SINIGASIVANI GAVI

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 31/05/2016

The elusive cave called »Sinigasi-vani-Gavi« characterised CAMMIADE (1927: 11) as »a succession of domed chambers and runs far into the hill.« SITUATION: CAMMIADE (1927: 11) from a vaguely identified location somewhere »three miles« or 4.5 km in an unspecified direction »from Betamcherla« (N15°26'50”: E78°08'55” Everest 1830). IDENTITY 1884: FOOTE (1884a) had not visited a cave (no name mentioned), »… of which the locality was pointed out to me … in a picturesque ravine which one passes on the left hand side when crossing the small ghat which leads from Gorlagootla [initial north-west and later north] to Betumcherru« (Betamcherla). This would be the –>Nagireddybadde about 3 to 5 km along the road from Betamcherla south. IDENTITY 1996: M. Narayanareddy (1996 personal communication) interpreted »sinigasi« (CAMMIADE 1927: 11) as a corruption of »sanjasin« and hence identified »Sinigasi-vani-Gavi« (CAMIADE 1927) with the –>Sanyasula Gavi or »Sanyasuli Gavi« (PRASAD 1996), which, a) at a survey length of 234 m, does not exactly »runs far into the hill« and b) lies not »three miles« [4.5 km] but 6 km or 8 km on horse-back (4.7 km in a direct line) north-east of Betamcherla.