Development of the Caves
The caves are now managed by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has developed the pathways in around 2 km of the length of the caves, provided soft illumination and has created fresh-air-shafts in the caves. At many places inside the cave, APTDC has installed bridges, staircase, etc. for easy movement inside tha cave. It has also created a canteen, washroom and toilet facilities near the entry point.
There is a giant Buddha Statue near a hillock near the Belum Caves. The area of cave known as "Meditation hall" was used by Buddhist Monks. The relics of Buddhist period were found here. These relics are now housed in museum at Ananthapur.
Inside Belum Cave
Main Sections of Belum Caves
- Simhadwaram — Simhadwaram means lions gate. It is a natural arch of stalactites formed in the shape of a lion’s head;
- Kotilingalu Chamber - This section contains stalactite formations which are akin to shiva lingams. This section has thousands of such stalactite giving it a surrealistic look. It has one huge pillar formed due to stalactite and stalagmite joining together.
- Patalaganga - It is a small perennial stream which disappears into the depths of the earth. This stream flows from the southeast to northwest. It disappears and is believed to be heading towards a well at the Belum village, located 2 km away from the caves.
- Saptasvarala Guha or Musical Chamber - Saptasvarala Guha means chamber of seven notes. The stalactite formations in this chamber reproduce musical sounds when these are struck with a wooden stick or knuckles. This section was opened to the public in 2006.
 |
 |
| Meditation Hall inside Belum Caves |
Banyan Tree formation inside Belum Caves |
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka was declared as a World Heritage Site, by UNESCO
The caves have evolved over time into excellent rock-shelters, ideal sites for aboriginal settlements. The smooth shape of the rocks has led some scientists to believe that the area was once under water. The rocks have taken on incredible shapes in several stunning hues and textures. Apart from the central place the aboriginal drawings have in human history, the caves themselves offer interesting material for a study of the earth's history.
Rock art and paintings
 |
 |
The only painting in the caves showing, "a man" being hunted by a beast, Bhimbetka Cave paintings |
Bhimbetka rock painting |
The rock shelters and caves of Bhimbetka have a number of interesting paintings which depict the lives and times of the people who lived in the caves, including scenes of childbirth, communal dancing and drinking, and religious rites and burials, as well as the natural environment around them.
Executed mainly in red and white with the occasional use of green and yellow with themes taken from the everyday events of aeons ago, the scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders animal fighting, honey collection decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bisons, tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, antelopes dogs, lizards, crocodiles etc. have been abundantly depicted in some caves popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently.
The colours used are vegetable colours which have endured through time because the drawings are generally made deep inside a niche or on inner walls. The presence of the figure of a horse, which is supposed to have come into India in relatively recent times, indicates that some of the drawings date back a few thousand years but there are other drawings which have been established as of the paleolithic age by archaeologists, using carbon dating techniques.
Borra Caves Interesting fable…
On the discovery of the caves, there are several legends, which the tribals (Jatapu, Porja, Kondadora, Nookadora, valmiki etc.) 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 (196.9 ft), 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.
 |
|
Worship of Stalagmite Lingam inside the Borra Caves |
|
Location
The caves are located in the Araku Valley of the Ananthagiri hill range and is drained by the Gosthani River. At the entry, the cave measures upto 100 m (328.1 ft) horizontally and 75 m (246.1 ft) vertically. Stalagmite and Stalactite formations are found in the caves. The average annual temperature of Araku hills, where the caves are situated, is about 25 °C (77.0 °F). The average annual rainfall reported is 950 mm (3.1 ft) (mostly occurring during the northeast monsoon). The Gosthani river provides water supply to the Visakhapatnam city.
Geology
 |
 |
A view of the six most common speleothems |
Line art representation of w:Stalactites |
Access
The caves are well connected by road, rail and air services. Vishkapatnam, the nearest airport and the district headquarters, is 90 km (55.9 mi) by road, which is mostly a hill road and the journey takes about 3 hours. Train services operate on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul railway line in East Coast Railway, Indian Railways. The train journey over a distance of 100 km (62.1 mi)from the Vishkapatanam Rly station passes through Eastern Ghats (hill) section), which has 30 tunnels en-route. The journey by train takes about 5 hours to the Railway Station near the caves called the ‘Borra Guhalu Railway station’.
 |
 |
Official Information Board outside the Borra Caves
Visitor information |
Beautifully lit Borra Caves |
Guided tours for a day trip to the Borra Caves cover interesting attractions like the Tyada Railway Tunnel, Damuku View Point, Ananthagiri Coffee Plantation, Padmapuram Gardens and the Araku Valley. For the benefit of the visitors, an information board at the entry point to the caves gives some details of the caves and its surroundings (pictured). An Arraku and Borra rail-cum-road package tour organized by the Andhra Pradesh State Tourism Department is available for visitors keen to see the Borra caves.
A walk around the caves provides an impressive view of the mountainous area which is rich in flora and fauna. The Andhra Pradesh State Tourism Department has installed 26 mercury, sodium vapor and halogen electric lamps, which provide beautiful views of the formations (pictured). Geologists and tourists visiting the caves are enchanted by the lighted caves. The Araku valley, a famous hill station, about 29 km (18.0 mi) from the Borra caves is also an interesting tourist attraction for people visiting the caves. November and December are ideal months to visit the caves. The caves are open to visitors from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
Kanger Ghati National Park is a national park located near the Kholaba River in the district of Bastar, Chhattisgarh , India.
The rare mouse deer makes its home in this national park.
Other animals include: red jungle fowl, rocket-tailed drongo, striped hyena and barking deer.
Several areas of interest in this park land include caves such as the Kailash caves, the Kotumsar caves and the Dandak caves.
 |
The panoromic Stalactites from Kotumsar Cave, India |
Kotumsar cave is reported to have fishes that are blind in the sense that their life activity like reproduction is not governed or actuated by solar light. Their blindness is not yet confirmed. Various kinds of snakes are reported in the park like python, cobra, karait, dhaman, flying snake, green snake etc. Among birds crested serpent eagle, woodpecker, owl, red jungle fowl, peacock, kingfisher, parrot are seen in good number. The famous Bastar hill mynas (Gracula religiosa peninsularis) are also seen seasonally.
