Borra Caves, Araku

The Borra Caves also known as Borra Guhalu are located on the East Coast of India in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley.  It is one of the largest caves in the country at a height of around 2,313 ft. They exhibit a variety of speleothems(a geological formation made by mineral deposits that gather over time in natural caves). 

The caves are basically Karst(a topography formed from the dissolution of soluable carbonate rocks) limestone structures with a depth of 260 ft and are considered the deepest caves in India. The original name of these caves is Borra Guhalu where Borra means 'hole' and Guhalu means 'caves'.

Significance:

There are many stories told by local tribal groups like the Jatapu, Porja, Kondadora, Nookadora and Valmiki about how the caves were discovered. One of the stories say that a cow, eating grass on the top of the caves, dropped 200ft through a hole in the roof. The cowerd(cow caretaker) while searching for the cow came across the caves & found a stone inside the cave looking like a lingam, which he understood as the lord Shiva protected the cow.

Another legend says that the Shiva Lingam represents the Hindu God lord Shiva is found deep in the caves & above which is a stone formation of a cow. It was believed that the cow's udder was the source of the Gosthani river. 

How To Reach:

Borra Caves railway station is just 950m away from the caves and can be reached easily by walk from the station.