SANYASI CAVE, Bugganipalle (Dutt 1981)
15.472200,78.175000
Description
A fascinating but unidentified and either confused or elusive »Sanyasi cave near Bugganipalle with an arched inclined tunnel leading to water … [is] situated in the limestone tract of Kurnool« (DUTT, N V B S 1981: 1). A possible diving site? ETYMOLOGY: »sanyasin -- like a sadhu« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 1147) or »sanyasin -- like a sadhu; a wandering ascetic who has renounced all worldly things as part of the ashrama system« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 1111). IDENTITY: Unknown. In December 1996, M. Narayana Reddy (Nadyal, retired Special Police Officer) helped me searching for caves the vicinity of Bugganipalle (note 1) but I was refused identifying any Sanyasi or Sanyasula cave giving access to water. Several local informants associated the cave name "Sanyasi Gavi" quite naturally with the sanctified pilgrimage place –>Sanyasula Gavi (in Telugu language, the ending "-la" indicates plural). The known Sanyasula Gavi however, is a relic cave comprised of two, dry horizontal caves passages while the Sanyasi Cave (DUTT 1981) is said to descend to water. Several caves giving access to water (–>Nela Bilam) are known to exist in the semi-arid limestone tract of Kurnool but apparently none in the vicinities of Bugganipalle and Betamcherla (note 2).
NOTE 1: Bugganipalle N15°28'20”: E078°10'30”: 390 m asl (Everest 1830, Survey of India 57-I/03 edition 1983). Bugganipalle Cementnagar N15°29'15”: E078°11'46”: 390 m asl (Everest 1830, Survey of India 57-I/03 edition 1983). NOTE 2: Betamcherla railway station N15°26'50”: E078°08'55”: 362 m asl (Everest 1830, Survey of India 57-I/03 edition 1983).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | BUGGANIPALLE CAVES | ||
| 0.9 | SANYASULA GAVI | ||
| 3.2 | KOTTALA (Cave near) | ||
| 3.5 | KOTTALA GAVI | ||
| 3.6 | SINIGASIVANI GAVI | ||
| 4.1 | BILLA SURGAM | ||
| 4.3 | BILLA SURGAM 1: Charnel House | ||
| 4.4 | BILLA SURGAM: U-SHAPED CAVE | ||
| 4.4 | BILLA SURGAM 2: Purgatory Cave |