Edakkal Caves

“Those with heart problems should not climb,” warns a signboard at the threshold of the ascent to the Edakkal Caves in Wayanadu district of Kerala. My students whom I was accompanying pointed out the board to me. “My heart is good,” I told them.

There are quite a few places on the way that try your heart’s strength. The climb is quite steep in those places. I did not pant a bit, however. “What is the secret of your health, sir?” asked one of the students who was struggling for breath. “My heart is good,” I answered.

The half-hour ascent ends in a cave with quite a few charming slits in rocks, crevices that let in sunbeams that light up the cave delightfully. The history of the cave goes back to eight millennia, the official tourist guide there told us pointing at the pictorial writings on one of the granite walls. Some of the drawings have possible links with the Indus Valley Civilisation, says the guide. Later I checked Wikipedia which says:

The caves contain drawings that range over periods from the Neolithic as early as 5,000 BC to 1,000 BCE. The youngest group of paintings have been in the news for a possible connection to the Indus Valley Civilization.

It was sheer delight to climb that ascent and be there in that cave which is technically not a cave but a “cleft, rift or rock shelter” [Wikipedia]. I wished I could spend more time there. But the law permits only 5 minutes because only 30 visitors are allowed at a time and people keep waiting eagerly for their turn. My own group consisted of 70 members. I suppressed my desire and turned back hoping to come again for another climb after looking at the cardiac warning at the threshold.

In the meanwhile, here are some pictures from this visit. I hope my students will forgive me for bringing them here in this space.