YERRA ZARI GAVI
15.347200,78.137500
Description
Two south-east facing cave entrances (up to 25 m wide and 15 m high), which are guarded by potentially letal cliff bees (Apis dorsata), give access to the ascending relic of an originally vadose cave passage (up to 14 m wide and high, abandoned by flowing water) leading to terminal chokes of consolidated conglomerate. FOOTE, R B (1884a: 28) has the impression that this cave »is of large size and of great interest geologically, as being a very typical example of the solvent and eroding action of water in limestone on a large scale« (note 1). The main passage is flanked by lateral cave passages and intersected by two daylight windows. The cave is home to many bats (Chiroptera) and charactericed by a thick deposit of lively bat guano responsible for a stunning, if not breath-taking stench of concentrated ammonia. Looking down from the ridge opposite across the two horizontal entrances and accessible from the devalam (temple) of Yagunta Esharam at Yaganti, an other two or three very dark shadow spots are visible in the cliff face, which appear to indicate possible cave entrances. These, however, are accessible only by native honey-gatherers and abseiling foreigners equipped with hornet-proof suits.ETYMOLOGY: »Yerra Zari Gabbi … takes its name from the red cliff the "Yerra Zari" in which it is situated.« (FOOTE, R B 1884a: 31) and the Telugu "erra" or "yerra" means »red« (coloured), "zari" signifies »cliff« and "gavi" is one of the words for a »cave« (note 2). SITUATION: »The large and important cave … opens at the foot of a great limestone cliff on the eastern slope of the Yegunta Konda [Yaganti Konda], a small plateau 6 miles [9.7 km] north-north-west of Banganapalli [note 3]. It takes its name from the red cliff the "Yerra Zari" in which it is situated and which forms a conspicuous feature on the flank of the plateau, but the mouth of the cave which opens into a very wild and rugged ravine is so hidden by trees that it cannot be seen till one approaches within a few dozen feet. It is quite invisible from the open country below« (FOOTE, R B 1884a: 31). Years later, FOOTE, R B (1916: 118) located »… the Yerra Zari Gabbi 7 miles [11.26 km] to the south-west of the first [the –>Billa Surgam and also] in the Banganapalle State [note 4]« (N15°03': E077°59' to N15°29': E078°22' IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 6: 371-378). SITUATION 1981: »The splendid Errajara cave near Yaganti … [is] situated in the limestone tract of Kurnool« (DUTT, N V B S 1981: 1). POSITION 2010: Dar, Perrin et al. (2011.02.02 Mss: table 1, item C-13) position one of the two cave entrances to the »Yerra Zari Gabbi« near (unspecified precison error) »77°08'11.5” - 15°20'49.9”« = N15°20'49.9”: E077°08'11.5” (unspecified geodetic datum). Judging from the 1: 50'000 Survey of India sheet 57-i/03 (edition 1983), I had placed the bottom entrance to Yerra Zari Gavi about 300 m further east and near (±100 m) N15°20'50”: E78°08'20”: 350 m asl (Everest 1830) corresponding to N15°20'45”: E78°08'25”: 350 m asl (WGS84) POSITION 1994: Rao & Venugopal Rao (1994 Mss: 6 locality list) position »Errazarigavi« near (unspecified precison error) »78° 5' 30" - 15° 20' 40"« = N15°20'40”: E078°05'30” (unidentified geodetic datum probably Everest 1830) equalling N15°20'35.5”: E078°05'35.3” (WGS84) but this position is misleading insofar as it indicates a spot on the south-western edge of the Yerra Konda and about 5 km in a direct line approximately WSW from the cave.CAVE DESCRIPTION 1884: »The cave was formed by the action of a stream rising on the plateau of Paneum [Panem] quartzite which caps the limestone. The stream was formerly of considerably greater length and volume than at present, and formed a complicated series of chambers and passages which I propose to describe fully with plans and sections in another paper. The floor of the cave is level for a distance of 160 feet [48.8 m], when it divides into two, and the main one begins to rise for a distance of 130 feet [39.6 m] till it reaches a kind of platform under a lofty roof which opens into a vertical pot-hole 162 feet [49.4 m] in height. Under the pot-hole the main passage bends nearly at a right angle to the west and continues rising greatly for more than 130 feet [39.6 m] in distance, when it is blocked by debris. A great talus of angular limestone masses fills this passage and much of the slope below the platform. About the middle of the lower slope the water falling down the pot-hole has formed a considerable mass of stalagmitic breccia. The great side chamber has had its upper end breached and huge rolled masses of quartzite have fallen into it from above. The main stream seems to have flowed through this passage for a considerable period, judging by the rounding and polishing which the great quartzite blocks have undergone. Water still flows through in considerable quantity after heavy rain, but the main stream from the plateau now avoids the cave and flows through the wild ravine to the eastward. An immense amount of debris has been brought into the cave by the streams that have flowed through it« (FOOTE, R B 1984a: 31). CULTURAL HISTORY - archaeology (1883-1884): Robert Bruce Foote and his son Henry Bruce Foote (note 5) had arranged for having inside the »Yerra Zari Gabbi … made three deep sinkings in different parts, one (No. 4) [note 6] a little distance within the mouth of the cave which reached the rocky bottom at a depth of 27 feet [8.2 m], another (No. 1) in a large side gallery west-ward of the mouth which failed to reach the bottom at 33 feet [10 m], and a third (No. 3) in a higher-lying side gallery which reached the bottom at 26 feet [7.9 m]. In the side galleries the