MUCHCHATLESWARA GAVI
15.409700,78.111900
Description
A bone dry maze of comparatively small sized (0.6 m wide by 1 m high) relic cave passages of phreatic origin, nowadays some 15 m up a 35 m high escarpment and well above the current water-table, are accessible on a south-east facing slope above a tributary from the left (north) to Muchchatla Vagu. Negotiation of the cave galleries requires dedicated squeeze crawlers prepared to kill more than three venomous snakes with a single bite. SITUATION: According to low reliability GPS readings (Gebauer, December 1996, unstable 4-channel GPS), at a linear distance of 6.0 km approximately south-east (220°) of Betamcherla and estimated 200 m north of Muchchatleswara temple (note 1). The cave entrances lie next to an abandoned limestone slab quarry. CAVE DESCRIPTION: »… Muchchatla and the Chintamani Gavi … were explored by Murthy (1974, 1975) and Prasad and Yadagiri (1986). The caves are 15 m up a 35 m escarpment. The stalagmitic floors have an assortment of limestone slabs and boulders as well as weathered shale. The caves are small and narrow, ranging from 0.5 m to 1.5 m wide. Narrow entrances restrict movement. However, average passage is 9 m high, on two sides, and has galleries 15 m long, which narrow down to corridors less than 1.5 m wide« (PRASAD 1996: 32). CAVE POTENTIAL: DUTT (1955: 122) points out that »… temples and halting places for for pilgrims have sprung up … near many of the picturesque springs« and »Muchchatleswara (1524': 78°7')« is one of the many »situated in beautiful surroundings. These places, if properly developed, will attract the tourist.« CULTURAL HISTORY - archaeology: According to PRASAD (1996: 32), it was MURTY (1974, 1975) and PRASAD & YADAGIRI (1986) who explored archaeologigal and palaeontological aspects the caves »Muchchatla« (i.e. –>Muchchatleswara Gavi) and »Chintamani Gavi« (i.e. –>Muchchatla Chintamanu Gavi). In both cases, the cave floors were covered with »excreta of bats« (bat guano) before archaeological excavation. MURTY (1985: 195): In the Kurnool cave area, »… the cave occupations and open air occurrences of the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic represent short-term campsites (at Gollagutta, opposite Sanyasula Gavi and Muchhatla Swami Gavi), a transient encampment (MCG I = Muchchatla Chintamanu Gavi 1), an long-term residential base (MCG II) and fleeting transitory loci (sporadic nondescript confines with a very low artifact content on the plateaux).«CAVE LIFE: The reported presence of bat guano may indicate bats (Chiroptera).
NOTE 1: Muchchatleswara Temple is indicated near (±250 m) N15°24'30”: E078°06'45” (Everest 1830, Survey of India sheet 57-I/03 edition 1983).
Documents
Bibliography 27/04/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1996.12.16: H. D. Gebauer and Werner Busch mapped and explored, guided and interpreted by M. Narayana Reddy (retired Special Police officer, Nandyal town), who arranged for being guided by one Rama Moorthy from the village of »H. Kottala« (full title: Hanumantharayakottala or, to suit short attention span (SAS) readers, Hanumantha Raya Kottala), who himself was guided by a certain "Rangya" from the same village but of a social class not entitled to a surname.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | CHINTAMANU GAVI, Passimani vanka | ||
| 2.3 | SUNNAPURALA VANKA GAVI, 1st | ||
| 2.3 | SUNNAPURALA VANKA GAVI , 2nd | ||
| 2.3 | SUNNAPURALA VANKA GAVI, 3rd | ||
| 3.6 | BOYA DARI | ||
| 4.0 | MUCHCHATLA CHINTAMANU GAVI | ||
| 4.2 | GURRUM PATINATADE | ||
| 4.3 | ERRABADDE GAVI , 1st | ||
| 4.3 | ERRABADDE GAVI, 2nd |