Pandavula Gutta of Telangana and Ramgarh Crater of Rajasthan were recognised as Geo-heritage Sites by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in March 2024 as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The central government’s designation of Pandavula Gutta as the only Geo-heritage Site has been a matter of pride for the people of Telangana.
About Pandavula Gutta
Pandavula Gutta are a set of caves located in Regonda block, about 50 kilometres from Warangal town, near Kaleshwaram on the Warangal-Mahadevpur Highway. Pandavula Gutta, a geological marvel in the Deccan plateau that predates the Himalayas, is the first Geo-heritage Site in Telangana’s Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
Pandavaula Gutta is an ancient hill range which was named after the Pandavas, the main characters of the Mahabharata. The Pandavas were believed to have briefly resided in these caves during their vanavas (exile). This fact is evidenced by the rock paintings made by early men.
The caves of Pandavula Gutta were discovered in 1990 by an official of the Department of Archaeology and Museums in Hyderabad, Ramakrishna Rao. After that, many geologists, historians, and archaeologists have visited the area and have made extensive studies.
These caves are between 4,000 and 2,500 million years old. They date back to the Mesolithic era (middle Stone Age). This was found after geologists researched using carbon dating techniques and analysis of the depictions of the rock paintings found in the caves of these hillocks at 13 distinct locations. These caves are naturally formed with a series of caverns, tunnels, and interlinking routes. These caves in the hillock have several entrances.
Geologists and historians still have a lot of research work to be done on these structures to get to know more about Pandavula Gutta. The Telangana tourism and forest departments have developed the entire area into an ecotourism spot, a destination for adventure seekers and trekkers.
Significance of Pandavula Gutta
According to Anup N. Kamble, a survey director from GSI, the entire area has a lot of geological significance. This area has abundant mineral resources and naturally formed strata that may have taken millions of years to build. In addition to highlighting the importance of promoting this historical structure, attempts are also being made to present it to the UNESCO for designating Pandavula Gutta as a World Heritage Site.
Rock Paintings in the Caves
A number of stone tools and rock paintings belonging to the prehistoric period were found by heritage experts and historians who have been conducting research in these caves. Figures of humans, animals, and other symbols are painted on the walls and ceilings of the caves as well as on isolated boulders and rock shelters.
The rock paintings show various forms of art like swastika sign, circles, and squares; weaponry such as bows, arrows, swords, and lances; and animals like bison, antelope, tigers, and leopards. In addition, the paintings also feature geometric impressions and designs in white, yellow, red, and green pigments. On one of the hillocks, there is also a shilatoranam (also spelt Silathranam), a natural rock arch, found on Tirumala hills.
Furthermore, an inscription from the Rashtrakuta Empire dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries CE has been discovered in one of the caves. The inscription mentions about the destruction of Buddhists and Jains in the name of religion. Perhaps, these caves had served as a refuge for Jains and Buddhists during the rainy season.
About Ramgarh Crater
Ramgarh Crater is a meteor impact crater in Kota plateau of Vindhya Range, located near Ramgarh village in Baran district of Rajasthan.
It is located on a 240-metre mean sea level high plateau and is about three kilometres in diameter. The Ramgarh river flows from the south-west chasm of the crater, and becomes the tributary of River Parvati, which is in the west. It was formed about 165 million years ago due to a meteor impact. Ramgarh Crater is India’s third meteorite impact crater and India’s first notified Geo-heritage site.
It is to be noted that the Ramgarh Crater has not yet been confirmed as an impact crater and included in the Earth Impact Database (EID) of the Planetry and Space Science Centre (PASSC) University of New Brunswick, Canada, which is used as the most authoritative for confirming the impact craters.
A crater is a landform made up of a hole or depression on the surface of a planet that is typically the result of geological activity of the planet or an object colliding with surface.
Significance
According to the Rajasthan government, the Ramgarh Crater is important for its ecosystem services, biodiversity, and cultural as well as legacy value for the surrounding local communities and society. Its designation under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as a proclaimed conservation reserve—the Ramgarh Conservation Reserve—reflects this significance, though the crater has not been fully investigated in a systematic way as of yet. This crater has glass resembling rocks, which contain very high percentage of iron, nickel, and cobalt. This high percentage of iron, nickel and, cobalt suggests a meteorite strike or extraterrestrial rocks. Surrounded by hills and forests, the crater forms a circular depression. The lake in the crater adds to its beauty and diversity, and supports a variety of flora and fauna including rare and endangered species. The crater was first discovered by Frederick Richard Mallet, a geologist from the GSI in 1869. King Rai Bahadur Kishan Singh Rawat, an Indian explorer and cartographer, was the first person to map the Ramgarh Crater on a small scale during the colonial era.
A team consisting of members of the Geological Society of India, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, and the Mohanlal Sukhadia University, have visited the crater and collected samples for the scientific study of the genesis of the crater. After conducting their detailed study, the team concluded that the Ramgarh Crater has presented a variety of evidence which is consistent with a meteorite impact. This has made it an extremely unique location in India with significant geological significance. Therefore, the crater would probably be registered by the EID as the 191st impact crater worldwide and the third in India once the evidence is approved by the national and international approving bodies of Canada and India.
The site stands as a symbol of harmony between geology, archaeology and history, and with the Rajasthan Government actively promoting geology tourism, it is likely to emerge as a major tourist destination.
About the Geological Survey of India
GSI is a scientific agency of India, founded in 1851 by the East India Company in Kolkata. This organisation comes under the Ministry of Mines. It is one of the oldest organisations in the world which conducts geological surveys and studies of India. National geological monuments are geographical areas of national importance and heritage. The GSI notifies the national geological monuments for their maintenance, protection, promotion, and enhancement of geotourism. The GSI or the respective state government is responsible for the protection and maintenance of the National Geological Heritage Sites and National Geological Monuments of India.
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