SANKARAM CAVES

(Anakapalle - IN)
17.716700,83.000000
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 15/05/2016

Three double-chambered, Buddhist »caves« (man-made, rock-cut chambers used for religious purposes) or »rock cut caves« (note 1) noticed AIYAR (1906) and FRANCIS (1907 edited 1992: 223-225). CRAVEN (1969: 21) stresses that the »Sankaram Caves« are vaguely reported. DUTT (1981: 1) mentions several natural and man-made caves in Andhra Pradesh and refers expressively to »cave temples« at »Makkuva, Ramatirtham and Sankharam in Visakhapatnam districts in the Archaean (ancient) crystalline rocks« (note 2). ETYMOLOGY: »The name of the village Sankaram derived from the word Sangharama which meant monastery« (go2india.in/ap/sankaram.php accessed 2008.09.04). DUTT (1981: 1) spells »Sankharam« but DUTT (1981 plate 1 "Physiographical map of Andhra Pradesh" on scale 1: 3'000'000) indicates »Sankaram« north-west of Anakapalle. SITUATION: On Bojjanna Konda, the hill above the village of »Sankaram« (note 2), which lies at a travelling distance of 4 km along the road approximately north from Anakapalle (N17°41': E83°01'), a town and railway station which lies at a travelling distance of 31 km (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 96 C5) along the National Highway NH5 west of Visakhapatnam (N17°42': E83°18').

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 15/05/2016

NOTE 1: »Sankaram village at Bojjanna Konda near Anakapalle is popular Buddhist heritage spot. Few century back this place was the center of Buddhist culture and teaching. … There are many monolithic stupas, rock cut caves, ruins of prayer halls, meditation halls, brick build structural edifices, resting places … During the excavation of this place many age old coins, clay tablets of Sitting Buddha were found. There are many Buddha statues carved on the rock-face of the caves« ( go2india.in/ap/sankaram.php accessed 2008.09.04). NOTE 2: Little doubt remains that it is not exactly the whole lot of »Visakhapatnam districts« (DUTT 1981: 1), of which there is only one, are found in »Archaean (ancient) crystalline rocks« but rather the »cave temples« themselves. NOTE 2: »Sankaram« (FRANCIS 1907 edited 1992: 223-225) or »Sankharam« (DUTT 1981: 1) is neither listed on nima.mil/geonames (accessed 16.11.2003) nor in IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 24: 108-109, 510, 524) or in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006 index).

Documents

Bibliography 15/05/2016
  • Aiyar K G 1906; Craven Stephen A 1969; Dutt, N V B S 1981; Francis W 1907, 1992.

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
21.9PUDIMADAKA - BHIMUNIPATNAM SEA CAVES
45.7REGA (Cave at)
50.0Borra Caves
50.1NILGALGUNTA (Cave at)
62.8PEDDAGUNDA STREAM CAVE
63.0KOTHIGUDA LIMESTONE OCCURRENCE
67.9RAMATIRTHAM CAVE TEMPLES
88.5KALINGAPATNAM - TUNI SEA CAVES
92.4DEVUDU KONDA (Cave on the)