KIDARIPATTI (Cave at)
15.100000,78.216700
Description
A »cave« (or rock shelter?) with prehistoric paintings (rock art) dating back to 2000 BC or earlier reported PRICE (1988b: 34) from a place called »Kidaripatti« (note 1) --is this Kidampatti?-- in the »Alagar hills« (note 2) north and north-east of Algarkovil (note 3). Compare –>Alagarmalai Cavern near Kidampatti. GEOLOGY: »Madura District … The rocks of Madura district consist chiefly of foliated biotite gneiss, probably in reality a gneissose granite, in which are amasses of granular quartz rock, also probably of igneous origin. At certain localities, such as Pandalugudi [note 4] and Tirumal, bands of coarsely crystalline limestone occur in the gneiss. Charnocktite is found in the the western part of the District, the Palni hills being entirely composed of that rock. In the Varushanad Hills are hornblende schists and granulites, penetrated by veins of mica-bearing pegmatite. Subrecent calcine grits of marine origin form a fringe along the coast from Cape Comorin to the channel between the mainland and the island of Pamban. Laterite covers a considerable part of the District. Further particulars will be found in Mr. Bruce Foote's account [i.e. FOOTE 1883] in Memoirs, Geological Survey of India, vol. xx« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 16: 387).
NOTE 1: »Kidaripatti« (PRICE 1988b) or »Kidampatti« (asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_tamilnadu.asp accessed 2008.05.31) is not identified as it is neither listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) nor in IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 25: 297) or in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006 index) or shown on the Survey of India sheet 58-J/04 (1973 edition). NOTE 2: The »irregular masses of the Alagar hills« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 17: 290-291) correspond to the »Alagar Hills« (PRICE 1988b) and »Algarmallai« (asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_tamilnadu.asp accessed 2008.05.31). NOTE 3: Algar Kovil, the temple near N15°04': E078°13' (Everest 1830): 237 m asl (SI sheet 58-J/04, 1973 edition) is indicated as »Algar Kovil« on AMS sheet NC43-08 Dindigul (U502 series, 1959 edition) and as »Algarkoil« next to »Algar Kovil« (village) in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 119 F2) on the southern flank of an anonymous hill (Alagar Malai?), which is covered by the »Alagar Reserved Forest« and lies at travelling distances of 15 or 20 km along roads approximately north from the city of Madurai (N09°56': E078°07') and 15 km along roads approximately west from Melur (N10°03': E078°20'). IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 5: 203-204) explains that Alagarkovil (N10°05': E078°14' Everest 1830) is »… an ancient temple held in special repute by the Kallans and other thieving communities« which at a travelling distance of »12 miles« (19 km) north-east from the city of »Madura« (Madurai). NOTE 4: »pandal [plural: pandalu]-- marquee« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 1110); gudi (Tamil) temple.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | ALAGAR CAVERN, Kidampatti | ||
| 9.7 | NELA BILAM, Belum village | ||
| 11.0 | Belum Caves | ||
| 11.3 | BELUM GUHALU | ||
| 12.3 | CHIRUTIPULLI - VEEPAMANI GUHALU | ||
| 17.6 | NELA BILAM, Cherlopalle, 2nd | ||
| 17.9 | NELA BILAM, Cherlopalle, 1st | ||
| 18.2 | UPPALAPADDE TALUS CAVE | ||
| 18.7 | GOLLALERU UNDERCUT |