SITAKOHBAR, Paharpur

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A man-made cave (estimated 55 m long, 18.3 m wide), with a roof rising from 2.45 to 7.6 m above the debris that now (April 1925) forms the floor (the original level of which was perhaps some 6 m or 9 m lower) came into existence when old workers extracted almost 20'000 cubic metres of high quality slate (note 1): This cave represents the mass of solid slate, of nearly 7 lakhs cubic feet [19'824 cubic metres], extracted by the old workers, every piece of which was laboriously taken out by hand with primitive iron chisels, some of which have been found in the debris. The method of extraction was as follows : A groove about 2 to 3 inches [about 5 to 8 cm] deep was first cut around the face of the slate outlining a portion some 18 inches by 12 inches [45 by 30 cm], which was then split out. The process was repeated until the extraction had been carried deep into the seam. In this way the whole mass of the slate was finally removed perhaps after a century of continuous labour. Many of he slates extracted were made into platters or thalis, broken pieces of which have been recovered from the debris in the caves (note 2). SITUATION: In the eastern flank of the Kharagpur hills (N25°10': E86°25') and in the southern face of a hill abruptly rising about 45 m above the northern bank of the Jalkund stream and in a location sort of near the village of Paharpur (±2.5 km N25°14': E86°33' WGS84), which lies at a travelling distance of about 8 km approximately south-west from the Bariarpur Railway Station (note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1925: District authorities elicited the information that this cave was located at the ancient Sitakohbar, near Paharpur, some 5 miles [8 km] from Bariarpur Railway Station Slate Quarry (E. I. Ey. Loop), on the property of Messrs, the Ambler Slate and Stone Company, Ltd., who are working the locality for slate. The cave was visited by the Assistant Superintendent of the Central Circle Bihar in April, 1925, and, as previously surmised, it prove to be a portion of a Mr. Ambler's ancient slate quarry. It penetrates into the hill side some 180 feet [55 m], with a width of some 60 feet [18.3 m], and its roof rises from 8 to 25 feet [2.45 to 7.6 m] above the debris that now forms the floor, the original level of which was perhaps some 20 or 30 feet [6 or 9 m] lower. The principal old slate workings are confined to a bed 65 feet [19.8 m] wide exposed in a torrent cutting made by the Jalkund stream in the eastern flank of the Kharagpur hills. On the north bank of the stream the hill rises abruptly some 150 feet [45 m], and this face has been terraced in early times in the working out of the slate seam. The working in the topmost terrace appears in the better state of preservation, the lower terrace now being buried under the talus of the old quarrymen. A series of levels have been driven by the old workers along the -strike- of the slate. One with about 20 feet [6 m] of the roof still remaining is visible at the top of the hill,its floor being buried in debris and chippings of slate. In making a -drive- along the slate seam well under the above level, Messrs. Ambler, who are now opening out these ancient quarries, broke into a -heading- driven by the old quarrymen into the 65 feet [19.8 m] seam of slate and revealed the cave … (PAGE 1924-1925 edited 1927). CAVE LIFE: … caves and mines in temperate areas provide ideal conditions for hibernation and, in their warmest parts, for nursing. Other smaller underground structures, such as rock crevices or ledges, may also be of importance in some areas. The world’s largest aggregations of bats are found in caves in both temperate and tropical regions, where millions of animals may be found in a single site. Abandoned mines may also house hundreds of thousands of bats (HUTSON, MICKLEBURGH & RACEY 2001: 4). to be a portion of a Mr. Ambler's ancient slate quarry. It penetrates into the hill side some 180 feet [55 m], with a width of some 60 feet [18.3 m], and its roof rises from 8 to 25 feet [2.45 to 7.6 m] above the debris that now forms the floor, the original level of which was perhaps some 20 or 30 feet [6 or 9 m] lower. The principal old slate workings are confined to a bed 65 feet [19.8 m] wide exposed in a torrent cutting made by the Jalkund stream in the eastern flank of the Kharagpur hills. On the north bank of the stream the hill rises abruptly some 150 feet [45 m], and this face has been terraced in early times in the working out of the slate seam. The working in the topmost terrace appears in the better state of preservation, the lower terrace now being buried under the talus of the old quarrymen. A series of levels have been driven by the old workers along the -strike- of the slate. One with about 20 feet [6 m] of the roof still remaining is visible at the top of the hill,its floor being buried in debris and chippings of slate. In making a -drive- along the slate seam well under the above level, Messrs. Ambler, who are now opening out these ancient quarries, broke into a -heading- driven by the old quarrymen into the 65 feet [19.8 m] seam of slate and revealed the cave … (PAGE 1924-1925 edited 1927). CAVE LIFE: … caves and mines in temperate areas provide ideal conditions for hibernation and, in their warmest parts, for nursing. Other smaller underground structures, such as rock crevices or ledges, may also be of importance in some areas. The world’s largest aggregations of bats are found in caves in both temperate and tropical regions, where millions of animals may be found in a single site. Abandoned mines may also house hundreds of thousands of bats (HUTSON, MICKLEBURGH & RACEY 2001: 4).