Unesco’s writings throws light on the rich past of the Hambukushu and San communities at Tsodilo heritage site in the Kalahari Desert.4,500 rock art paintings in an area of only 10kms reflects the sacred cultural landscape where the communities were worshipping their ancestral spirits.

According to Unesco’s scholarship, ‘Tsodilo is a site that has witnessed visits and settlement by successive human communities for many millennia’

This site is located in north-west Botswana near the Namibian Border in Okavango Sub-District.

The four chief hills are locally called the ‘Male’, ‘Female, ‘Child’ and the ‘Unmarried’ and they are situated at a distance of 40km from Shakawe. Scholars find the footprints of Zhu, San and Bantu people’s cultural traditions linked with these heritage sites. ‘These hills have provided shelter and other resources to people for over 100,000 years. … and the ensemble depicts a ‘symbiotic nature/human relationship over many thousands of years’

The lost world of Kalahari and the history of the San shamans(or ‘sramans’ means the ‘monks’) are well preserved through Asokan Cave Inscriptions(III, No.2)’. Khalatika represents the Kalahara of the heritage sites. It is Kahala of other literature; Khandavara of Pali sources mention it as a settlement of Mauryan people which goes side by side with the Sakyan settlements. Kalandaka-nivapa was a place where oblations were made for the squirrels.

Tibetan Dulva mentions on the monks’ use of a particular linen garment for which reason they were called ‘sanavasika’ or sha-nai-go-chan. It also identifies a place in this name. Upagupta was also referred to as ‘Sana’-vaiska means he was residing at Sana. And monks were using this garment made out of ‘sana’, name of a ‘tree’.

While Bon-po(Tibet people’s religion) refers to Botswana, Bantu refers to ‘bante’ or ‘wante’ means the ‘Monk’; Tsodilo identifies thus with the Tsu-la grove or a grove in Tosali. Zhu are exactly the same as ancient Jews who were also known as ‘Hu’ or Hari people of the ancient world who considered as lower ‘devas’(means god) or ‘Ishwar’.