surface layer is rather loose black soil with much organic matter, chiefly bat droppings, in it. This showed traces of human tenancy of the cave at several levels. At No. 3 sinking a quantity of antique pottery was unearthed, some of it of excellent quality, but with the exception of one little drinking cup of glazed black ware [note 7] all was broken. It attracted a good deal of attention from the natives, who were much struck by its great difference from the pottery now made in that quarter. This pottery was found at a depth of 2 1/2 feet [0.76 m]. At a depth of 11 to 12 feet [3.35 to 3.66 m] in the same place were traces of a fireplace, and close by lay the drumstick of a common fowl. At sinking No. 1, broken pottery occurred at a similar depth. The pottery was of the same character as that obtained at No. 3. At the depth of 11 to 12 feet [3.35 to 3.66 m] was an old fireplace with many small fragments of charcoal. Some cowdung ash-balls such as used in agdans [note 8] and several lumps of rather decomposed shale showing strong traces of fire. With the above were various fragments of very coarse pottery. The loose black surface layer was not found in the main cave at No. 4. There the surface layer, consisted of 2 1/2 feet [0.76 m] of limestone rubble, under which came the cave earth, which was a brown muddy loam passing into stiff clay of brown or reddish-brown colour, generally full of fragments of decomposing calcareous shale; angular or water-worn fragments of limestone, some washed in, others fallen from the roof, occur at intervals near the surface, but were often numerous at greater depths. At a depth of 3 1/2 feet [1.07 m] in the cave earth was a fragment of some marrow bone (apparently ruminant) which showed marks of teeth. Small splinters of bones of good size were not uncommon in the upper part of the cave earth, but all were undeterminable. At a depth of between 12 and 13 feet [3.66 m and 3.96 m] was a minute but perfectly unmistakable piece of antique bright red pottery, probably the oldest trace of man met with in the cave [note 9]. Of three other excavations made in this cave only one was of real importance; of the other two, one was stopped by meeting the bottom of the gallery at a depth of little more than 3 feet [0.9 m], and the other was not brought to a final conclusion. In sinking No. 5, a little below the middle of the high incline leading from the main body of the cave up to the pot-hole, about 12 feet [3.66 m] of hard brown or drab stalagmitic breccia were quarried through in a good-sized pit, and a soft bed of drab-coloured breccia reached; but in neither was even the minutest fragment of bone discovered. It should not be concluded that these sinkings are a sufficient test of the contents of this great cave; for though from its darkness and dampness in wet weather it would not be fitted for a dwelling place, it would from its out-of-the-way position form an excellent hiding place. It is more than probable that the pottery found in the different passages had been left there by refugees who had occupied the cave temporarily« (FOOTE, R B 1984a: 31-32). FOOTE, R B (1887b: 266): »in October 1883 … being taken up with excavations in a large cave … found some interesting prehistoric pottery at some depth in excavating in one of the passages in my cave …« FOOTE, R B (1887b: 267): »some of the pottery found in the Yerizari-gabbi (cave) is ornamented …« FOOTE, R B (1887b: 280): »The pots ornamented with a raised fillet marked with impressions greatly resembling those to be made by a human finger (I am doubtful whether the impressions in question are really those of human fingers, for in none I could detect the impressions of the edge of the nail) found in the Yerra Zari Gaffi (Cave) struck the diggers whom I employed as very strikingly different from the pottery made locally at the present time …« FOOTE, R B (1916: 118): »The Yerra Zari caves yielded no fossil bones, though very considerable excavantions were carried on there in the hope of reaching a stalagmite floor under which fossil bones might be concealed. No stalagmite floor was met with however. No paintings or drawings of any kind were found […] though the several passages were very carefully examined. The rather dark passages were examined with lighted magnesium wire, but that revelaled no attempts at decoration.« FOOTE, R B (1916: 119): »Half a round hammer of polished trap was found by me in the Yerra Zari Gabbi ravine south of the cave mouth; it is much weathered and bears the No. 2607.« CULTURAL HISTORY - cave legend: »The only approximation to a legend in connection with the cave that I succeeded in extracting from the people was a story that it had once served as a place of refuge to the inhabitants of a fort that formerly stood on the edge of the plateau above Yegunta temple, after the fort had been captured during a war« (FOOTE, R B 1984a: 32). DUTT, N V B S (1981: 1, 4), Director of the Geological Survey, obviously never has been anywhere close to this cave, which he suspected to have been used as a troglodyte monastery: »The splendid Errajara cave near Yaganti with arched halls and passages and with stalagmite [speleothem] in the opposite middle of the front hall, suspected by the writer to be a Bauddharama [note 10].« CAVE LIFE & HUMAN USE: FOOTE, R B (1884a: 28-29 note 2) draws attention of gentlemen with a taste for honey to consider avoiding the attention of »wild cliff bees (Apis dorsata ?).« »Yerra Zari Gabbi is largely tenanted by bats [Chiroptera] of a large species. On our first entering they flew out in hundreds with such a ruch that our candles were blown out. Several cart loads of their guano are collected and carried away annually« (FOOTE, R B 1916: 119).
