PARVATI GUFA, Pachmarhi: Mahadeo Pahar

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A natural sacred cave associated with Parvati (consort of Shiva) is situated about 30 m south and opposite –>Bada Mahadeo Gufa but four vertical metre higher up, and in the dead end of the Mahadeo valley on the north-western flank of Mahadeo Pahar, about 8 km along the road south of –>Pachmarhi town. The spacious cave entrance (10 m wide, 3 m high) gives access to a horizontal passage in sandstone entering from the south-east (165° towords 015°). Some 12 m from the entrance, where some idols are put up on a small platform, the floor has risen considerably and the ceiling drops by a metre to leave but a low slot (3 m wide, 0.3 m wide) which offers at least 5 m of belly crawling towards 155° (not pushed to a conclusion). Some sandy sediments are left and indicate a small, seasonal rivulet issuing in wet weather. Secondary calcite or stalagmitic formations are absent.