Eladipattam Natural Cavern

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

SI no. 166 Eladipattam Natural Cavern (note 1) appears to consist of a natural, sacred cave, possibly in granite or laterite (note 2), which has been modified into a troglodyte temple cave used by hermit monks, and contains not only inscriptions in Brahmi and old Tamil (rock art: epigraphy) but also Stone Beds or -panchapandavarpadukkai- (note 3). Sort of nearby is the man-made rock chamber –>Sittannavasal Rock Cave. SITUATION: Somewhere at Sittannavasal, a small town 58 km along the road south of Tiruchchirappalli (note 4) and 16 km north-west from Pudukkottai (N10°23': E078°49') in the block of Annavasal N10°28': E078°42' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). CULTURAL HISTORY - rock art: According to Internet websites (note 5), Sittanavasal, a site of an ancient Jain monastery with fine fresco paintings in a rock cave. Many of them are typical of the 9th century Pandyan period and include exquisitely detailed pictures of animals, fish, ducks, people gathering lotuses fom a pond and two dancing figures. There are also inscriptions dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. According to Vijaya Sherry Chand, … the Sittanavasal beds are now protected by iron grilles … Sittannavasal is well known; the Raja of Pudukottai got its frescoes restored about a century ago. The famous frescoes are in the rock-cut temple facing west and facing east on a neighbouring hill (a gentle 10 min climb) are the beds. The 17 beds have the characteristic -dindu” (pillow-lofts) and are now behind a grille. These beds are believed to be later Jaina beds, and provide the names of many monks who spent their lives here. The resonance inside the square sanctum of the cave temple (after a meditation sound is produced) has to be experienced (note 6).SI no. 166 Eladipattam Natural Cavern (note 1) appears to consist of a natural, sacred cave, possibly in granite or laterite (note 2), which has been modified into a troglodyte temple cave used by hermit monks, and contains not only inscriptions in Brahmi and old Tamil (rock art: epigraphy) but also Stone Beds or -panchapandavarpadukkai- (note 3). Sort of nearby is the man-made rock chamber –>Sittannavasal Rock Cave. SITUATION: Somewhere at Sittannavasal, a small town 58 km along the road south of Tiruchchirappalli (note 4) and 16 km north-west from Pudukkottai (N10°23': E078°49') in the block of Annavasal N10°28': E078°42' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). CULTURAL HISTORY - rock art: According to Internet websites (note 5), Sittanavasal, a site of an ancient Jain monastery with fine fresco paintings in a rock cave. Many of them are typical of the 9th century Pandyan period and include exquisitely detailed pictures of animals, fish, ducks, people gathering lotuses fom a pond and two dancing figures. There are also inscriptions dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. According to Vijaya Sherry Chand, … the Sittanavasal beds are now protected by iron grilles … Sittannavasal is well known; the Raja of Pudukottai got its frescoes restored about a century ago. The famous frescoes are in the rock-cut temple facing west and facing east on a neighbouring hill (a gentle 10 min climb) are the beds. The 17 beds have the characteristic -dindu” (pillow-lofts) and are now behind a grille. These beds are believed to be later Jaina beds, and provide the names of many monks who spent their lives here. The resonance inside the square sanctum of the cave temple (after a meditation sound is produced) has to be experienced (note 6).