Passani Khol (Caves in the)

Various descriptions

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Several, one or two (CASPANI, E 1945: 51), if not many (Masson, C in WILSON, H H 1841: 67-68) natural caves or much dilapidated man-made rock chambers (note 1) are said to have been used as burial caves / rock graves (note 2) and periodical troglodyte dwellings: The caves here are during the winter occupied by an humble pastoral tribe of Afghans, called Passani … Their name has been transferred to the ravine … [MASSON in WILSON 1841: 67]. CASPANI (1945: 51) says that several small caves are to be seen in the rocky side of these cliffs; one of these, halfway up above the waterfalls, attracted my attention for once … but identified another with the supposed remants of cave of –>Buddha's Shadow. SITUATION: West of the –>Jalalabad plain and in the foothills of the Siah Koh lie the Caves in the Passani Khol above the Ziarat of Khoja elyase wali / Khvajeh Elyas-e Vali (note 3), and above the banks of a glen (note 4) in the upper parts of a wide ravine:Above the caves, the ravine contractsand its confined breadth is crossed by a perpendicular wall of yellow rock… In the lower eminences of the hills at that point are also many caves, and their crests are crowned with a variety of stone walls and parapets [Masson. C in WILSON, H H 1841: 67-68]. To find the site, try following CASPANI (1945: 51): Near the Ziarat is a watercourse which is normally dry. If you follow this up you will find yourself in a deep ravine cut through a ridge of conglomerate formation which begins in the Siah Koh and terminates in an undulation of the plain. Even from afar the sides of this ravine appear like walls on either side of the stream where it pours down from the hills on the 'dasht' (desert like plain) below, over two consecutive drops several metres high. This side (i.e. downstream) of the drops, some mounds and remains of stupas and dwellings are to be seen on the banks. The stream has carved a way for itself in the rocky side of the hill, forming those waterfalls and flowing in a narow bed between steep hills down towards the plains. At the foot of these hills is to be found the ridge of conglomerate formation mentioned above. The waterfalls have as a background a high vertical wall of dark rocks. The stream runs along the foot of this wall before entering the first drop. […] This then is the spot. But those tiny caverns cannot be the Cave of the Shadow [Cave of –>Buddha's Shadow, Nagarahara].and its confined breadth is crossed by a perpendicular wall of yellow rock… In the lower eminences of the hills at that point are also many caves, and their crests are crowned with a variety of stone walls and parapets [Masson. C in WILSON, H H 1841: 67-68].