Caves of Chhattisgarh

contentsVol. 12  issue 72  MAy - June 2012 GeoGrAphy And you ediTor The Changing ClimaTe Sulagna Chattopadhyay 6 Polor realMs LeGaL advisor preserving perishing paradises KriShnendu datta rasiK ravindra researCh MadhuSMita giri, KriShMa 12 Cities and aMenities urban sustainability in a changing climate Seth, anKita Sah Chirashree Ghosh and Govind sinGh Bajwa Cover phoToGraph illuStration by Shreya 16 CalCulating CliMate Change Kharbanda and a panwar predicting extreme events repreSenting eCo ideaS that we need to inCorporate in r ramesh our daily liveS. 20 BiodiversitY Preservation protected Areas: Mitigating climate change phoToGraphy praSad BiBa jasmine Kaur iris puBLiCaTion pvT. LTd. 22 living naturallY reGisTered oFFiCe A Green home 111/9, aruna aSaf ali Marg, sureKha Kadapa-Bose KiShangarh, vaSant Kunj, The WaTer World new delhi-110070. 26 drYing headwaters CorrespondenCe/ediToriaL opencast Mining, river catchment and the oFFiCe plight of odisha 1584, b-1, vaSant Kunj, new himansu seKhar paTradelhi-110070 phone: 011-26122789 30 river Conservation for new SubSCriptionS, Fresh Water turtles of the Ganga renewalS, enquirieS pleaSe ContaCt sandeep Behera CirCulation Manager e-Mail: 36 water QualitY nitrate pollution in Groundwater geographyandyou2001@ yahoo.Co.uK or deepanjan [email protected] pleaSe 42 nature’s Path viSit our Site at inland Waterways: the ecofriendly network www.geographyandyou.CoM ravi KanT for further inforMation. 46 ConCePt Counter ©iris puBLiCaTion pvT. LTd. Financing climate all rightS reServed india ouTdoors throughout the world. 52 liMestones Caves reproduCtion in any chhattisgarh’s past revealed Manner, part or whole, iSprohibited. printed, publiShed sTory jayanT Biswas and owned by Sulagna 58 BotaniCal surveY Chattopadhyay. rediscovered: A vulnerable spiderwort prinTed aT sTaFF reporTerindia GraphiC sysTems pvT. LTd. 60 odisha’s Forests f-23, oKhla induStrial area, pristine debrigarh phaSe-i, new delhi-110020. sumiT ChaKraBorTy puBLished aT iris puBLiCaTion pvT. LTd. 4 editor’s note geography and you doeS 25 terM Power: environMent not taKe any reSponSibility 41 terM Power rating for returning unSoliCited 48 environMent uPdate publiCation Material. GeoGr aphy and you  MaY - J une 2012  3 all diSputeS are SubjeCt to the exCluSive juriSdiCtion of CoMpetent CourtS and foruMS in delhi/new delhi only.

India outdoors dandak Caves 52  MaY - J u n e 2012  G eoG r aphy and you

CPhaMhyssattetrrietseiosfvKgeotaauMrlsaehrd’s The Kotumsar caves are well known for its stalactite and stalagmite formations and hold the key to climate changestudies as also many precious cavernicole species that are in urgent need of conservation. Story STAFF REPORTER Photos JAyAnT BISwAS GeoGr aphy and you  MaY - J une 2012  53

