Hello Gordon19,
The filming location you described took place in Savandurga, a tiny
village in Magadi taluk, some 30km to the west of Bangalore.
?The village itself was very small, just a few houses and a shop,
which I visited for refreshments and further information - maybe
someone there would still remember the film being made. I struck lucky
at once. The owner of the shop, Lakshmi Kantha, did indeed remember
the film being made, and the huge excitment and disruption to all in
the tiny community when the film crews came to town. I asked him about
*the* caves: did he know where they were??
?Indeed he did, but here was a surprise that I had not forseen: *the*
caves were in two locations! The 'lower' section used in the film,
where the picnic is set up, the elephant takes its bath, and the cave
that Mrs Moore goes into were indeed at Savandurga. The hill that Dr
Aziz and Miss Quested start to climb was also here. But the 'upper'
row of caves at the top of the mountain, my image from years back,
where the imagined 'incident' takes place was not here at all, but at
a different mountain some 25km away!?
?Before I go any further, it might be useful to explain what is
happening in the film at this point. Dr Aziz, Mrs Moore, Miss Quested,
and various servants and helpers have arrived by train at the Marabar
Hills station, which we don't see. The Marabar Caves, as Dr Aziz has
been warned, are some distance away from the station, so he has
organised his great surprise, an elephant, that will take the party to
their 'basecamp'. This spot is just outside the lower cave. The party
arrives, chairs and tables are set up, food is cooked, and the
elephant takes a bath in a convenient pool, just outside the lower
cave.?
Check out the pictures and map here:
http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/marabar.html
More images here:
http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/marabar_2.html
And here
http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/marabar_3.html
Search terms:
A Passage to India
Filming locations
Ramanagaram, India +caves
I hope the information provided is helpful!
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
