POPE RAJA (Cave of)
25.566700,90.033300
Description
A natural or fabulous cave, which SIMON (1996a: 231-232) associates with a Garo snake cave legend (compare: Krem –>Thlen): »Cave of Pope Raja has its roots in Anderkona, not far from Garobadha on the foothills of Ranggira mountain range which is 25 km from Tura, according to the handed down fact [sic! qua: fable] from generations that once was one big serpent that terrorised the villagers. It is said that it demanded blood everyday without fail. One day it was the turn of a young man who lived with his widowed mother. … [Pope Raja] could not take the serpent's life because it reproduced more and more. He felt exhausted and gave up the trial and he jumped on the rock and took rest while he dozed off. At that time, he dreamt that a person appeared to him and instructed him to wipe off the blade of the sword after striking and not to drop any blood on the earth. … [then Pope Raja] could kill the serpent. Overwhelmed by joy, the villagers called him Pope Raja and placed the entire landholdings under his name and paid tributes like his subjects.« LALOO (1999: 123) gives an abbridged version suiting effective readers: »Cave of Pope Raja: Located at Anderkona, on the foothills of Ranggira Range. It was said that a big serpent lived here who demanded human blood daily. One day it was the turn of the only son of a widower. The boy did not want to die an untimely death or to leave his mother alone, he determine [sic!] to fight and kill the monster, and really succeeded in his determination. Overwhelmed with joy, the villagers named the boy Pope Raja. Hence, the cave was known as Cave of Pope Raja.« SITUATION: SIMON (1996a: 231) places »Anderkona [note 1], not far from Garobadha [note 2] on the foothills of Ranggira mountain range [note 3] which is 25 km [west] from Tura«HUNTER (1879, vol. 2: 142): »Traces of coal were discovered near the villages of Dipkáí and Andrakoná, not far from Harígáon, but the out-crops proved of no value. Mt. Medlicott thought it possible that coal might be discovered at some distance below the surface in this neighbourhood, and it was proposed that borings should be made; but the idea was abandoned, and the point still remains undecided.«
NOTE 1: »Anderkona« (SIMON 1996a: 231) or »Andrakoná« (HUNTER (1879, 2: 142) is not identified. NOTE 2: Garobadha is shown near N25°34': E90°02' on the Land Revenue Map (Six inch to One mile, Shillong, June 1998), on AMS sheet NG46-09 Tura (U502 series, 1959 edition) and in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 44 D3) above the right (north) bank of the river Ganol and at a travelling distance of about 30 km (±5 km) along the road from Tura (N25°31': E90°12') west towards Mankachar (N25°32': E89°52' WGS84) where the three districts of West Garo Hills (Meghalaya), Dhuburi (Assam) and Kurigram (Bangladesh) meet. NOTE 3: Rangira Mountain is shown near N25°34': E90°07': 2205 feet (672 m asl) on AMS sheet NG46-09 Tura (U502 series, 1959 edition) and near N25°35'20": E90°07'10" on the Land Revenue Map (6 inch: 1 mile, Shillong, June 1998).
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19.8 | TETENGKOL, Tura | ||
| 19.8 | Jackal Cave | ||
| 32.8 | NOKREK CAVES (aa -) | ||
| 45.1 | PATHAR GITIM | ||
| 50.8 | DOBHAKOL, Chignap | ||
| 51.0 | CHITOKPA RONGKOL | ||
| 51.0 | CHITOPA RONGKOL | ||
| 52.5 | MA KOL | ||
| 52.6 | ENDALOK CAVE (aa -) |