KALIKESHAM (Cave at)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

According to hearsay information, there is an opening behind the waterfalls at a place called Kalikesham (Raj 2002.07.02: Mss) or Kalikeshan (PRICE 1988b: 34), which is not only a sacred Hindu site (cult spot) associated with Adhiseshan, the -old sheshan- (mythical serpent king) the goddess Koravai / Kali (note 1) but also famous for attractive whirlpools which invite people to drown (note 2). ETYMOLOGY: Adhiseshan, according to the mythology, is a five headed cobra … Kesham means hair. Kalikesham means hair of the Kali [note 3]. The waterfalls looks like hair untied (Edward A.D. Raj, Bangalore, 2002.07.02 personal correspondence)SITUATION: Kalikesham / Kalikeshan (note 4) is said to lie at a distance of 25 or 30 km along the road in an unspecified direction from Nagercoil (also: Nagarkovil), which itself is positioned at N08°10': E77°26' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) or at N08°10': E77°27' (Imperial Gazetteer 1907-1909, 18: 299) on India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth2006) map 121 F2). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1988: And just for the record, and to bore your even more; in Tamil Nadu, southernmost state, is Kalikeshan cave (PRICE 1988b: 34). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002: When I had a chance to go to one of my classmate's estate in this region, we were planning to visit this place. But one of my classmate's uncle prevented us. He started telling us that, it is a dangerous place to visit etc. From him I learnt, but not for sure, that there is an opening behind the waterfalls (Raj, Edward A. D., Bangalore, 2002.07.02 personal correspondence).According to hearsay information, there is an opening behind the waterfalls at a place called Kalikesham (Raj 2002.07.02: Mss) or Kalikeshan (PRICE 1988b: 34), which is not only a sacred Hindu site (cult spot) associated with Adhiseshan, the -old sheshan- (mythical serpent king) the goddess Koravai / Kali (note 1) but also famous for attractive whirlpools which invite people to drown (note 2). ETYMOLOGY: Adhiseshan, according to the mythology, is a five headed cobra … Kesham means hair. Kalikesham means hair of the Kali [note 3]. The waterfalls looks like hair untied (Edward A.D. Raj, Bangalore, 2002.07.02 personal correspondence)SITUATION: Kalikesham / Kalikeshan (note 4) is said to lie at a distance of 25 or 30 km along the road in an unspecified direction from Nagercoil (also: Nagarkovil), which itself is positioned at N08°10': E77°26' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) or at N08°10': E77°27' (Imperial Gazetteer 1907-1909, 18: 299) on India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth2006) map 121 F2). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1988: And just for the record, and to bore your even more; in Tamil Nadu, southernmost state, is Kalikeshan cave (PRICE 1988b: 34). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002: When I had a chance to go to one of my classmate's estate in this region, we were planning to visit this place. But one of my classmate's uncle prevented us. He started telling us that, it is a dangerous place to visit etc. From him I learnt, but not for sure, that there is an opening behind the waterfalls (Raj, Edward A. D., Bangalore, 2002.07.02 personal correspondence).