If pre-historic rock art has survived to this day, the local tribals who dwell near such sites deserve commendation for contributing in safeguarding thse treasures. Speaking to Express on the phone from Attumalakudi, a Muduvan tribal hill settlement, 45 km from Udumalaipettai, the tribals explained how the ancient paintings are important for them. Mahasamy Nagamani, a 68-year-old village elder says that the caves are their ‘natural guardian angels and an abode of God’ and they go to the caves only during the monsoon to shelter their cows. The caves are, in fact, an intrinsic part of tribal ritual. In the Vanaraparai cave, a stone idol of ‘Sadayandi’, is worshipped. Stone replicas of the idol can also be found in the tribal settlement. The tribals, however, say that the ‘Moolasami’, is in the caves. “For us, it is sacred, and we also do not want others to come here unnecessarily,” says Nachamma Samasu. Another young woman K Rajiamma says the ‘handmarks’ are very special as they are the ‘living residues’, of their ancestors. “Moothanukku Moothan Eluthu Nanga kumbidum Eluthu (It is the carving of our ancestor’s ancestor that we revere and worship).” C Vijayakumar says the red-ochre handmark that is considered as special by tribals have been discovered in several other countries of the world including Argentina and Spain. “Surprisingly, though the countries are separated by hundreds of thousands of miles, the primitive man has thought alike everywhere and have left his hand marks which is his identity that could be recorded,” he says. The belief that the handmarks are divine symbols of their ancestors prevail among other tribal communities too like Pulayar and Kadars.
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