Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78)

V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹

Affiliations
1 409 South Lexington Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606, US

Abstract

A study of the geological features and the speleological origin of 80 "ancient" caves of India suggests their grouping under five different geological environments and five separate speleological processes. The cave environments are portrayed on a preliminary "Cave and Karst Map of Peninsular India and the Himalaya". A possible pattern of hydrogeological and hydrological research, utilizing the caves located in the carbonate rocks of the Kurnool and Palnad areas of the State of Andhra Pradesh, is outlined, in order to get an insight into the realm of surface water-ground-water interaction and to evaluate the extent of groundwater storage and release from karstic limestone formations. The recently described, volcanogenic karst features of the Deccan basalts of Western Maharashtra, interpreted to be in a zone of lava flows covering an area of 1,20,000 sq. km also includes the locations of all the existing rock-cut caves in Maharashtra that host ancient architectural monuments and works of art. The coincidence of the two features may either be accidental, or, may have a rational explanation. Additional field checking of the photogeologically interpreted lava-Karst features in the cited special zone of Deccan basalts, in order to establish the open or filled nature of the lava karsts, may yield useful clues in this regard. The presence of sub-aerial pseudokarst, in the mantle of the boulder-talus of granite tors that cover the Closepet granites at Hampi in Karnataka and the recent finding of a 3-kilometre-long "river-cave" therein, suggest the need for additional hydrological and hydrogeological studies, for defining the extent of openness of the pseudokarst mantle and the ground-water storage potential of the pseudokarst around the proposed test-sites. These studies would need specially located river gauge-discharge sites to be established temporarily, in the two river basins and the use of ground-water data of existing open wells, in the belt of the Closepet granites extending from the Tungabhadra river valley of the Krishna river basin in the north, to the Arkavathi river valley of the Kaveri river basin in the south, located west of Bangalore. A programme of National Survey of the Cave Wealth of India is suggested, for which, the creation of a Specialist Division within the framework of the existing Federal and State geo-scientific organizations is warranted, along with the opportunities for specialized training in the mountaineering-type of skills needed for handling difficult cave exploration and mapping, both of which need a spirit of adventure for advancing scientific knowledge.

Keywords

Caves, Ancient Caves, Speleological, Exploration, Hydrogeology, Karst, Pseudokarst, Product Storage, Energy Storage.

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V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹

Affiliations
1 409, South Lexington Avenue, White Plains, New York, 10606, US

Abstract

No Abstract.

Full Text

   

V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹, K. R. Raghu Nandan ²

Affiliations
1 409, S.Lexington Ave, White Plains, NY - 10606, US
2 "Venkatadri", 787, 7th Cross, M C Layout, Vijayanagar, Bangalore - 560 040, IN

Abstract

The available geological, floral and faunal evidences support the existence of a very cold climate in the Peninsular India during the Pleistocene. Against this background, the middle to late Holocene event of a snowy winter at Panchavati described in the Valmiki Ramayana has been analysed.

The geological evaluation of the existing information indicates a 300 m epeirogenic uplift of the Satpura range and the adjacent areas, during the upper Pleistocene, followed by about 1000 m of orogenic uplift of the Satpura crustal block, bounded by the seismogenic, Moho-Reaching, Narmada and Tapti graben-Faults that were reactivated in the Holocene, as proved by recent geological mapping and geothermal drilling. The uplift may have taken place, either, by sudden displacements, or, by slow, tectonic creep, or, by a combination of both the processes, thereby raising the height of a pre-Existing Satpura range. This probably blocked partly, the route of very cold, arctic type of air-Flows descending from the Himalayan glaciers that had then reached lower elevations of 1000 to 1500 m and, interacting with the moist winds blowing eastwards from the Arabian Sea, thereby giving rise to the snowfall at Panchavati.

The warming up phase of the Quaternary commenced at the end of the Pleistocene glaciation. This continued up to the commencement of the late Holocene, and also caused the gradual recession of the of the snouts of the Himalayan glaciers to higher elevations. This resulted in the cessation of the arctic type of winds coming down to the Peninsula from the Himalayas, thus terminating the snowy winters prevalent earlier.

The astronomical method of dating the Ramayana gives the most probable age of the epic as 2000B.C. and the less probable age of 4000B.C., by traditional (historical and genealogical) methods of dating. The range of the above two ages tallies with the geologically deduced range of age of middle to late Holocene for the palaeoclimatic events described in the Panchavati area. It is suggested that the palaeoclimatic and other environmental changes of the Quaternary period in the Sonata area of the Peninsula be subjected to detailed studies in the future.

Keywords

Palaeoclimate, Satpura Uplift, Epeirogeny, Ramayana, Snowy Winter, Holocene, Pleistocene, Quaternary, Narmada-Tapti Faults, Central India.

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V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹, R. N. Iyengar ², B. P. Radhakrishna ³

Affiliations
1 409, S. Lexington Avenue, White Plains, NY - 10606, US
2 Department of Civil Engineering, IISc, Bangalore - 560 0 12, IN
3 Geological Society of India, Bangalore - 560 0 19, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

Full Text

   

V. S. Krishnaswamy ¹, R. N. Iyengar ²

Affiliations
1 409, South Lexington Avenue, White Plains, New York - 10606, IN
2 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

Full Text