Bellum caves, was the first thought on my mind as I woke up the next day morning. But since it was quite early I spent the morning basking in the warm sunlight and enjoying the view of the Gandikota Fort from the terrace at the APTDC.

ATPDC Museum

After a while, I found my way to the museum at APTDC. It isn’t a museum per se but definitely gives an overall glimpse of the forts in Andhra Pradesh. Strangely, it doesn’t mention anything about the nearest forth-Gandikota.

(Tip- If you are at APTDC visit this tiny so-called museum first and then head over to the fort.)

After which we had breakfast, the typical south Indian food- Idli chutney and sambar but that wasn’t it. We were also served Pongal which is almost like khichdi with pepper.

With a full tummy, we took to the road and headed to our destination.

The road trip from APTDC to the Bellum Caves (located in the Belum Village in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh) is absolutely beautiful.

Sunflowers blooming in full glory, colorful buildings, and gorgeous temples keep us engaged along the way.

 

Beginning of the journey:

 As we reached closer to the caves, the first thing that caught our attention is the huge Buddha statue and the Bellum caves mentioned on the mountains behind. There is ample parking space in the vicinity and just one restaurant.

After paying the entry fee for the caves (Note: There are no camera charges), we assembled at the entrance wherein our tour guide was eagerly waiting for us.

History of the Bellum Caves

As per the facts mentioned outside the cave, these caves are naturally formed by the erosion of limestone by the river “Chitravati” which dried out over time.

They were first recorded by Robert Bruce Foote in 1884 and then explored and charted by H.D.Gebauer, a German Caver and his team in 1982 while Sri Bacham Chelapathi Reddy is known as the founder of the Bellum Caves.

These caves were declared as a natural heritage site by Andhra Pradesh Archaeology Department in 1989 and taken over by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation in 2000. They were then opened to the public in 2003.

Bellum caves derive their name from the Sanskrit term “Bilum” which means caves and in Telugu, it is known as Belum Guhalu. They happen to be over a million years old and are known for their Stalactites and Stalagmites formations which can be distinctly seen throughout the walk.

 

More about the Bellum Caves:

These caves are stretched over an area of 3.229 km making them the second-largest in India following the Krem Liat Prah, located in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills District.

Out of which only 1.5 are open for viewing.

The remaining 1.23 km is a difficult region and permissions aren’t available to explore that area.

We took a guide to see around the place and that is one thing I would recommend for all first-time visitors. Walking through the caves was an experience in itself.

There are points where one had to stretch, bend, almost crawl, twist, and turn but that isn’t the difficult part.

As one moves ahead towards the deeper end many can feel the lack of oxygen but because of the oxygen pipes that are strategically placed in the caves, the journey becomes easy.

Hence anyone with asthma, breathing issues, or even claustrophobia should avoid the place.

Things to notice in the cave:

The Guessing Point–

The hole from which we entered is known as the Guessing point.

Gebauer Hall–

Once you enter the caves, Gebauer Hall is where everyone assembles.

It probably derives the name from HD Gebauer the German caver.

Pilidhwaram/Simhadwaram–

Simhadwaram is known as lion gates formed by stalactites that appear like a lion’s head.

Meditators Room–

It’s a tiny room where you have to bend and enter in. It has ample space for meditation and a saint bed.  It was the place where Buddhist and Jain monks meditated and many Buddhist relics were found. These relics are placed in the Museum at Anantpura.

Kotilingalu chamber–

The stalactites on the wall appear to be like shiv lings and are more than a crore.

It is a mesmerizing sight that one should not miss.

Maya Mandir–

This is one place one shouldn’t miss. It gets its name from the word “maya” which means illusion.

When you enter into the Maya mandir and look at the wall you will see different structures, figures, and faces.

Thousand hood– Several Stalactites appear like a cobra hood.

Banyan tree Hall– There is a huge stalactite that appears like a banyan tree.

Mandapam– It is a section in the caves wherein the stalactites appear like pillars.

Pathal Ganga–

The deepest point of the caves is at Pathal Ganga at 120 feet.

As per our tour guide, it is just water accumulation that is there all through the year. Some articles mention the presence of a mystical stream that starts from somewhere and disappears in the depths of the earth.

Just above the Pathal Ganga, one can see a shiv ling and enjoy fish Spa therapy there.

Pit holes in the ceilings–

These Pit holes form due to the pressure of the flowing river. They appear like a whirlpool which is 4-5 inches deep.

Lines and fractures in the passage–

The walls of the caves are mostly smooth due to erosion by the river. One can see distinct lines and fractures on the wall surface in the passage.

They also have a Saptasvarala Guha or musical chamber. In the musical chamber, one can hear the “sapt sur” or musical keys which we somehow missed.

End of the journey:

Our next halt was at the Buddha statue which is over 40 meters tall and was built by Andhra Pradesh Tourism to commemorate the Buddhist monk who lived in the Bellum caves around 4500BC.

With a content heart, we moved further ahead to Tadipatri in Anantapur to explore 2 amazing temples. So make sure to read my Blog on the twin temples.