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| Kutumsar Enterence |
Recently I had a wonderful experience of visiting world
famous Kutumsar caves, located about 40 KMs south-west of Jagdalpur (Bastar, a
tribal area of India). My maternal cousin Suneeta Mendhekar Tijare was with me
braving all the risks and dangers. About 72 feet below the earth, it is spread
to almost 330 meters. Many of its patches are water filled and after few steps
no sun light reaches, making the visitor absolute visionless. The caves are
unique in the way as these are shelters of blind fishes. Since the fishes have
no use of the eyes for millions of years due to total dark, a thin layer is
covered on their eyes making them completely blind. The caves where first
uncovered by Professor Shankar Tiwari of Bilaspur way back in 1958 when neither
the photographic facilities were developed nor the other scientific instruments
were so sophisticated. Located in deep forests, he entered in the caves with
the help of local tribal people and simple torch, knife, few feet long rope and
some water. While teaching in a college in Jabalpur, he undertook this
expedition during his summer vacations. Kutumsar caves became the subject of
interest by the geologists and scientists after the inventions of similar kinds
of caves in France, Spain and USA. Colored paintings have been found in France
and Spain caves. In Mexico the caves are 1000 meter long and US caves are even
30 miles.
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| Blind Fish |
First time the caves found the mention in the Chhattisgarh Feudatory
State’s Gazetteers in 1909. In 1933, the caves made its presence in the
geographical map of Bastar and Odisha regions of India. After studying this,
Shankar Tiwari found out the caves with lot of hardship. Shankar Tiwari has
widely narrated the experiences and process of his expedition. The caves and
the blind fishes were first time located by Professor Shankar Tiwari in India.
Besides, he also found rare a specie looks like fish but it has 15 to 25 CMs
long moustaches. These are its antenna and with the help of it, this rare
creature moves by touching the objects. This new found specie was rightly named
after him- Campiola Shankarai. Inside the caves, the nature is in unique and
mysterious format. It is total dark. Water soaked stones, running water; lime
and a typical climate have carved out different shapes and faces. Calcium,
stalactite and stalagmite stones have virtually created wonders in the dark
which emerge once you throw the lights upon it. Caves are too narrow at various
places, uneven, slippery, humid and lacking oxygen. You are at the mercy of a
torch with limited battery. If one is lost in the dark, impossible to return on
own. Friends, yet, it must be seen! Since the caves have only one entry point,
the visitors have to come back the same way making its length double. The caves
are suffocating, thus the people suffering from BP, sugar or heart ailments are
not advised to enter it. Big salute to Shankar Tiwari, who unearthed Kutumsar
caves; salute to his spirit of curiosity and courage!
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