II.1. Stelae and accompanying structures: Funerary and non-funerary structures

Rinchen Chundé DoringRin chen chu ’ded rdo ring

Basic site data

Site name: Rinchen Chundé DoringRin chen chu ’ded rdo ring
English equivalent: Jewel Water Runoff Long-stones
Site number: C-122
Site typology: II.1b
Elevation: 4670 m
Administrative location (township): BargaBar ga
Administrative location (county): PurangSpu rang
Survey expedition: HTCE
Survey date: October 25, 2002
Contemporary usage: Light grazing.
Identifiable Buddhist constructions: A fragment of an inscribed plaque.
Maps: UTRS V, UTRS X, HAS C3
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General site characteristics

Rinchen Chundé DoringRin chen chu ’ded rdo ring is located not far from the south side of a pass known as Chumik Sharlé LaChu mig shar la’i la. The site is set in the middle of a plain and has long views in all directions. The tip of the holy mountain, Gangkar TiséGangs dkar ti se, is visible 50 km to the northeast. A cross-section of the Uttaranchal Himalaya can be seen in the southwest. The terrain is level, sandy and turf-covered. Rinchen Chundé DoringRin chen chu ’ded rdo ring consists of a typical example of pillars erected inside an enclosure.

Oral tradition

Local sources report that Rinchen Chundé DoringRin chen chu ’ded rdo ring is an ancient monument.

Site elements

Enclosure

The enclosure is aligned in the cardinal directions, and measures 9.4 m (east-west) by 8 m (north-south). Although parts of all four walls are discernable, they are in a state of advanced disintegration. These walls are composed of variable-length (10 cm to 40 cm long) blocky pieces of gray limestone and a harder brown rock. The ground on the east end of the enclosure is uneven. On the west end of the enclosure there is a rise of about 1 m, which can probably be attributed to localized geomorphologic changes. The north side of the enclosure is partly overgrown with dramagra ma brush.

Pillars

Close to what was the west wall of the enclosure there is a white tabular pillar (1.2 m [height] by 1.2 m [basal girth]). The two broad sides of the standing stone are oriented north and south. This highly worn menhir (Long-stone DR1) is discolored in places. The pillar is not well centered in the enclosure; it was at least one of two main pillars near the west wall. The other main pillar is dislodged and lies just outside the enclosure. It is a well-formed four-sided white specimen (1.2 m long by 70 cm girth). Along the west wall, near the north side of the enclosure, there are also two small broken dark-colored pillars. They now stand 20 cm in height. Beside DR1 there is a broken inscribed manima ṇi plaque.

A small wall fragment of what appears to be a vestige of a funerary enclosure is situated 2 m east of the pillar enclosure.