KOTTUKAL CAVE TEMPLE, Kadakkal

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A pair of man-made, east-facing rock chambers, dated to the 7th or 8th century and sitting side by side, are excavated from a solitary lump of granite (about 18 by 10 metres wide and 4 or 5 m high) which pops up from paddy fields in a spacious and almost level valley embraced by low spurs covered by rubber and cashew trees (Anacardium occidentale). ETYMOLOGY: The Malayalam -kal- is the word for rock and -kutakkal- signifies an umbrella stone. SITUATION: The granite rock, complete with a tiny counter-temple (a man-made structure housing idols of Parvati and Ganesh), and a house with two rooms (home of a resident priest and his handyman), lies in the shade of Coco palms (Cocos nucifera) and within a relatively small holy compound, enclosed by a low wall, and in a silent rural area -- unless ear shattering loudspeakers, hidden high above in the palms, blare holy chants from a Malayalam version of the Mahabharata straight into the cerebral core of the unwary visitor. The site (near N08°53*$22”: E076°54'19”: circa 60 m asl) lies in a linear distance of about 32.5 km ESE of Kollam (note 1), in the area between Anchal and Kadakkal (note 2) and, if approaching from the latter, half a kilometre from a T-junction (a signpost directs to the left and says -Kottukal Rock and Cave-) which lies about a kilometre or two before reaching the tiny village of Kottukal. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The left rock chamber (facing the rock, looking towards west) is characterised with a double-pillared portico. The upper and lower thirds of the pillars are square in cross-section but octagonal in between. On the left-hand side of the portico's interior wall is a niche with figure of Ganesha carved from the massive rock and blackened by offerings. The interior chamber, closed with a wooden door, is restricted to the reigning Brahmin. The right rock chamber, apparently made at a different (older?) time, starts with a flat vertical wall set back from the sloping surface of the rock. A notch above dviates water running down the rock from entering the rock chamber itself which, again, was locked by a wooden door. To the right of the door, a monkey-like figure, a Hanuman, carved from the solid rock, looks like a later addition, adored by a sitting bull (common with Shiva idols). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The Kottukal Rock and Cave is advertised tourist and pilgrimage centre (note 3), regarded as a protected monument [note 4] the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) put up a plate), and used for religious purposes (currently a Hindu -cave- temple). The temple precincts are kept neat and clean, and even the ornamental flowers (note 5) are surprisingly well watered —probably from the well within the temple compound.*$22”: E076°54'19”: circa 60 m asl) lies in a linear distance of about 32.5 km ESE of Kollam (note 1), in the area between Anchal and Kadakkal (note 2) and, if approaching from the latter, half a kilometre from a T-junction (a signpost directs to the left and says -Kottukal Rock and Cave-) which lies about a kilometre or two before reaching the tiny village of Kottukal. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The left rock chamber (facing the rock, looking towards west) is characterised with a double-pillared portico. The upper and lower thirds of the pillars are square in cross-section but octagonal in between. On the left-hand side of the portico's interior wall is a niche with figure of Ganesha carved from the massive rock and blackened by offerings. The interior chamber, closed with a wooden door, is restricted to the reigning Brahmin. The right rock chamber, apparently made at a different (older?) time, starts with a flat vertical wall set back from the sloping surface of the rock. A notch above dviates water running down the rock from entering the rock chamber itself which, again, was locked by a wooden door. To the right of the door, a monkey-like figure, a Hanuman, carved from the solid rock, looks like a later addition, adored by a sitting bull (common with Shiva idols). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The Kottukal Rock and Cave is advertised tourist and pilgrimage centre (note 3), regarded as a protected monument [note 4] the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) put up a plate), and used for religious purposes (currently a Hindu -cave- temple). The temple precincts are kept neat and clean, and even the ornamental flowers (note 5) are surprisingly well watered —probably from the well within the temple compound.