KABBALDURGA DUNGEONS
12.500000,77.300000
Description
Dungeons from which »no prisoner ever returned« (BUCHANAN, F 1807, 1: 53) served on the fortified hill Kabbaldurga to promote human rights and secure enduring freedom in the US-Republican sense: »The poisonous water and noxious climate, aided by unwholesome food, soon ended the lives of the victims confined in it« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 240). ETYMOLOGY: "drug" or "droog" (Anglo-Indian), from the Sanskrit "durga" (note 1), literally »inaccessible« (note 2) signifies a fortified hill or rock, a hill fortress (note 3). Capála durga BUCHANAN, F (1807, 1: 53) Copaldrug NEWBOLD, T J (1838: 136) Kabbaldurga N12°30': E077°18' (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 240); N12°30': E77°18' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). SETTING: »Kabbaldurga.-- Fortified conical hill in the Malavalli taluk … The sides are ery precipituous, and the summit is accessible only on one side, where some notches are cut in the solid rock« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 240). SITUATION: Some 60 km in a direct line approximately north-west of Bangalore (N12°59': E77°35') and »at a considerable distance« (18 km or 19 km in a direct line approximately south-south-east) but in sight of »Chinapatam« (BUCHANAN, F 1807, 1: 53), Channapatan, Channapatna (note 4). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: »Kabbaldurga … was a penal settlement for state prisoners under the Hindu and Musalman dynasties. … The unfortunate Chama Raja and his wife were sent here by the Delavayi Devaraj in 1734, and Morari Rao, the Maratha chief of Gooty, by Haider Ali, who gave the place the name Jafarabad. In 1864 the guns were destroyed and the guards removed« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 14: 240-241). »Morari Row [note 5] … established himself at Gooty, one of the naturally strongest fortresses in Southern India, and added the present citadel to the old poligar fort. He was besieged in this stronghold between 1776 and 1779 by Hyder. The fortress was taken by treachery after a long and gallant resistance -- Morari was made prisoner, thrown into the dungeons of Copaldrug, and never more heard of. In this campaign, Hyder made himself master of Chittledrug, Raidrug, Harponhully, and also of Sondur …« (NEWBOLD, T J 1838: 135-136).
NOTE 1: durga, in the "vedic" (preclassical) Sanskrit of the Atharvaveda »impassable«, in the Rigveda »difficult passage, danger« (KALYANARAMAN, S 1998: 4786). NOTE 2: durga (Marathi, Hindi, etc.) »inaccessible« (LONELY PLANET, INDIA 1070; 1111; 1142; 1042; 1060; 1107; 1209; 1204; LONELY PLANET, North India 2001: 891; LONELY PLANET, North-East India 2009: 359; LONELY PLANET, South India 2001: 696; LONELY PLANET, Goa 2000: 240). NOTE 3: »Droog -- A fortified hill or rock, a hill fortress« (HAMILTON, W 1828, 2: 723); »Droog or fortress« (NEWBOLD, T J 1845d: 647). NOTE 4: »Chinapatam« (BUCHANAN, F 1807), Channapatan or Channapatna N12°39': E77°13' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) is indicated as Channapatna not only on AMS sheet ND43-16 Mysore (U502 series, 1959 edition) but also in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 111 H4). NOTE 5: »Sidhoji died about 1715, leaving a widow Sik Bai and, according to the Tazkirat al Bilad, four children … Doulet Row [Daulat Rao], Gopal Row, Morari Row or Mora Row, and Bhojung Row« (NEWBOLD, T J 1838: 135).
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.4 | PURUSHOTTAMA GUHA | ||
| 28.0 | Mile 26 Cave | ||
| 45.6 | HULIYURDURGA TUNNEL | ||
| 48.2 | SAVANADURGA BAT CAVE | ||
| 59.7 | JALA (Cave at) | ||
| 59.7 | RAMAGIRI CAVITIES | ||
| 59.7 | ACHALU BETTA CAVE | ||
| 61.0 | GANGADARESHWARA (Sri Gavi) | ||
| 61.9 | RAJAJESHWARI GUHA |