RAMANDRUG, Sandur - Ramanmalai (Cave below)
15.121700,76.464400
Description
An unspecified and, for that matter, speleologically unexplored »cave leading into a passage« was said to have »been followed a great distance into the hill« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 324; IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 171). ETYMOLOGY: According to local tradition, the antique "drug" (also: doorg, droog, durg) or fortress / fortified mountain and the contemporary "gad" or village, and thence the pre-Anthropocene "malai" or hill are named after the legendary "poligar" (note 1) »called Komara Raja, who is still [1904] a popular hero« (note 2). The IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 21: 170-171) confirms that the establishment known as »Ramandurg, sanitarium of Bellary« (note 3), which was built in 1855 and designed to accomodate 70 Imperial British war workers and »… is called after the village and fort of the same name …« (note 4). SITUATION 2012: barry-lewis.com/research/cemeteries/ramandroog: »Ramandroog is a desolate place. It takes a good half hour to drive the 16 km from where you leave the pavement at the town of Sandur, and you arrive at Ramandroog covered in the fine rust-colored dust with which ore trucks have painted the hillside. An active strip mine has gnawed away at the plateau up to within a meter of the southern edge of the cemetery. The tombs and graves are overgrown and the low brick wall that surrounds the cemetery is partly tumbled down« (accessed 2013.08.24). SITUATION 2004: Unknown. Perhaps near (±250 m) N15°07'18': E076°27'52': circa (±25 m): 875 m asl / N15.121667°: E76.464444° (Everest 1830) and about 2.5 km in a direct line approximately SSE from the village of Ramgad (±250 m N15°06'05”: E076°28'36”: 991 m asl Everest 1830) but more than 100 lower down. SITUATION 1920: »Ramandrug is as minute a sanitarium as Kipling ever laughed at. It is within Sandur State, but controlled from Bellary« (Henry Reeve in: TAYLOR, P Meadows 1882 ed. 1920: 436-437). SITUATION 1904: On the Ramanmalai (note 5), the ridge south-west of the town of Sandur (note 6), and from »Ramandrug« (note 7), the sanitarium, a relatively »… short distance down the cliff on the southern side« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 324; IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 171). The »Ramandrug sanitarium … [probably rather stood than stands] on the top of the southern of the two ranges of hill which enclose the valley of Sandur« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 170) above which the sanitarium lies just below the peak »Ramanmalai 3,256 feet« (992.4 m asl) »in the centre of the southern of the two lines« forming the »two nearly parallel enclosing walls of hills« which shut in the »long, narrow valley« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 22: 42). The Survey of India 1976 sheet 57-A/08 indicates in place of »Ramandurg« the village of »Ramgad« on the long and narrow plateau culminating in the peak Raman Malai .1023 (metres above the sea) above a so-called »Ramangad Reserved Forest« – the "forest" having been in February 2004 an area riddled with manganese and iron ore mines all over. SITUATION 1882: »Sandoor State, in Bellary District, a valley covering 140 sq. m. [363 sq. km], with … isolated by hills of the same name, of which the chief is Ramandroog (3150 ft.) [960 m] or Ramanamalai, 38 m. W. [61 km west] of Bellary, a convalescent depot for troops since 1846, like Bangalore in climate …« (SMITH, G 1882: 381). SITUATION 1859: »From Vijayanagar I ascended the pass through the Raman Mallay Mountain by a beautiful road constructed by the Madras engineers, at an easy gradient the whole way up. I was well enough now to ride, and enjoyed the lovely scenery to the full. At the top I found a nearly level plain, and a total change of climate from India to Europe. Ramandrug is, I believe, about 4,000 feet above the sea-level, and its climate is delicious throughout the year. Even during the hottest season the sea-breeze makes its way up, and there is no oppressive heat. Here there is a sanitarium, and … I well remember we had to have a fire lighted that evening as it was so chilly, and that we sat over it till a late hour most thoroughly enjoying it …« (TAYLOR, P Meadows 1882 ed. 1920: 436-437). APPROACH 1904: »Three roads lead to the station: One from Bavihalli [note 8], a village on the road between Sandur and Hospet; a second from Hospet; and the third from Narayandevarakeri [note 9]. They are all practicable for carts. … The second road, that from Hospet, is now the usual route, the distance from the railway station being 14 miles [22.5 km]« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 324; IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 171).
