Ramgarh Hill
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Ramgarh Hill
Hill in the Surguja State, Central Provinces, situated m 22 $3' N. and 82 55' E. It consists of a rectangular mass of sandstone rising abruptly from the plain, about 12 miles west of Lakshmanpur village. It is ascended from the northern side by a path which follows the ridge of an outlying spur nearly as far as the base of the main rock. Here, at a height of 2,600 feet, is an ancient stone gateway, on the lintel of which is sculptured an image of Ganesh. A little to the west, but at the same level, a constant stream of pure water wells out, in a natural grotto, from a fissure in the massive bed of sandstone A second gateway crowns the most difficult part of the ascent Colonel Dalton considered this to be the best executed and most beautiful architectural relic in the entire region, which abounds in remains indicating a previous occupation of the country by some race more highly civilized than its present inhabi- tants.
Though the origin of these gateways is unknown, the second is unquestionably the more modern work, and belongs to that descrip- tion of Hindu architecture which bears most resemblance to the Saracenic. On the hill are several rock caves and the remains of several temples made of enormous blocks of stone. One of the most striking features is the singular tunnel in the northern face of the rock, known as the Hathipol, which, as its name implies, is so large that an elephant can pass through it Its formation is supposed to be due to the trickling of water through crevices m the sandstone, and it bears no trace of human workmanship. It is about 150 feet long and 20 feet in height by 32 m breadth. In the valley on which this tunnel opens are two caves with inscriptions dating back to the second century B.C. One of them, the Joglmara cave, has traces on its roof of wall paintings 2,000 years old; and the other, the Sitabenga cave, is believed to have been used as a hall in which plays were acted and poems recited.
[Archaeological Survey Reports, vol xi, pp. 41-5 ; and Report of Archaeological Surveyor, Bengal Circle , for 1903-4.]
