Edakkal Caves

The Edakkal caves are situated on the western side of Ambukuthimala hill twelve kilometres south-west of the town of Sultan’s Battery in Wayanad, Kerala. It is known to lie on an ancient route connecting the high ranges of Mysore to the ports of Malabar. Edakkal caves was a big secret to the locals and entirely unknown to the outside world until Mr. F. Fawcett, Superintendent of police, Malabar discovered this very remarkable natural cave in the year 1896. The Edakkal caves consist of two caves one above the other. The name Edakkal means in between in Malayalam. The caves are formed as a result of the gap in a huge rock formation. Inside one of the caves which are formed in between the rocks there are ancient petro glyphs which dates back 4000-5000 years. The historical caves consist of alphabets and symbols on the walls which are identified to be part of the Neolithic age (6000 BC).Various archeologists who visited and studied this site have written that, it was not just one culture but an array of cultures has been born here. Just take a moment to enjoy an incredible view of the mysterious combinations of lines and figures that are yet to be deciphered. You may identify three sets of writings which indicates that the caves have been inhabited at various stages in history. Up the hill you could also enjoy a bird’s eye view of the southern states of India including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka using a telescope set up here.