Overview

One of the principal motives behind the conception of the Edakkal Hermitage was to call upon world wide attention to the significance and the value of the heritage that we as a nation have inherited in the form of pre historic etchings at the Edakkal Rock Shelters. Although certified by many a prominent historian as being unique world wide to these terrains and as the ‘richest pictographic gallery of its kind’, the academic interest that was generated was relatively mute and limited. Ever since the Edakkal Hermitage was established as a base camp, the interest in these rock shelters has risen to a great extent with an exponential increase in the visitor numbers. This also rejuvenated an interest amongst even the locals on the shelters, many of whom have found alternative employment catering to the needs of the increased number of visitors. However the quest towards attaining an ultimate world heritage status and an enhancement in terms of the quality of the visit for the traveller still continues and we are striving towards it.