MALLAPPA CAVE SHRINE, Mallappan Betta (MUDI)
14.922200,75.972200
Description
A speleographically unexplored and, as far as unknown, relatively »small cave some 30 feet or more in depth« was said to contain »an image to Mudi Mallappa, or "ancient Mallappa," the god of the hill« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245) and represents a »shrine sacred to Bettada Mallapan, the local deity« situated »under the lateritic mass« on the »much laterized« and »conical summit of the hill« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85). ETYMOLOGY: The cave and shrine (Hindu cultspot) on the Mallappan Betta, the chief peak of the Mallappangudda range of hills, is sacred to a local deity, the wealth / fertility provider called Mallappa (note 1), the »god [of the] hill« who is better honorifically appellated "Mudi Mallappa", the »ancient Mallappa« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245). So far, I saw the name of the deity, hill, and ridge referred to as Bettada Mallapan »local deity« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85) Mallapan gudda »ridge« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85); CRAVEN, S A (1969: 25) Mallappa »god of the hill« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245) Mallappangudda »range of hills« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245) Mallappan Betta »peak« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245)Mudi Mallappa »ancient Mallappa, the god of the hill« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245) CAVE DESCRIPTION 1895: A relatively »small cave some 30 feet or more in depth. Whether it is natural or artificial I could not ascertain, as I could not go into it. It contains a shrine sacred to Bettada Mallapan, the local deity, and a pooja in his honour was going on in the cave at the time of my visit. The pujari took great umbrage at my presence on the summit, so I left the cave unexplored« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1904: »Mallappan Betta … The surface of the conical summit of the hill is of lateritic formation and in this is a natural cave some 30 feet deep in which has been placed an image to Mudi Mallappa, or "ancient Mallappa," the god of the hill. Worship is regularly paid to it« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1969: »Foote (1895) described the Mallapan Gudda ridge, 35 miles WSW of the Sandur Hills, extending 25 miles SW to the Chinna Hagari River. Beneath the lateritic mass on the conical summit is a small cave, 30 ft. deep« (CRAVEN, S A 1969: 25). SITUATION: On the Deccan Plateau above the south (orographically right) bank of the Tungabhadra and at linear distances of about 100 km WSW from Bellary (15°09'N: 76°56'E) 60 km WSW from Sandur (N15°05': E076°33') 58 km WSW from Hospet (15°16'N: 76°24'E) 13 km North from Harpanahalli (N14°48': E075°59') 4.8 km SW of Sogi (N14°58'00”: E075°59'50”) or »three miles south-west of Sogi, measured in a direct line« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245) and at a location where the »Mallapan gudda ridge [note 2] shows a series of five or six principal hæmatite [hematite] beds which are intercalated with argillites, some ferrugineous and red, and others light coloured. The surface of the conical summit of the hill is much laterized, and under the lateritic mass is a small cave …« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85). SITUATION 1904: »Mallappan Betta is the chief peak of the Mallappangudda range of hills, which are of Dharwar rock. It stands three miles [4.8 km] south-west of Sogi [N14°58'00”: E075°59'50”], measured in a direct line, and is 3,177 feet [968.3 m] above the sea. The surface of the conical summit of the hill is of lateritic formation and in this is a natural cave … The view from the top of the peak is well worth the climb. On a clear clay the hills as far as Rayadrug can be identified« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245). OROGRAPHY: »To the west-south-west of the Sandur [note 3] hills, at a distance of about 32 miles [51.5 km], rises a high ridge, rather similar in appearance, and forms the Mallapan gudda range, which also starts from the right bank of the Tungabhadra at the western end of the Honur reach of the river and stretches south-west for 25 miles [40 km] to the valley of the Chinna Haggari river. Here a gap, some seven miles [11 km] in length, occurs, and beyond it the hills rise again immediately south of the Mysore frontier and extend right across the State in a nearly unbroken line … Eight to ten miles [13 to 16 km] south-west of the Mallapan gudda is another group of hills, which, in the absence of any local collective name, may as well be designated after their highest and most conspicuous member, the Kalhalligudda [note 4]« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 2-3). GEOGRAPHY: »The great twin haematite beds which cross the [Tungabhadra] river at Timlapur [note 5] may be seen forming the crest of a considerable ridge, which sinks down to the general level a little to the north west of Nagti Bassapur [note 6], 9 miles [15 km] to the south-east. About a mile [one or two kilometres] to south-east of that village, the haematite beds show above the general surface again and rise rapidly into the great western shoulder terrace of Mallapan gudda, and continue for 6 miles [10 km] more to form the conspicuous western scarp of the high Mallapan gudda ridge. They then sink down again and are lost in the Kannavihalli (Cunnavyhully) [note 7] pass« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1895: A relatively »small cave some 30 feet or more in depth. Whether it is natural or artificial I could not ascertain, as I could not go into it. It contains a shrine sacred to Bettada Mallapan, the local deity, and a pooja in his honour was going on in the cave at the time of my visit. The pujari took great umbrage at my presence on the summit, so I left the cave unexplored« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1904: »Mallappan Betta … the conical summit of the hill is of lateritic formation and in this is a natural cave some 30 feet deep in which has been placed an image to Mudi Mallappa, or "ancient Mallappa," the god of the hill. Worship is regularly paid to it« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1969: »Foote (1895) described the Mallapan Gudda ridge, 35 miles WSW of the Sandur Hills, extending 25 miles SW to the Chinna Hagari River. Beneath the lateritic mass on the conical summit is a small cave, 30 ft. deep« (CRAVEN, S A 1969: 25).
