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I Awakened the Indiana Jones in me As I Explored the Longest Cave System in South India

I Awakened the Indiana Jones in me As I Explored the Longest Cave System in South India

Unearthed by

Mouna Nanaiah

July 20, 2019

“Andhra Pradesh isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling of spice, spirit, and soulful simplicity“

Since the beginning of civilisation, caves have been an integral part of human survival. They hold untold stories and innumerable theories. Being one of the most ancient civilisations in the world, India is home to some of the most mystical and magnificent caves. One such enticing natural wonder exists right here in South India.

Belum caves, also known as Belum Guhalu in Andhra Pradesh, is the second longest cave in India. It is the longest one in South India, with the length of 3.2 km. Read on to know more about how to get there, where to stay, what to eat and other activities.

It was yet another weekend with no plans. As we crossed the border and drove to Andhra Pradesh, the entire view suddenly changed to one barren landscape. With the tiny hillocks paving the way to the next hill, the entire highway seemed like a brigade of hills, patrolling and yet welcoming.

Shyam and I had set off from Bangalore on a whim after we came across Belum Caves. Renowned as one of the longest cave systems in India that are open for exploration, the caves were enough for us to ditch our weekend plans of doing nothing and setting off on a six hour road trip from Bangalore!

What to see and do:

~The Grand Oval hall opening to the caves~

This longest underground cave was opened to public viewing after 20 years, after restoration, in the year 2002. From miles away, one can see Belum Caves written on the hills, right below which is the big Buddha statue. Right from the grand entrance to the dimly lit passages, one can begin to unearth all untold stories. Don Indiana Jones’ hat and observe the stalactite and stalagmite formations.

The entrance is like a pit-cave, descending which, the cave opens up and invites you in, with its mouth agape. Explore the long corridors, tapered galleries and fresh water tanks. Notice the wet clay-like roofs, anthill formations, winding tunnels and all other traces of life from beyond, which are both inviting and intriguing.

The big Buddha welcoming you at the entrance

What’s the story behind the cave?

The caves are in the Belum village of Kurnool district. The cave has a huge circular opening that could be easily mistaken as a giant hole in the ground. Decades ago, this was used as a dumping ground for waste products. In 1884, there was an expedition by British archaeologist Robert Bruce Foote, who first recorded the existence of Belum caves. The caves remained unappreciated for the next few decades, until almost a century later in 1982 or 1983, when another survey was conducted by a German team. They then explored the caves thoroughly.

This time the villagers along with the help of the local police and the Andhra Government worked extremely hard to clean up the caves. The government declared the caves as a protected site. It took 20 years of hard work to give the status that these caves deserved. In 2002, the caves were open for public and only in recent times have they gained popularity.

Getting there

The closest airport is Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore or Tirupati Airport in Renigunta.

At a distance of 270 km from Bangalore and 320 km from Hyderabad, Belum caves could be your next weekend destination. Board the AP Sampark Kranti train to Tadipatri from Delhi and change bus at Tadipatri for Belum Caves, which is approximately an hour-long drive. From Bangalore, one can take a direct APSRTC bus to Tadipatri or catch a train to Anantapur. From Anantapur, catch a bus to Tadipatri and similarly take a bus to Belum caves.

Finding a comfy stay

Punnami Hotel, run by the APTDC is in the vicinity of Belum Caves. They offer a 32 bed dormitory for a humble Rs 40 per person. APTDC also runs a restaurant and a small refreshments shop at the entrance to Belum Caves. The nearest towns Tadipatri (30 km) and Banganpalli (20 km) are other places where one can find decent motels. There are no other eatery or stay joints. It is advisable to carry a bottle of drinking water when visiting the caves as it gets extremely hot and humid at certain sections.

Exploration

Wake up fresh and have a good South Indian breakfast. The caves open at 10.00 am. Wear cotton clothes to protect yourself from the heat, buy your entrance ticket, a bottle of water and go on exploring. There are no guides available, so you are pretty much on your own. For the next two hours, get the photographer in you to experiment with the lively lights set up inside.

Although the caves are underground, there is no way one could miss them. You can find Belum caves written on the hill right above and a big white Buddha sitting at the entrance. We bought the tickets and started talking to some guys who were chatting outside the caves. One of them was a local with insights about the place that one could never find on Wikipedia pages.

This cave was formed over thousands of years due to the constant flow of water. The entrance is a gigantic hole underground called Pataalaganga but even bigger than that is the cave which is 3.3 km metres in length.

I began counting the passages to find that there were about 16 different pathways inside the cave. In the beginning, I thought it was pretty big to be an underground cave but as I ventured deeper and deeper, the passages became increasingly small. There is a meditation hall inside and I am a tiny person who had to bend till my knee to get into the hall.

On excavation they have even found saint beds inside. There is also a natural source of water inside in the form of a tiny waterfall. Most of the cave is made up of black limestone and quartz deposits. It is indeed a natural wonder and has some tales of its own.

As you are not allowed to carry food or water inside, it gets difficult to concentrate after a while.

We walked around in search of a small dhaba, a restaurant or even a stall for food but in vain. There was no food anywhere near Belum Caves, so we decided to head back towards Bangalore, and stopped at a dhaba on the highway. The food here was a delightful amalgamation of Andhra and Kannada flavours. We were famished and so we gobbled plates full of white rice, pappu (dal) and vegetable fry. However, the clear winner was the aromatic bowl of Andhra biryani, a dish that I crave even today!