One of the most sought-after tourist destinations in India, the Borra Caves in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh exhibit a variety of speleothems of differing sizes and irregularly shaped stalactites and stalagmites. The calm and cool environment inside the caves offers visitors a refreshing experience. Located in the Anantagiri hills of the Araku valley, the caves are also called Borra Guhalu. They are believed to be 150 million years old. ‘Borra’ means hole in Odia and ‘Guhalu’ means caves in Telugu. The Borra Caves are karstic limestone structures extending to a depth of 80 metres and are counted among the deepest caves in India.
Sunday POST talked to a few tourists from Odisha who visited the place recently.
“Our visit to the Borra Caves was marvellous. The four-hour train journey from Vishakapatnam to Borra Guhalu station is memorable because you travel through twenty tunnels and get a beautiful view of the valley,” said Soumyaranjan Mohanty from Kendrapara.
“The Borra Caves area is the best place in Araku valley. One has to walk through a small opening to enter the caves. There is a Shiva lingam inside. It is worth visiting this natural spot to pray before the idol of Lord Shiva at least once,” he added. “The caves are well-maintained, and you will enjoy the lighting inside the caves and the way it falls on the limestone rocks. There are nearly 412 steps going into the depth of the cave. A visitor has to pay an entry fee.”
“We visited the Borra Caves in January last and were expecting huge crowds at the spot. However, there were not too many visitors and we could enjoy the natural beauty in and around the caves,” said Sagar Sasmal from Cuttack.
“At the Borra station, we were caught in a traffic jam caused by haphazard parking. It took us more than 30 minutes to get out of the station. We encountered another traffic jam near the caves and hence decided to get down from the vehicle. We walked for ten minutes to reach the ticket counter. There were only two persons at the counter to attend to a long queue of visitors. Hence, it took us half an hour to buy tickets. Finally, we were in. The irritation caused by waiting was gone in a second once we entered the cave. It was very beautiful, large and deep. It is better to carry a torch with you so that you can enjoy every part of the cave. Of course, there is lighting inside the cave. We heard the cave was used by local tribes as a place of worship for the karstic limestone available inside. The irregularly shaped stalactites and stalagmites are beautiful,” he added.
“Besides the cave, the bamboo chicken available in the Araku valley is mouthwatering. The chicken is cooked over charcoal after it is stuffed with bamboo shoots. It is an oil free and nutritionally rich dish. Driving back to Vizag through the Araku valley’s Ananthagiri coffee plantations and waterfalls was also a pleasant experience,” Sagar said.
“If you are not interested in the history of the Borra Caves, you don’t need to hire a guide. The beautiful environment in and around the caves is enough to mesmerise you,” said S Mahesh Kumar from Bhubaneswar.
“I visited the Borra Caves along with my friends. We hired a guide and it took us about an hour to see the caves. The interiors are well lit so one can see the caves’ natural beauty easily. There are five types of rocks inside the caves including quartz and mica. There is also a small temple. One has to climb about fifty steps on an iron ladder to get a glimpse of the idol. I found many spots inside the caves resembling animals, humans or other important structures. Our guide showed us almost all the must-see places inside the caves, which are well-maintained and embellished with beautiful lighting. An audio guide keeps playing on loop. People who are used to brisk walking will not find it difficult to make their way up and down,” he said.
“Visitors should be aware that the monkeys around the caves could snatch foodstuff from your hands. Hence, one should be very careful. One can also buy some local spices sold near the caves,” he added.
How to reach: The Andhra Pradesh tourism department operates a train-cum-bus tour to Araku valley and Borra Caves from Visakhapatnam, which is 100 km away, as part of a package for couples and small families. The package also includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. Cabs and APTDC buses are also available to the valley.
Himanshu Guru, OP