An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c42.12

v2.c42.12

In 1940 the writer visited all the Pachmarhi shelters known to Gordon and discovered two additional important ones named by him Bania Beri (which is in a reality a cave) after the nearest locality, and Dhuandhar near a waterfall, which is very rich in superimposed paintings. In the Bania Beri cave, among other subjects in depicted a large cross around which is a group of men, most of them holding in their hands what may be raised umbrellas. The cross may be a primitive or conventionalized *svastika*. One of the cows appearing below the cross has her belly cut open to reveal a calf in a crouching position inside. In the same cave there is another painted cross composed of small triangles which look like having been made out of a stencil (Lal, 1950). Another example of stencil work had been found by Gordon, 1939a, at Kabra Pahar in Dt Raigarh.