Limestones CavesCaves are depictions of ancient Indian culture Caves and Climate Change and natural history that exhibit either explicit As karst topography is a direct outcome of water carvings or plain natural features. Caving dynamics, stalagmites and stalactites maintainitself has become a much sought out activity that records of past dry and wet seasons and thusoffers experiences of a rendezvous with history climate change. These are, in essence, tropical iceand natural beauty. The Central Indian region cores forming over thousands of years. Each layerabounds in majestic caves - marvels of ancient of the rock contains important chemical traces thatIndian architecture. The famous Elephanta caves help determine what was going on in the climatenear Mumbai are located on an island hill - a world thousands of years ago, much like the ice coresheritage site belonging to the 6-7th centuries AD drilled from Greenland or Antarctic. Stalactiteswith sculpted statues of Hindu gods and goddesses and stalagmites in fact maintain a near-continuouscut out of sheer rock facies. The Kanhari Caves, record of the climate from 25,000 years ago to thesituated amidst the lush green forest of Borivali present. Stalagmites are formed as rain water, mixedNational Park in the heart of Mumbai is a rock with calcium carbonate and other elements, makescut cave built in the 2nd to 9th century AD and its way through the ground and onto the cave floor.adorns a huge statue of Lord Buddha. Another As this solution drips over time, it hardens in layersexample of wonderful architecture, sculpture with light and dark laminations, creating a columnand paintings is the Ajanta caves in the Sahyadri of rock. By cutting open each stalagmite and takinghills, constructed out of the volcanic lava and the measurements of their chemical contents relativeEllora Caves built during the 5th and 11th century moisture during various periods in history startingAD. The amazing Bhimbetka caves in Bhopal are from the oldest layers at the bottom to the presenta repository of largest pre-historic culture in the at the top can be determined.country. Other important caves in this region arethe Bhartrihari on the banks of River Shipra and The caves of Chhattisgarh have been studiedPandav caves located at Pachmarhi. The Udaigiri extensively by researchers to determine monsooncaves in Sanchi are reflections of legendary rule variability and tropical climates of the past. Inof the Gupta dynasty, and the Bagh caves in Dhar a recent study by A Sinha, et. al. 2011, titled Thedistrict of Madhya Pradesh with its painting and leading mode of Indian Summer Monsoon precipi-sculptures depict the Buddhist influence in India. tation variability during the last millennium; Geophysical Research Letters, stalagmites from a The State of Chhattisgarh, as is true for cave named Jhumar, located near Jagdalpur havelarge portions of Central India, also abounds in been accessed. The actively growing stalagmitescaves predominantly excavated by drip water on were selected from poorly ventilated chambers,limestone deposits resulting in mystifying shapes located at a considerable distance from the caveof stalactites and stalagmites and limestone entrance, ensuring that there was a near constantpillars. The Kailash Gufa which lies near the and environmental stability in terms of temper-Tirathgarh waterfalls located in Kanger Valley ature and humidity. A reconstruction of monsoonNational Park in Chhattisgarh holds fascinating precipitation variations created a 1400 year record,formations of limestone pillars. Nearly 200 metres which captures the major short term droughts oflong and 55 metres deep, the features of the the 20th century and also suggests a shift towardsunderground caves are also worshiped as depic- enhanced monsoon precipitation from the latertions of Lord Shiva. The Dandak Caves, which half of the 17th century. The results are corrobo-are larger, lie below a hillock and is replete with rative of the various findings of stalagmite studycalcium carbonate formations. The entrance to world over.the cave is however unique with an intricatelycarved rock façade. Mandip Khol and Singhanpur CaverniColes of the Kotumsarare other caves in the State that has a rich biodi- The subterranean Kotumsar caves, the mostversity and geomorphic value, the latter being still biologically studied cave in India, were discoveredlargely unexplored. in 1958 by Prof. Shankar Prasad Tiwari, a pioneer in54  MaY - June 2012  GeoGr aphy and you

a small additional exit of the Dandak Cave that have colourful dripstone formations.rock art research, cultural geography, archaeology several lateral and downward passages. The roofsand natural history of the Dandakaranya region. and walls of the different chambers are lined withThe folklores however, say that the caves were colourful dripstone formations resulting fromdiscovered way earlier by local hunters - chasing the precipitation of calcite-dissolved carbonatea porcupine that led them to the caves. The caves, lime. The chambers of the cave are floored withlocated in the jungle clad Kanger Valley National either rocks or pebbles of various dimensions orPark in Bastar, is a marvel of nature. Kotumsar by surface-derived soil/clay deposits. Amidst thelies near the white cascades of the Tirathgarh darkness unusual formations evoke imaginationswaterfalls some 38 km from Jagdalpur district. The that make it an experience of a lifetime. Torcheslimestone caves have several chambers and hold and solar lamps light up the damp walls and athe record of being the second longest natural cave careful round of the echoing chambers revealsystems in the world. The entrance to the caves is tortuous rivulets and puddles – making it an apta vertical narrow and twisted fissure in the wall background for a chilling adventure. The cave isof a hill, about 15 metre in length and the deepest subject to frequent flooding during the monsoonportions of the caves remain in complete darkness which generally begins in the middle of June andat all times. Visitors are prohibited within these continues until mid October.precincts. The cave is honeycombed in its structure,consisting of several irregular chambers. The main Cave environments have long been known totunnel of the cave is nearly 500 metre long and has host ecosystems that are amongst the most fragile and unusual. Perpetual darkness, almost constant GeoGr aphy and you  MaY - J une 2012  55