NOTE 1: DUTT, N V B S (1981: 1), Director of the Geological Survey of India and an expert on the Vindhyan stratigraphy, illustrated the state of karstological expertise in India during the 1970ies and subscribed to a belief according to which »the splendid Errajara [i.e. –>Yerra Zari Gavi] near Yaganti with arched halls and passages and with a stalagmite in the opposite middle of the front hall [is] suspected by the writer to be a Bauddharama …« -- especially since a world-class bat-piss stench (in winter 1982 - 1983 more than 40 ppm NH4OH in the air) drives tears into the devotee's eyes.NOTE 2: So far, I found Yerra Zari Gavi called, spelled, transcribed or edited as Errajara cave DUTT, N V B S (1981: 1, 4) Errajara Gabbi GEBAUER & ABELE (1983d: 59 after local communicators)Errajarigavi cave Rao & Venugopal Rao (1994 Mss: 3) Errazarigavi Rao & Venugopal Rao (1994 Mss: 6) My Cave FOOTE, R B (1887b: 266) Yerizari Gabbi FOOTE, Robert B (1884b: 267); Krishnaswamy, V D (1946.07.03 Mss) Yerra Zari, cave at LOGAN (1906: 39) Yerra Zari Gabi Dar, Perrin et al. (2011.02.02 Mss) Yerra Zari Gabbi FOOTE, R B (1884a: 31-32; 1916: 118, 119, 189), MURTY, M L K (1974a, 1975-1976: 361); Dar, Perrin et al. (2011.02.02 Mss: table 1, item C-13) Yerra Zari Gaffi FOOTE, R B (1887b: 280) Yerrajari Gabbi THIMMA REDDY, K (1980: 206) Yerrazari Gabbi PRASAD, K N (1996: 30); SOUNDARA RAJAN, K V (1989: 77) Yerrazarigabbi MURTY & THIMMA REDDY (1976: 214) Yerizari-gabbi FOOTE, R B (1887b: 257). NOTE 2: »The cliff bees are of very unreliable temper, and the natives are much afraid of them. Though often inoffensive, they are sometimes roused and sally forth and attack with great fury any human or animal they may come across. When working at the Yerra Zari Gabbi (cave), where there was a very large colony of bees, they got exited several times and swarmed down furiously into the mouth of the cave; luckily their great noise gave us warning and we could escape into the dark passages, into which they would not follow. At Billa Surgam, however, there were no dark passages into which to retreat. After some time I succeeded in getting their nests [at Billa Surgam] removed by honey-gatherers, but, despite that, many of the swarms showed no inclination to migrate elsewhere, and remained when I left, fully ten days after the destruction of their combs. Those that left seems to have joined the Yerra Zari Gabbi colony [½]. I had had 26 large nests destroyed there [where?] in hope of getting rid of the inhabitants. Many left but returned again, and about a month later I found the colony had increased to 40 nests. It is impossible to smoke them out on such high cliffs, and the only way to get rid of them will be to blow them up with gun powder« (FOOTE, R B 1884a: 28-29 note 2). ½ Yerra Zari (N15°20'50”: E078°08'20" Everest 1830) lies about 11 km in a direct line approximately NNE from –>Billa Surgam (N15°26'01”: E078°11'11” Everest 1830). NOTE 3: »Banaganpalli« (FOOTE, R B 1884a: 28, 31, 1887a: 71, 1887b: 266) is indicated as Banaganapalle near (±500 m) N15°18'45”: E078°13'30”: 226.6 m asl (Everest 1830, Survey of India 57-I/03 edition 1983). NOTE 4: Banganapalle State covered the area between N15°03': E077°59' and N15°29': E078°22' (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 6: 371-378). NOTE 5: Robert Bruce Foote narrates how he, »in October 1883 … being taken up with excavations in a large cave … found some interesting prehistoric pottery at some depth in excavating in one of the passages in my cave …« (FOOTE, R B 1887b: 266). NOTE 6: »The numbers in brackets refer to the order in which the sinkings were made« (FOOTE, R B 1984a: 31 note 1). NOTE 7: »Of one large chatty I succeeded in finding nearly every piece, so that it can be built up by careful cementing. It shows a very striking style of ornamentation, very different to anything modern« (FOOTE, R B 1984a: 31 note 2). NOTE 8: "agdans" (FOOTE, R B 1884a: 32) from "agaiya" (Hindi), "agni" (Sanskrit), fire. NOTE 9: The »minute but perfectly unmistakable piece of antique bright red pottery« (FOOTE, R B 1984a: 31) somehow turned black and became »One little drinking cup of glazed black ware and a quantity of broken antique pottery of excellent quality were unearthed by Bruce Foote (1884, pp 31-32) from one of the trial pits in Errajara cave« (DUTT, N V B S 1981: 4). NOTE 10: »Bauddharama« (DUTT, N V B S 1981: 1, 4), buddharama (Pali, Sanskrit), a Buddhist monastery; a place of residence occupied by a religious community of Buddhist monks or nuns.
