Gudiyam Caves - A Trek into Prehistory
It was a nerve-tingling expedition back to the days of the Neanderthal
caveman, with evidence of his presence so overwhelmingly real we were transported
back to the days when he roamed this place...
The Wildertrailers woke to torrential rain on September 14th, but after a
delayed start the weather held up beautifully. Breakfast halt at Poondi was
cool and windy, and by 11 a.m. we were in an unreal, ghostly forest of ashy
silver and the adventure had begun.
As we stepped across what looked like a vast bed of pebbles,
Dr. Cheran, our guest from the Archeology Department told us that we were
probably walking over a bed of ancient tools! On looking closer, we found
that many of the stones had been worked, and slowly we learnt to find the
patterns in the flaking, and to identify hand axes and cleavers and borers
and scrapers. It kind of made our skin tingle, to stand there and hold the
very same stone tool made by some ancient ancestor at this tool-making centre
over 25,000 years ago...
Then began the 3 km climb to the cave, trekking across a primeval landscape;
overhanging caves, huge bee hives, lava encrusted rocks, and, as we reached
the cave, a flock of green parakeets rising into the air to announce our arrival.
Luckily the weather kept the bees snug in their hives and we didnt need to
use our bedsheets!
Sitting around under the impressive overhang of the cave, we learnt that excavations
showed evidence of habitation in the cave probably between 35,000 and 25,000
years ago. Preserved from human destruction by nature, today the cave is occupied
by swarms of bees, believed to be the guardians of the cave Amman, and bats.
Illuminated, informed and tired, the group made it back for a late lunch,
and further illumination by Mr. Jagannatha Rao. Then it was off to the Poondi
Museum where everything came alive once more with vivid detail. All too soon
it was time to return - minus thorns, minus stings, but with a heady sense
of achievement. Thank you Mr. Jagannatha Rao and Dr. Cheran!
When's the next day trip? - I want more details.
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