This visit to the Moonandipatti Rock Arts, near Pullimancombai in
Theni District, was a part of Varusanadu Payanam, a Heritage walk to the temples
and Heritage Sites, organised by Aatrupadai, on 20th – 21st September 2025.
Thanks to திருச்சி
பார்த்தி, Prabaharan, and Bala Bharathi.
This natural cave consists of white and red ochre
rock art drawn in various periods. This cave near Pullimancombai is on the
ancient trade route, which might have been used by the traders also after the Stone
Age humans.
The details of the red ochre paintings are not
known. As per the experts, some paintings are in geometrical patterns, of which
one represents a river nearby. These red ochre paintings are the oldest amongst the
arts available in this natural cave.
The white ochre paintings consist of men, holding
sword-like weapons, Valari, etc. On one man’s hip, a kattar/sword-like weapon is
tied. There are three men standing in a row. (Due to this, this place might have
obtained the name Moonandipatti).
One of the interesting Rock art is that a man holds a valari (boomerang) in his right hand. There are two types of Valari, one of which hits the target alone, and the other type is that the Valari returns after hitting the target. The Valari, which was used for hunting during the prehistoric period, and also used as a war weapon in the southern districts against the British.
A pregnant lady in an excited state, with her hands
stretched sideways and fingers open, is found separately. Below the lady, the sun, the moon with a star, and some unidentified art are seen. As per the experts, this may
be connected to some ritual for the pregnant lady’s death. And also, this rock art
may be considered the earliest form of the Hero Stone. Similar art, sun, moon, with
a Trishul, is also found in one group. (The same trishul art was also found in a
tea shop.)
Trishul Art was found in a tea shop
LOCATION OF THE ROCK ARTS: CLICK HERE
The caveman? (The author)
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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