Caves are one of the most interesting forms of land that exist on the earth. Thousands of tourists are attracted to the caves all around the world. As always, India also has a wide variety of geographical forms of land that attracts a good many tourists from everywhere. And this country has a good tradition of cave culture that places it in the golden pages of history and the golden map of tourism. Ajanta and Ellora caves are extremely popular due to its tourism attraction. Plenty of people visit these caves from around the country and the world. Apart from these obvious choices, India is rich with many not-so-visited caves. In this blog, we present you eight caves in India that you must visit at least once in your life.
Table of Contents
Borra caves, Andhra Pradesh:
The enormous dome of the cave adds significantly to its significance. The cave has a wide opening and broad stairways to roam inside it. There is a natural skylight at the top of the cave so that the cave has moderate light during the daytime. The place is almost ninety-kilo meters away (north) from Vishakhapatnam. You can drive with your family and friends, or you can take the train. The railroad is impressive from Vizag to Borra Guhalu (the name of the station where you have to get down). The breathtaking sceneries of Araku valley will prepare you for the natural wonder of the cave.
Kotumsar cave, Chhattisgarh:
For a person interested in ecotourism, Kotumsar cave is a significant attraction. It is a limestone cave which has plenty of uniquely shaped stalagmites and stalactites. The cave is not as massive as the Borra cave. It is rather slender and long and has no significant branching. The temperature inside the cave is low, but you would not care as you will be engrossed in the striking beauty of the place.
Mawsmai cave, Meghalaya:
It is located in very close proximity to Cherrapunjee in the lovely village of Mawsmai. It is a fifty-seven-kilo meter drive away from Shillong. To reach the entrance of the cave, you have to go through a small forest way, which is very exciting. The plush green of the Meghalaya state will be at your service as you walk through the gloomy shadow of the trees. The cave has a central passage for tourists and limitless shafts of unfathomed gloom. Those alleys are forbidden for the tourists.
Patal Bhubaneswar cave temple, Uttarakhand:
The nearest railway station to this site is Tanakpur, Uttarakhand. Buses and rental cars are abundantly available from Tanakpur to Patal Bhubaneswar cave. The cave is fascinating. There is a hard iron chain from the entrance. The entrance is very narrow and has a slanting from the mouth of the cave to its bottom. What you have to do is to grab the iron chain and slide down along the way. It seems to be risky, but it has its fun too. As for religious significance, the cave has a site down there where there are lots of small rock formations that are considered to be the representation of Hindu Gods.
Elephanta cave, Maharashtra:
UNESCO declared this site as one of the heritage sites of the world. It is located on the island of Gharapuri that is only ten-kilo meters from the busiest city of India, Mumbai. There are seven sacred caves in the Elephanta site, which are all dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. On the inner walls of the caves, you can witness some peerless architecture and carvings of Lord Shiva. The Trimurti Sadashiva is the most famous sculpture of this cave, which is twenty feet high and has three heads of Shiva.
Tabo caves, Himachal Pradesh:
Amidst the dry vastness of the Spiti valley, there are the enchanted caves of Tabo. It is just at the opposite of the Tabo village. This cave is the least visited cave compared to the other caves mentioned in the blog. However, this is the loneliest as well. That is why you would get the perfect mix of tranquillity, ethnicity, history, and adventure in this place. These caves also have the tinge of religion in its history. It is said; Buddhist monks used the place as their winter shelter and as a place of chants. You can see the religious flags up in the air, which are the only colors you can see in the vast area of greyness.
Khandagiri caves, Odisha:
Khandagiri is a group of fifteen caves that are situated close to Bhubaneswar. It is an eighty minutes’ drive away from the most famous tourist spot of Odisha, Puri. It is an important archaeological site that had been carved out during the reign of the kind named Kharavela. This site is an abode of beauty and history. These caves were used as shelters and places for meditation. Udaigiri caves, which are located just beside the Khandagiri caves, comprises of eighteen caves. You need at least half a day to visit the entire place.
Dungeshwari cave, Bihar:
This site is located near the beautiful river Phalgu. It is a 15-kilo meters drive from the holy site of Bodhgaya, also in Bihar. It is a place of religious significance. Dungeshwari cave or temple is a sacred place for the Buddhist people because it is here where Gautama Buddha meditated during his middle life. Local people know the area as the Mahakal cave. There is a massive statue of Lord Buddha inside the temple. If you are not a very religious person, the tranquillity the place offers will be enough to draw you there.
So, there are a lot of caves than you know of. You can enjoy the darkness of a cave and savor the smell that comes with a hint of self-search. Enjoy the grand and gloom of every cave that comes your way. Or else make your way to the shady walks of the mysterious caves of India. You can hear stories unheard of.
Let’s go and listen to the stories the stones whisper!
