The Edakkal Caves, in the Wayanad district of Kerala are two naturally formed caves, found 1200 meters above sea level at the top of mountains called Ambukutty Mala. These caves can be said a masterpiece of nature’s architecture as they are actually clefts formed by separation of huge rocks by dropping of a massive rock in between, forming the roof of the caves. Hence, these caves got the name ‘Edakkal’ which means ‘a stone in between’ in Malayalam language.

These caves not only attracts a large number of tourists but also, historians and archeologists from all over the world. They lie on an ancient trade route which connect the mountains of Mysore to the Malabar Coast. The caves have pictographic writings believed to belong to the Stone Age dating back to 6000 BC. These carvings are the rarest evidences of Neolithic times found in the world and, the Edakkal caves are the only identified example discovered in Southern part of India.

In order to reach the entrance of the caves the visitors need to undergo an interesting trek uphill which takes around 45 minutes. The rock carvings here gives a glimpse of the earliest signs of human existence. All the efforts and time spent on visiting these caves are worth undertaking as it promises to observe one of the most marvelous forms of art representing the convergence of Harappan and Dravidian cultures.