Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c20.s7: 1.7 Physical features of caves with Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions
Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c20.s7
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1.7 Physical features of caves with Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions
c20.s7.1
Unlike the elaborately carved rock-cut shrines of the later Pallava-Pāṇḍiya periods, the caves (or caverns) with Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions are no more than naturally occurring rock shelters, mostly shallow, formed under one or more massive overhanging boulders that dot the hilly terrain. A drip ledge is cut into the brow of the overhanging boulder for the entire length of the opening of the cave below to prevent rain water from flowing inside (Fig. 1.13). On the rocky floor of the cave, a number of narrow stone beds are carved, generally provided with raised pillow lofts on one side (Fig. 1.14).¹ A number of post-holes are drilled into the brow of the cave and the rocky floor below indicating the earlier presence of props for a thatched roof overhead to provide some protection to the occupants of the cave from sun and rain. Drinking water was obtained from natural rocky pools on the hill or from a water reservoir or a water course nearby. Caves facing east or south with the cool breeze blowing in were the preferred locations.²
c20.s7.2
¹ The stone beds are locally known as *Pañcapāṇṭavar paṭukkai* 'beds of the Five Pāṇḍavas', an allusion to the southern sojourn of the Pāṇḍavas in exile.
c20.s7.3
² See section 4.9.8 for the technical terms occurring in the inscriptions for the physical features of the caves.
c20.s7.4
The Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions, mostly very short, are engraved on the brow of the overhanging boulders generally under the drip ledge or on the stone beds in the caves. The inscriptions, which record the gift of the rock shelters and stone beds, mention mostly the names of the donors, less commonly of the monks or nuns occupying the cave shelters and stone beds, and rarely of the stone masons who carved the drip ledges and stone beds.³ An interesting feature of many of the caves is the presence of Jaina sculptures and Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscriptions from a later period (ca. 8th-10th centuries A.D.) ⁴
c20.s7.5
³ The only Tamil-Brāhmī site in Tamil Nadu not associated with Jaina cave shelters is Ammankoyilpatti (ca. 4th century A.D.) recording the endowment of a rocky pool (*cuṇai*) (ARE B. 158/1979-80 = No. *84* in the present Corpus). The cave at Edakal in Kerala does not also fit into the general description of the Jaina cave shelters found in Tamil Nadu. There are no stone beds or later Jaina sculptures in these caves.
c20.s7.6
⁴ The significance of this feature is discussed in section 4.12.