NOTE 1: mal (Tamil), fertility, richness; income. mallai richness, fertility (Madras University Tamil Lexicon 1924-1939). NOTE 2: The »Mallapan gudda ridge« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85), better: the »Mallappan Betta chief peak of the Mallappangudda range of hills« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245), culminates near (±500 m) 14°55'30”N: 75°58'00”E (AMS sheet ND43-07 Davangere, U502 series 1958 edition) at a height of circa (±3 m) 970 m asl: 967 m »Mallapan gudda ridge … Trigonometrical station on the top 3,172 feet above sea level« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85) 968.3 m »Mallappan Betta … is 3,177 feet above the sea« (FRANCIS, W 1904: 245) 972 m India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 107 E3) 972.3 m »3190« near (±500 m) 14°55'30”N: 75°58'00”E: 972.3 m asl (AMS sheet ND43-07 Davangere, U502 series 1958 edition). NOTE 3: Sandur, town near (±1 km ) 15°05'12”N: 76°32'45”E (Everest 1830). NOTE 4: »Kalhalligudda« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 3) is probably the conspicuous height .879 indicated (without name) in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 106 D3) and as .2888 (feet) near (±1 km) 14°47'30”N: 75°21'E: 880 m asl on the AMS sheet ND43-07 Davangere (U502 series, 1958 edition) and about 3 km in a direct line north of the village of Kallahalli. NOTE 5: »Timlapur« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85), Timmalapuram 15°00'30”N: 75°54'E (AMS sheet ND43-03 Hubli, U502 series, 1960 edition). NOTE 6: »Nagti Bassapur« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85), Nagaribasapuram 15°56'N: 75°56'E (AMS sheet ND43-07 Davangere, U502 series, 1958 edition). NOTE 7: »Kannavihalli (Cunnavyhully)« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 85), the village of Kanavehalli 15°51'N: 76°01'E: »2911 [feet]« = 887.3 m asl (AMS sheet ND43-07 Davangere, U502 series, 1958 edition) or 879 m (India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 106 D3) on the "ghat" (pass) south-east of the Mallapan Gudda. -- NOT the village of »Kannévihalli« (FOOTE, R B 1895: 124, 125) indicated as »Yeshvantanagara (Kanavehalli)« in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth, 2006: 107 F3) and as »Yeshwantanagara (Kanavehalli)« near (±200 m) 15°02'32”N: 76°30'00”E (Everest 1830) on the Survey of India toposheet 57-A/08 (edition 1976) at the south-west base of the –>Sandur Hills.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57.3 | RAMANDRUG, Sandur - Ramanmalai (Cave below) | ||
| 57.4 | GUPTASWAMI, Sandur (Cave of) | ||
| 59.3 | KANAVEHALLI CAVERNOUS RECESSES | ||
| 61.8 | UPDUDUPUDU SWAMI, 1st (Gavi) | ||
| 61.8 | UPDUDUPUDU SWAMI, 2nd (Gavi) | ||
| 61.8 | UPDUDUPUDU SWAMI, 3rd (Gavi) | ||
| 62.3 | SHIVAPUR CAVE SETTLEMENT | ||
| 64.3 | TARKASURA's CAVE, Sandur (Sondur) | ||
| 64.4 | KUMARASWAMI TEMPLE (Cave near) |