Geoheritage Assessment of a Hermit Cave System at Lakhamandal Valley, Upper Yamuna River Basin, NW Himalaya

The Himalayan orogeny is among the youngest mountain belts on the earth’s surface. The dynamic landscape of the Himalaya accommodates plentiful eminent geological–geomorphological–heritage sites. The present study assesses a hermit cave system at Lakhamandal valley, located in the Yamuna River basin, Northwest Himalaya. The valley is filled with valley-fill deposits, including a hermit cave complex excavated by sages and local people of the valley. This hermit cave complex is extended between the different terrace levels, one or/and two-story structures carved in the quaternary sediments with a slight opening. Throughout history, the Lakhamandal valley has been located near a pilgrimage route famously known for its cultural and historical significance reflected in many historical texts of the Indian subcontinent. In the last few decades, the growing infrastructure in the valley has drawn local and international tourists leading to multiple unorganised excavations of the hermit caves in the region. To recognise such a remarkable geological and historical feature, we introduce the Lakhamandal valley hermit cave complex geosite with a preliminary assessment with SWOT analysis augmenting with urgent concerns and recommendations further aiming at its validation for a geoheritage site.