99 G4) near the town of Gokak (note 3). Compare –>Gokak Cavities and –>Gokak Fissure. SITUATION 1908: About 3.5 miles [5.6 km] north-west of Gokak town and three miles [4.8 km] from Dhupdal station on the South Mahratta Railway are the Gokak Falls, where the Ghatprabha takes a mighty leap of 170 feet [51.8 m] over a sandstone cliff into a picturesque gorge (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 12: 307). SITUATION 1882: Gokak, 30 m. [48 km] N.E. of Belgaum, known for its toy and paper manufactures. E. 3 1/2 m. [5.6 km] are the Falls of Gokak, by which the Ghatprabba river precipitates itself 176 ft. [53.6 m] into a fissure as it issues from the W. Ghats on to the Dekhan plateau In July 100,000 cubic ft. per second [2'831'685 ltr/sec = 2.8 m2/sec] is thus hurried over with a deafenig noise (SMITH, G 1882: 279). GEOLOGY: The cave or rock shelter in shale and sandstone appears to originate from lateral abrasion: The sandstone in its lower portions is interstratified with layers of shale, the softness of which facilitates … undermining. These shales are of a purplish-brown and yellowish-brown colour, with minute spangles of mica disseminated, and between the laminæ contain intercrustations of common alum (sulphate of alumina). The alum is earthy and impure, and sometimes has a mammillated surface resembling the alum incrustations in the ferrugineous shales cresting the copper mountain near Bellary. It is found in considerable quantity in a small cave near the foot of the falls (NEWBOLD, T J 1845a).g noise (SMITH, G 1882: 279). GEOLOGY: The cave or rock shelter in shale and sandstone appears to originate from lateral abrasion: The sandstone in its lower portions is interstratified with layers of shale, the softness of which facilitates … undermining. These shales are of a purplish-brown and yellowish-brown colour, with minute spangles of mica disseminated, and between the laminæ contain intercrustations of common alum (sulphate of alumina). The alum is earthy and impure, and sometimes has a mammillated surface resembling the alum incrustations in the ferrugineous shales cresting the copper mountain near Bellary. It is found in considerable quantity in a small cave near the foot of the falls (NEWBOLD, T J 1845a).