At a distance of 100 km from the coastal city of Visakhapatnam, lie the magnificent, million-year-old Borra Caves in the Araku valley of Ananthagiri hills in the Eastern Ghats.

Measuring up to 100 m across and a height of 75 m at the entrance, they are among the largest and deepest caves in India, stretching some 200 m into the gentle, sloping hills.

Discovered in 1807 by a British geologist, William King, these natural caves were supposedly formed by the pressure exerted by the Gosthani river on the hills. The river now flows through the caves.

I visited Borra caves in the humid month of May and so, thankfully, the place was not swarming with tourists.

You enter the caves through an arched entrance. Numerous man-made steps have been carved into the rocky terrain, an amateur trekker’s delight. A musty smell persists in the cool, dark interior.

The damp floor makes me take cautious, measured steps for fear of slipping but once I begin to observe the various structures that adorn the cave, all thoughts of caution are lost, and I am like an excited child. I can hardly restrain myself as I wonder about the secrets the cave holds. Then a saner thought reminds me that these caves may have hardly any secrets left for they have been explored scores of times in the past decades.

As if answering my thoughts, bright mercury and halogen lamps, strategically placed to illumine the interiors, catch my eye. Man has decided to ‘monetise’ these caves and draw a larger number of tourists.

Elongated pointy structures jut out from the roof and also grow upwards from floor of the cave. These are called stalactites and stalagmites respectively, as I learn from my guide. Water has dissolved limestone over the years, resulting in the formation of these structures everywhere. Some of these limestone deposits have developed into interesting structures. A stalagmite that resembles a Shiva lingam has attained religious significance and a small temple has been built around it.

The cave is interspersed with sections of ankle-deep water, which is the Gosthani river. I find tiny film-like structures floating in the water, microbes of some sort. There are moss and algae in the cave.A sudden screech fills the air and I notice that a large number of bats line the high dark roof of the cave. The smell of dirt and decay is overpowering.As I walk further into the cave, a chilly draught envelopes me. The temperature is about 16 degrees Celsius, a welcome change from the hot world outside.

Soon, we reach a dead end of sorts. A small, narrow passageway seems to lead beyond, but once I walk through it, I am back at the place where I started. I realise that I have walked in circles and laugh out loud at my stupidity. An echo resonates and I quickly stifle my laughter. Now I realise why my guide had been talking in a low voice all along.

After stepping outside, I walk around the cave and enjoy the view of the verdant landscape. I am at peace with nature.

(Deepika did an MBA from SSN Institutions, Chennai, then worked as a content writer, before joining ACJ.)

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