NOTE 1: "poligar" (Anglo-Indian), from "palaiyakkaran" (Tamil), holder of a "palaiyam" or feudal estate, "palegadu" (Telugu), and thence "palegar" (Mahratti): »the English form being no doubt taken from one of the two latter« (YULE & BURNELL 1886, 1903: 718). »Poligars are (or rather were) chieftains of different degrees of power and consequence, who bear a strong affinity to the zemindars of the Northern Circars and the thakoors of Rajpootana. Those whose pollams or estates are situated in the frontier and jungly part of the country are represented to have been for the most part leaders of banditti and freebooters, who, as is not uncommon [both in Europe and] in Asia, have after been entrusted with the police of the country« (HAMILTON, W 1828, 2: 407). NOTE 2: »A favourite play in Sandur is one in which his stepmother treats him [Komara Raja] as Potiphar's wife did Joseph, but in which his innocence is ultimately established« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 323; IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 171). NOTE 3: »Ramandrug.- Sanitarium of Bellary, situated in 15° 8' N. and 76° 30' E., within the limits of the Native State of Sandur … The sanitarium consists of a small plateau, 1 1/4 miles [2.8 km] long by half a mile [0.8 km] wide, on the top of top of the southern of two ranges of hill which enclose the valley of Sandur. It is 3,256 feet [992.4 m] above the sea and about 1,400 feet [425 m] above the bottom of the valley. On all sides the ground falls sharply away, and this characteristic, though it affords numerous excellent views into the Sandur valley on the one side and over the western taluks of Bellary as far as the Tungabhadra on the other, gives the place a cramped air which the various paths cut along the hill-sides do not serve to remove. … Remains of the old defences, in the shape of a considerable wall of enormous blocks of stone, are still visible« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 323; IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 170). NOTE 4: »During Hoysala times there was a fort at the southern end of the Ramandroog plateau. This fort, called Hosamaledurga, is associated with the hero Kumara Rama« barry-lewis.com/research/cemeteries/ramandroog/(ac… 2013.08.24). NOTE 5: Ramanmalai, the ridge and plateau south-west of Sondur town and covering parts of the Survey of India sheets 57-A/07, 57-A/08, 57-A/12, and 57-B/09, was referred to as Raman Malai N15°06'00": E76°28'30": 1023 m asl (Survey of India 1976 sheet 57-A/08) Raman Mallay TAYLOR, P Meadows (1882 ed. 1920: 430, 435, 436) Ramanamalai SMITH, G (1882: 381) Ramanmalai 992.4 m asl or »3,256 feet« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 22: 42) Ramanmalai »Station« (railway station) near (±500 m) N15°08'10”: E076°35'30” (AMS sheet ND43-03 Hubli 1960), falling on the Survey of India sheet 57-A/08. NOTE 6: Sandur, town near (±1 km) N15°05'15”: E076°32'45” (AMS sheet ND43-04 Bellary, U502 series, 1961 edition), falling on the Survey of India sheet 57-A/12. NOTE 7: Ramandrug, the "sanitarium" on the Ramanmalai, ridge and plateau south-west of Sondur, has been referred to as Ramgad 991 m near (±200 m) N15°06'05”: E076°28'36” (Everest 1830, Survey of India 57-A/08 edition 1976) Ramandroog 960 m or »3150 ft.« (SMITH, G 1882: 381); LEWIS, B (2012) Ramandrug 992.4 m or »3,256 feet« near (±3.6 km) N15°08': E076°30' (FRANCIS, W 1904: 323; IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 170) Ramandrug TAYLOR, P Meadows (1882 ed. 1920: 436); AMS sheet ND43-03 Hubli (U502 series, 1960 edition). NOTE 8: »Bavihalli« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 171) is indicated as »Bhavihalli (Sushilanagara)« near (±200 m) N15°07'18”: E076°29'36”: 623 m asl (Everest 1830) on the Survey of India toposheet 57-A/08 (edition 1976). NOTE 9: »Narayandevarakeri« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 21: 171) is indicated as »Narayandevarakere« near N15°11': E076°18' on AMS sheet ND43-03 Hubli (U502 series, 1960 edition) but disappeared below the water of a reservoir (Survey of India toposheet 57-A/08 edition 1976).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.3 | KANAVEHALLI CAVERNOUS RECESSES | ||
| 10.1 | KUPATASWAMI CAVE, Sandur | ||
| 14.1 | GUPTASWAMI, Sandur (Cave of) | ||
| 15.1 | TARKASURA's CAVE, Sandur (Sondur) | ||
| 15.4 | UPDUDUPUDU SWAMI, 1st (Gavi) | ||
| 15.4 | UPDUDUPUDU SWAMI, 2nd (Gavi) | ||
| 15.4 | UPDUDUPUDU SWAMI, 3rd (Gavi) | ||
| 16.3 | KUMARASWAMI TEMPLE (Cave near) | ||
| 18.6 | NAVILA SWAMI (Gavi) |