VARAHI SIDDESHWARA GAVI

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An apparently more than 10 m wide and initially about 2 m high cave entrance, which lies like lateral undercut (notch) some 2 m vertically above a seasonal streambed, gives access to a modified natural temple cave and perennial spring of water near the base of a waterfall. ETYMOLOGY: The word -varaha- (Sanskrit etc) means boar and is the third incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. The anonymous narrator of the contribution captioned Varavi Siddeshwara Temple and Waterfalls, Yekkeri (note 1) refers either to the temple or to the cave, to the waterfall or to all three of them as Varavi Siddeshwara Kolavi and the word -kolavi- means tube (note 2). SITUATION: Not only above the southern (orographically right) bank of the Malprabha River and in the sandstone hills, which separat the Parasgad taluka in the southernmost corner of the Belgaum district into nearly two equal parts (note 3), but also a kilometre or two south-east from Yekkeri (±1 km N15°50'30”: E075°09'30”) and about 5 km in direct line approximately north-east from the small town of Saundatti (note 4), which is also known as Sevandatti (note 5) and as Sagadatti (note 6).APPROACH: The drive from Hooli (note 7) via Hoolikatti or Hulikatti (note 8) to Yekkeri (±1 km N15°50'30”: E075°09'30”) … was a short one … less than 10 km but the … last one kilometer was dusty dirt track. As we neared our destination the path was just wide enough for one four-wheeler flanked by Honge trees [note 9], rock hill to our left and a stream on the right. The road ended where it met the stream, we left the car under the tree and went by foot. The stream, at this time of year [29th May 2011] barely flows but there is enough water for cattle to take a midday dip. We were entering a gully between two rock hills, packed with trees, mainly Honge trees (karnatakatravel.blogspot.com/2011/05/varavi-siddes… accessed 2011.10.27). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The anonymous narrator on karnatakatravel.blogspot.com (accessed 211.10.27) describes the shallow undercut forming this rock shelter as … a narrow gap in the rocks. Walls with a gate were made to keep monkeys away from the temple. Surely they would relieve pilgrims of their pooja stuff like coconuts and bananas (note 10). CAVE POTENTIAL: Apparently some 10 km in a direct line further north-east lies not only the –>Siddeshwaragavi but also the –>Maunappanagavi near the Kalika Devi temple (note 11) at the village of Sirsangi.