SKANDASHRAM NATURAL CAVERN
12.233300,79.066700
Description
An unspecified, so-called »natural cavern« with religious connotations is currently managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and, together with –>Virupakshi Cuha, filed under SI no. 205 on "asi_monu_alphalist_tamilnadu" (note 1) as »Virupakshi Cuha & Skandashram Natural Cavern and path leading from Ramnasharam« at the locality »Tiruvannamali« (sic!) in »Thiruvannamalai« (sic!) district. ETYMOLOGY: The north Indian Skanda is a saint of the classical Sanskrit Vedas scriptures and tradition, who, at one stage of comparative and applied hagiomorphology was amalgamated with the south Indian saint Murugan. The Sanskrit "ashram" is originally a boarding house that functions as a place of devotion and phelgmatics' asylum. SITUATION (after LE SAUX 1980: 35-36, 43): Just below Arunachaleshwar Kovil (temple) and 20 m downhill from –>Virupakshi Cuha on the slope of the mountain (note 2) and next to a source of water (note 3), which, for all practical matters, is not only quite convenient on this otherwise rather dry mountain but also ideally situated for a buisy road-side hermitage buisness dedicated to exploiting money spenders in need of religious directions. CAVE DESCRIPTION (after LE SAUX 1980: 35-36, 43): A cave behind an erected, simple but sufficient little house (note 4). CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore: The troglodyte hermitage retreat next to a buisy road side is not only associated with the vedic Sanskrit saint Skanda and in the 7th century by Namashivaya (note 5) but also is said to have been used for 20 years (1899 to 1922) of phlegmatic practices by the holyman Ramana Maharishi (died in 1950) and several late comers, including the renamed Swami Abhishiktananda O.S.B., ex Henri LE SAUX (1978, 1980).
NOTE 1: Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai Circle (undated): Alphabetical List of Monuments - Tamil Nadu.- ( asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_tamilnadu.asp accessed 2008.05.31). NOTE 2: LONELY PLANET, India (2005: 962-963): »Mt Arunachaleswar …This 800 m high boulder-strewn hill, known locally as Girivalam, looms prominently over the town. On full moon and festival days thousands of pilgrims circumnavigate the 14 km base of the mountain. […] More interesting for the superb view … is to climb paart or all the way up the hill (about four hours return).« NOTE 3: LE SAUX (1978 edited 1980: 35-36, 43): »Sur le flanc de la montagne, juste au-dessous du grand Temple … Il y avait à côté une source qui ne tarissait pratiquement jamais, chose rare dans cette montagne.« NOTE 4: LE SAUX (1978 edited 1980: 35-36, 43): »… une grotte … Devant la grotte, on avait construit une maisonette simple mais suffisante …« NOTE 5: LE SAUX (1978, 1980: 26, 97-98): The »Grotte de Virupaksha« (–>Virupakshi Cuha) »… contient le samadhi de Virupaksha Deva, un saint shivaïte qui y vécut il y a six ou sept siècles, au temps mêmes où Namashivaya vivait dans une grotte [apparently Skandashram Natural Cavern] un peu au-dessous --qui fut plus tard transformée en temple.«
Documents
Bibliography 31/05/2016- Le Saux, Henri [alias Swami Abhishiktananda] 1978, 1980; Lonely Planet, India 2005.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | NAMASHIVAYA (Grotte de) | ||
| 0.0 | RADHABAI AMMEYAR (Grotte de) | ||
| 0.0 | SADEI SWAMI (Grotte de) | ||
| 0.0 | VANNATTI (Grotte de) | ||
| 0.0 | VANNATTI PUITS | ||
| 0.0 | VIRUPAKSHI CUHA, Tiruvannamalai | ||
| 1.8 | KURANGANILMUTTAM ROCK-CUT SHRINE | ||
| 1.8 | NARASAMANGALAM ROCK-CUT CAVES | ||
| 38.1 | RANGANATHA, Gingee - Singavaram (Cave of) |