MULAIANAGIRI CAVES

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Another unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) in laterite is said to be located on the hill Mullaianagiri [sic!] (Chandrasekaran, Deepak 2010.09.04 Republic Day 2004 Trek to Mullaianagiri and Bababudanagiri in Bangalore.- atreyarocks.blogspot.com accessed 2011.11.13). IDENTITY: The two caves on the hill Mulaina Giri mentioned by Chandrasekaran, D (2010.09.04 Mss) are possibly the same as the interesting laterite caves which LAKSHMI, R (2002) reported from the –> Seethalayanagiri hill temple (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the hill name -Mulaina Giri- (or so) has not yet been discovered but -malai- is the Tamil word for a hill or a mountain (note 2) and -giri- is the -Vedic- (preclassical Sanskrit) word for a hill or a mountain SITUATION: Somewhere in the vicinity of the Seethalayanagiri hill temple (LAKSHMI, R 2002) on the Mulaina Giri (note 3), a peak of the Baba Budan Hills about12 km in a direct line approximately north-west of Chikmagalur (N13°19': E75°47'). On Mullaianagiri (sic!) are … two caves, which were very close to each other, but still amazingly both never connected each other. The entrances of both these caves were next to each other (Chandrasekaran, Deepak 2010.09.04 Mss). The Mullayanagiri [sic!] … caves are just below the temple. The path is just along the edge of the base of the temple, near the Nandi statue (team-bhp.com accessed 2012.11.13). APPROACH: The Seethalayanagiri hill temple and the interesting laterite caves (LAKSHMI, R 2002) can be reached on foot simply by walking the Mulayangiri - Kemmangudi [note 4] trek (note 5) that leads from the Muthody Reserved Forest (note 6) along a steep, stream - laced path to the top of the Mulaina Giri.CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: During pre-dinner day time on Republic Day 2004, Cave 1 had a statue of Nandi, and also a Samadhi of Baba Mulayanagiri (Chandrasekaran, D 2010.09.04 Mss). CULTURAL HISTORY religious folklore: Legend has it that Baba Mulayanagiri came here many years back for penance. He achieved his Samadhi after years of praying. I offered Gayathri Javams in the cave. I also meditated for some time (Chandrasekaran, D 2010.09.04 Mss).12 km in a direct line approximately north-west of Chikmagalur (N13°19': E75°47'). On Mullaianagiri (sic!) are … two caves, which were very close to each other, but still amazingly both never connected each other. The entrances of both these caves were next to each other (Chandrasekaran, Deepak 2010.09.04 Mss). The Mullayanagiri [sic!] … caves are just below the temple. The path is just along the edge of the base of the temple, near the Nandi statue (team-bhp.com accessed 2012.11.13). APPROACH: The Seethalayanagiri hill temple and the interesting laterite caves (LAKSHMI, R 2002) can be reached on foot simply by walking the Mulayangiri - Kemmangudi [note 4] trek (note 5) that leads from the Muthody Reserved Forest (note 6) along a steep, stream - laced path to the top of the Mulaina Giri.CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: During pre-dinner day time on Republic Day 2004, Cave 1 had a statue of Nandi, and also a Samadhi of Baba Mulayanagiri (Chandrasekaran, D 2010.09.04 Mss). CULTURAL HISTORY 12 km in a direct line approximately north-west of Chikmagalur (N13°19': E75°47'). On Mullaianagiri (sic!) are … two caves, which were very close to each other, but still amazingly both never connected each other. The entrances of both these caves were next to each other (Chandrasekaran, Deepak 2010.09.04 Mss). The Mullayanagiri [sic!] … caves are just below the temple. The path is just along the edge of the base of the temple, near the Nandi statue (team-bhp.com accessed 2012.11.13). APPROACH: The Seethalayanagiri hill temple and the interesting laterite caves (LAKSHMI, R 2002) can be reached on foot simply by walking the Mulayangiri - Kemmangudi [note 4] trek (note 5) that leads from the Muthody Reserved Forest (note 6) along a steep, stream - laced path to the top of the Mulaina Giri.CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: During pre-dinner day time on Republic Day 2004, Cave 1 had a statue of Nandi, and also a Samadhi of Baba Mulayanagiri (Chandrasekaran, D 2010.09.04 Mss). CULTURAL HISTORY religious folklore: Legend has it that Baba Mulayanagiri came here many years back for penance. He achieved his Samadhi after years of praying. I offered Gayathri Javams in the cave. I also meditated for some time (Chandrasekaran, D 2010.09.04 Mss).