Edakkal on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Edakkal is a remote location in
Wayanad district
Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the southern ...
of Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, the site of the Edakkal Caves. The tallest mountain in the district, Ambukuthi mala, is located here.
Above the caves are views of the mountainous junction of the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The nearest major town is Sulthan Bathery
Sultan Bathery is a town and municipality in Wayanad district of Kerala, India, near the borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states. The largest town in Wayanad district, it is the headquarters of Sultan Bathery taluk.
The place came to ...
that is around 12 km away, while the closest urban centre is Ambalavayal
Ambalavayal is a village in Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, India. The Wayanad Heritage Museum is located in the village.
Demographics
As of the 2011 Census of India, Ambalavayal had a population of 16988 with 8290 males and 8698 f ...
that is located at a distance of 4 km.
Edakkal Caves
Three pre-historic caves known as the Edakkal Caves, dating from at least 5000 BC, had been discovered on Ambukuthi mala. There are stone age pictorial writings on the walls of these natural caves. In late 2007, a major effort had been initiated by several archaeologists - both Indian and Western to have theUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
declare the site of the Edakkal Caves a World Heritage Centre
UNESCO Headquarters, or Maison de l'UNESCO, is a building inaugurated on 3 November 1958 at number 7 Place de Fontenoy in Paris, France, to serve as the headquarters for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ...
.
There are seemingly different sets of works. The older group of cave paintings and engravings, going back at least 7000 years, depict pre-historic tribal chieftains, elephants, queens and tools. A less ancient script from the 3rd or 4th century BC is also seen in the complex of caves.
References
{{Wayanad district Villages in Wayanad district