Limestones CavesCave environmentshave long beenknown to hostecosystems that areamongst the mostfragile and unusual.perpetual darkness,almost constantgeophysical factors,high humidityand low energyinput are generalcharacteristicsdistinguishing suchenvironments.56  MaY - June 2012  GeoGr aphy and you hanging stalactites from Kotumsar cave; Inset: Cave adapted Isopod

geophysical factors, high humidity and low Cave fish endemic to Kotumsar are adapted to cave lifeenergy input are general characteristics distin- and are albinic with regressed eyes.guishing the cave environment. The organismsof such ecosystems often show a high degree of warrant special mention are the hill stream loach,specialised physiological adaptations, behavioural Nemacheilus evezardi, that exhibit physiologicaladjustments and morphological alterations. and behavioural functions that are unique withSpecies might colonise cave environments either albinic or depigmented form with highly regressedto seek temporary shelter or in order to escape eyes; the cave cricket, Kampiola shankari (namefrom persistent adverse environmental conditions coined to honour Prof. Shankar Tiwari), withon the surface. Each cavernicole species occupies relatively small eyes, invisible ocelli, sensitivea particular ecological niche in the cave which is sensillae, faint body colourisation, very longrelated to their degree of evolutionary adaptation antennae and the presence of very rigid soundto the subterranean environment. The subter- producing organ which appears during imaginalranean environment can be divided into three moult process of development; and, a new speciesdifferent zones depending upon the character- of Syncarida, Chilibathynella kotumsarensis,istics of constancy of their immediate geophysical recorded from the Kotumsar Cave - the only fourthparameters known member of the family ParabathynellidaeThe twilight zone : Immediately near the entrance and the sole representative not only within Asiawhere light intensity, humidity and temperature but in the entire global tropical zone.vary with the external environmental condi-tions. The Kotumsar twilight zone is very short, However, sections of the caves also serve asjust about 2 metre and as such the flora and worshiping place for locals and a specificallyfauna found in these regions are excluded from identified stalagmite is considered the mark oftaxonomical studies. Lord Shiva. Increasing number of worshippersThe transition zone: It runs till the point where deposit foodstuff and burn incense leading toair-current, humidity and temperature becomes progressive pollution of the inner precincts. Obser-constant. It is an area of almost complete darkness. vations suggest that the Kotumsar Cave hosts aSpecies found here generally can also survive in rich biological community. Robust conservationthe external world. measures should be employed to ensure this fasci-The deep zone: Subject to complete darkness nating environment and the resident cavernicolesthis zone is occupied by specialised cave-adapted are preserved for future generations.species which are generally unable to survive inthe external environment. The life forms here InpuTs from Jayant Biswas, President, nationalhave either lost their vision completely or have Cave Research and Protection Organisation, Raipur,very regressed vision with highly developed Chhattisgarh. [email protected] sensitive organs and no body colouri-sation/albinic. The organisms have the ability towithstand prolonged starvation and to tolerateprolonged hypoxic conditions. Species that have been broadly identifiedinhabiting the deep zone of the caves are RufousHorseshoe bat, Ashy Leaf-nosed bat, Fungoid frog,Hill stream loach, Giant crab spider or the bananaspider, Cave centipede, millipedes, Cave cricket,Guano moth, copepoda, pillbugs and snails. It isinteresting to note that the entire ecosystem of thecaves is dependent on the guano deposits of thebats that inhabit the precincts. Three species that G eo G r a p h y an d yo u  M aY - J u n e 2012  57