JAMBU DWIP SHELTERS 1 - 6

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 29/03/2016

Altogether six rock shelters containing rock art lies on the north side of the stretch just north of Chhota –>Mahadeo / Mahadev, and above the northern (right) bank of the Jambu Dwip valley in the north-west of –>Pachmarhi (22°28'N: 78°26'E). SITUATION: »Along the northern side of Jambu Dwip valley are some six shelters …« (TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE (2002.09.15). To find the shelters in the jungle (a knowledgeable guide is useful), walk from the seven way junction (N22°28'26”: E078°26'10”: 1060 m asl Everest 1830) Jaistambha / Jai Stambh (victory pillar) to the Government Hospital and take a small, hard topped but no more motorable road to the Twynham Pool, small reservoir saffronised: Rajyapal Sur. Continue eastwards on the same level for about 75 m along a footpath to a fork with road signs (upturned U-shaped sandstone slabs with Devanagari lettering). The horizontal path straight on leads to –>Chhota Mahadeo Gufa, and the path downhill to the right hand side descends steeply to the wide open area of Jambu Dwip. GUIDE TO PACHMARHI (1936: Appendix) was said to have listed four shelters: »Two above and on the west side of stream; two below and on the east side of falls« (Glennie, E A circa 1948 s.a. Mss "Preliminary record" after GUIDE TO PACHMARHI 1936). BANSAL (s.a., circa 1998) gives a misleading access description. GHATE (2000) recommends to »cross the Jambu Dwip stream and follow a forest track to the left down the northern side of the valley. At a point of the nearby cliff about 1 km downstream there is a shelter with a large number of clear paintings in various styles.« CULTURAL HISTORY - Rock art (after GHATE, R circa 2000 s.a.; PACHMARHI GUIDE MAP 1996): A large number of animals in cream and two conventionalised animals in dark red. A lot of human figures, a very clear battle scene with mounted and foot soldiers, some with swords and shields, others with bows and arrows. In many cases the costume is clearly shown: loincloths with hanging tails for the men, and a strangely western looking short jacket and skirt for the women. TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE (2002.09.15) advertises from »… the northern side of Jambu Dwip valley are some six shelters with many paintings of animals and human figures, including a detailed battle scene.« »A very large number [of microliths] were found by Dr. Hunter in definite association with an ancient burial in a shelter in the Jambu Dwip« (Glennie, E A circa 1948 s.a. Mss "Preliminary record" after GUIDE TO PACHMARHI 1936).