Edakkal caves Wayanad Kerala

If you are an art lover do not miss out Edakkal caves while visiting Wayanad. Edakkal cave is a captivating prehistoric cave located near Sulthan Bathery. The excellent rock engravings found on the cave walls have drawn attention of worldwide historians and archaeologists. Edakkal caves comprise of three distinct sets of petroglyphs. Archeologists suggest that these cave etchings date back to at least 5000 years. Edakkal caves have been inhabited at various historic stages.

In Malayalam, Edakkal literally refers to “a stone in between”. The term Edakkal is used to denote how the cave is formed in a fissure in the rock. There are two levels in the inner portion of the Edakkal cave. The lower chamber measures eighteen feet long, twelve feet wide and 10 feet high. The lower chamber can be entered through a 5 x 4 feet opening. A passage leads upward through which one climbs to next storey measuring 96 feet long, 18 feet high, and , 22 feet wide. The sunlight enters the Edakkal cave through a big fissure giving natural day light to the dark cave interiors.

Similar cave drawings, considered to be 7000 years old, are found only in Stiriya in the European Alps and a few rocky places in Africa. The caves, which are found around 10 km from Sultan Bathery, are two natural rock formations believed to have been formed by a large split in a huge rock.

Some consider the carvings as handiwork of Kurumbars tribes of Wayanad. This cave is indeed an archaeological treasure with undiscovered historic facts. This cave is also an excellent trekking spot. Edakkal cave in Sulthan Bathery is an excellent historic treasure which is yet to be completely explored.

How to reach
Nearest railway station: Kozhikode Railway Station about 97 km from Sultan Bathery.

Nearest airport: Karipur International Airport about 23 km from Kozhikode.

Edakkal Caves, Edakkal Caves Wayanad, Edakkal Caves Wayanad Kerala

Edakkal Caves 

Edakkal Caves is situated 1200 m above sea level, atop a mountain named Ambukuthi Mala in Wayanad district of Kerala. The naturally occurred cave is believed to be one of the oldest examples of human settlements in the district. You can find various artifacts, ancient stone scripts, engraved pictures of human and animal figures with peculiar head dresses, symbols and cave drawings of human figures, the Swastika form, bows, knives, wheels etc, inside the cave. Similar cave drawings, believed to be 7000 years old, are found only in Styria in the European Alps and a few places in Africa.

History
Edakkal Caves were the discovery of Fred-Fawcett, who was the then Superintendent of Police of Malabar District. He was on a hunting trip when he came across a megalithic stone chisel. Being a serious researcher of pre-history, he tried making a few saunters and stumbled upon the Edakkal rock shelter. Edakkal Caves is also associated with a number of mythological and tribal legends. It has also been named ‘Ambukuthi Mala’, as according to a popularly believed story, the caves were formed by the arrows of Lava and Kush, the sons of Lord Rama.

According to a popular belief, the locals perform offerings at the peak of the hill of Edakkal Caves. Another legend related to this cave is from the Hindu mythological epic Ramayana, according to which, Lord Rama killed the demoness Surpanakha, Ravana's sister, in the slim fissure located in the Southern part of the cave.

Attraction
A theory was proposed by a few archaeologists, according to which, Edakkal Caves may be a meeting point of the Harappan and Dravidian Civilizations. The carvings found in the caves are dated from 5000 BC to 1000 BC. They bear resemblance with the Indus Valley carvings. The symbols and motifs used while inscribing the script and pictographic representation are similar to those found in Indus Valley civilization. It can be a testimony to the cultural diffusion. Adding to the historical value of the caves are its three distinct types of Petro glyphs, which symbolize that the caves were inhibited at different points of time in the history.

How to Reach Edakkal Caves
The best time to visit Edakkal Caves is during morning hours, as the visibility is much better. One should try to finish exploring the caves by the evening, because the entry to these caves closes at 1700hrs. To reach the caves one has to trek all the way from Edakkal. Nevertheless, one can take a private transport till a nearby place and start trekking to reach Edakkal Caves.