Documents
Bibliography 05/07/2016- Craven, Stephen A 1969: 23; Dutt, N V B S 1981; Foote, Robert Bruce 1884a, 1887b, 1916; Gebauer, H D & Abele, A 1983d; Logan, A C 1906; Medlicott, Henry Benedict 1884; Mitra, Panchanan 1920; Murty, M L K 1974a, 1975-1976; Murty, M L Krishna & Thimma Reddy, K 1976; Prasad, K N 1996; Soundara Rajan, K V 1989.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1883: Robert Bruce Foote »In October 1883 … being taken up with excavations in a large cave … found some interesting prehistoric pottery at some depth in excavating in one of the passages in my cave …« (FOOTE, R B 1887b: 266). »The Yerra Zari Gabbi … This large and important cave which I had the good fortune to discover … This cave also was unknown to the people at Banaganpalli, though it lies within the Banaganpalli territory« (FOOTE, R B 1884a: 31). 1884, 22nd January: »By desire of His Excellency the Governor of Madras Mr. Foote at the beginning of the current field season [autumn 1883] took up the exploration of the ossiferous caves in the Karnul district, mention of which was made in last year's reports. Owing to the total want of local information regarding these caves there was much difficulty in finding them, and work was commenced in a cave [i.e. Yerra Zari Gavi] said to be called Billa Surgam, but which turned out not to be the locality where Newbold had made excavations. This cave was, however, found out in time …« (MEDLICOTT, H B 1884: 9). 1884: Robert Bruce Foote, then Deputy Superintendant of the Geological Survey of India, »had the good fortune to discover« the cave and arranged for having trial pits excavated (still discernible in 1981) to find »a fresh set of fossil bones« (FOOTE, R B 1916: 191). Years later, Robert Bruce Foote recalled having »… received instructions to proceed to the Billa Surgam cave to make excavations … I accordingly proceeded to Banganapalle, in 1884 [or 1883], as the nearest town of any importance from the cave. … I began work at a large cave locally called the Yerra Zari Gabbi and met with no success. My eldest son … H. B. Foote … was with me being on leave. After several weeks' stay I heard casually of another and larger cave several miles to the northward, so we rode over there and found that it was really the true Billa Surgam« (FOOTE, R B 1916: 191). 1975: »Yerrazarigabbi« was counted among caves »known to archaeologists« (MURTY, M L K & THIMMA REDDY, K 1976: 214).1981.01.30 - 31: H. D. Gebauer, Andre Abele and Werner Busch climbed up to the crest of the Yaganti ridge (south of the Sri Yagunta Eshwaraswami temple) and, looking down to the other side, saw several cave entrances, including an apparently large one, hidden behind vegetation at the base of the north-facing Yerra Zari (Red Cliff). The following day, they found a route to the cave entrance, entered, surveyed to BCRA grade 4b and explored.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | YAGANTI, 2nd (Cave at) | ||
| 0.3 | YAGANTI, 1st (Cave at) | ||
| 0.4 | YAGANTI, 3rd (Cave at) | ||
| 0.4 | Ulavalagondi 2 Crevice | ||
| 0.6 | MOGASARAYANAGONDI CAVE | ||
| 0.8 | YAGANTI SECOND RAVINE CAVE (Foote 1884a: 33) | ||
| 1.0 | YERRA ZARI SPRING & CAVE | ||
| 1.6 | Ulavalagondi 1 Crevice | ||
| 2.1 | YAGANTI SINK, Katikavanikunia |