Caves are Nature's way of saying, "Do you think you've figured me all out? There's still much more!"
Our Telugu states have their share of secrets waiting to be unraveled too... Hop on, we'll take you on a ride of mystery!
1. Undavalli Caves These caves are man-made ones which started out as Buddhist temples. Located in the village of Undavalli in Tadepalle Mandal in the Guntur District, 6 km south west from Vijayawada, they have been converted to Hindu temples later on. But some Buddhist relics continue to be preserved here.
There is an exciting legend about the cave - that there is a 9-kilometer long underground passage leading to the sacred Mangalgiri mountain. Many locals believe in its existence and consider that the entrances have been closed and hidden by authorities to avoid accidents.
Picture Courtesy: Wondermondo
2. Borra Caves: Anyone who has heard of Vizag has definitely heard of these caves. Thanks to the Government's interest, they have been well maintained over the years and have been one of the tourist hotspots near Visakhapatnam.
Ranging from very small to big, irregularly shaped stalactites and stalagmites, the Caves are basically Karstic limestone structures extending to a depth of 80 m(considered the deepest cave in India).
On the discovery of the caves, there are several legends, which the tribals who inhabit the villages around the caves narrate. The popular legend is that a cow, grazing on the top of the caves, dropped 60 m, through a hole in the roof. The cowherd while searching for the cow came across the caves. He found a stone inside the cave that resembled a Lingam, which he interpreted as the Lord Shiva who protected the cow. The village folk who heard the story believed it and since then they have built a small temple for Lord Shiva outside the cave. People flock to the temple for worship and the cave to get a glimpse of the Lingam.
Pictures Courtesy: Lovell D'Souza Photography
3. Belum Caves: A fascinating network of caves that winds and trapezes across 3229 metres, making it the second largest natural caves in the Indian Subcontinent. Originally discovered in 1884 by a British surveyor Robert Bruce Foote, the cave was explored by a team of German speleologists in 1984. The historically important caves are said to have housed Jains and Buddhists monks who used it for meditation.
When you drive into the entrance of the site that houses the caves, you might think you landed up in the wrong place. The vast expanse of flat land betrays the presence of these impressive caves right beneath you. When you climb down the first 20 metres, the magnificence of this natural wonder will blow you away. You get to walk around 1.5 kilometres of the well-lit caves and even dip your foot in the Patala Ganga (underground Ganges), a natural perennial stream that flows through the caves. Hopefully,you won’t bump into over enthusiastic tourists who play loud music on their mobile phones!
Pictures Courtesy: Lovell D'Souza Photography
4. Unnamed Caves in Warangal: Telangana doesn't have to be far behind. They have recently discovered some caves in the black hills at Mailaram Village in Ghanpur Mandal. Definitely worth checking out!
Video Courtesy: TV5
Picture Courtesy: Wondermondo
2. Borra Caves: Anyone who has heard of Vizag has definitely heard of these caves. Thanks to the Government's interest, they have been well maintained over the years and have been one of the tourist hotspots near Visakhapatnam.
Ranging from very small to big, irregularly shaped stalactites and stalagmites, the Caves are basically Karstic limestone structures extending to a depth of 80 m(considered the deepest cave in India).
On the discovery of the caves, there are several legends, which the tribals who inhabit the villages around the caves narrate. The popular legend is that a cow, grazing on the top of the caves, dropped 60 m, through a hole in the roof. The cowherd while searching for the cow came across the caves. He found a stone inside the cave that resembled a Lingam, which he interpreted as the Lord Shiva who protected the cow. The village folk who heard the story believed it and since then they have built a small temple for Lord Shiva outside the cave. People flock to the temple for worship and the cave to get a glimpse of the Lingam.
Pictures Courtesy: Lovell D'Souza Photography
3. Belum Caves: A fascinating network of caves that winds and trapezes across 3229 metres, making it the second largest natural caves in the Indian Subcontinent. Originally discovered in 1884 by a British surveyor Robert Bruce Foote, the cave was explored by a team of German speleologists in 1984. The historically important caves are said to have housed Jains and Buddhists monks who used it for meditation.
When you drive into the entrance of the site that houses the caves, you might think you landed up in the wrong place. The vast expanse of flat land betrays the presence of these impressive caves right beneath you. When you climb down the first 20 metres, the magnificence of this natural wonder will blow you away. You get to walk around 1.5 kilometres of the well-lit caves and even dip your foot in the Patala Ganga (underground Ganges), a natural perennial stream that flows through the caves. Hopefully,you won’t bump into over enthusiastic tourists who play loud music on their mobile phones!
Pictures Courtesy: Lovell D'Souza Photography
4. Unnamed Caves in Warangal: Telangana doesn't have to be far behind. They have recently discovered some caves in the black hills at Mailaram Village in Ghanpur Mandal. Definitely worth checking out!
Video Courtesy: TV5
