VELLAMALAI CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A mostly daylight-lit rock shelter (an estimated 20 m wide, 5 m high and some 5 m horizontally deep) in front of apparently shallow cave passages with potentially aphotic (stygian) zones constitutes rather a cavelet than a cavern (IAR 1980-81 / 1983: 143). The site has been modified into natural temple cave sacred to Jains, which is not only dedicated to the saint Sri Balasubramaniaswami but also profitably exploited as a frequently visited religious show cave sponsored by the Archaeological Survey of India (note 1). The site contains wall paintings and sculptures carved from the living rock (rock art) and is therefore considered by some to represent a rock-cut temple (note 2). SITUATION: From Vellore (12°56'N: 79°08'E) 21 km along the road south and adjacent north of Vallam (12°45'N: 79°10'E, AMS sheet ND44-14; India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 113 E4).SITUATION 1983: Hill at Vallimalai, District North Arcot (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1980-81 / 1983: 143).A mostly daylight-lit rock shelter (an estimated 20 m wide, 5 m high and some 5 m horizontally deep) in front of apparently shallow cave passages with potentially aphotic (stygian) zones constitutes rather a cavelet than a cavern (IAR 1980-81 / 1983: 143). The site has been modified into natural temple cave sacred to Jains, which is not only dedicated to the saint Sri Balasubramaniaswami but also profitably exploited as a frequently visited religious show cave sponsored by the Archaeological Survey of India (note 1). The site contains wall paintings and sculptures carved from the living rock (rock art) and is therefore considered by some to represent a rock-cut temple (note 2). SITUATION: From Vellore (12°56'N: 79°08'E) 21 km along the road south and adjacent north of Vallam (12°45'N: 79°10'E, AMS sheet ND44-14; India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth 2006: 113 E4).SITUATION 1983: Hill at Vallimalai, District North Arcot (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1980-81 / 1983: 143).