Caves of Lamgao, Goa

Sept 1, 2023. After a quick tour of Arvalem waterfall and Arvalem caves, we headed west towards Bicholim. We still had 3 hours for the check-in at a resort near Assonora. So we thought of covering two more places- Lamgao cave and Corjuem fort. Lamgao cave is about 4 km from Bicholim. The narrow road passing through several localities is really tight and twisty, only one car could pass at a time. As we approached the location, it was deserted. If not for the board pointing the direction, we might have missed it. The last 300 meters is a footpath flanked by arecanut plantations.

While touring Goa, one needs to be prepared for thermal shock on stepping out from an airconditioned space. The hot & humid weather can sap out energy rapidly. And the still air in a plantation adds to the discomfort.

The cave is slightly elevated from the footpath, may be 6 to 7 meters high. Srinu and Pushp decided not to enter the cave since the place had a eerie feeling. Also the place was littered with trash, looks like this historical place has become a drinking / gambling den.

Photographing this cave was tricky with bright sunlight blazing down and the dark interior of the cave. The cave is basically a natural one which was enlarged by humans. This too like Pandava caves is laterite rock-cut shelter.

In this view, the ancient sculptors have made columns and beams. The cave's floor is uneven and dirt, there's no laterite floor. Also the inside walls are natural, meaning they don't seemed to be touched by human hands. Going by the looks of the place, this project is incomplete, abandoned much before completion.

My ears were alert, ready to pick up any growls from the smaller chambers inside. The smaller caverns were dark, just a sheet of black. Who knows what creatures were resting inside. Better not to go deeper.

This cave is marked as Buddhist cave on Google Maps. It could be Buddhist or Jain or Shaivite.

Another view of the column. The lower portion is missing a portion yet the column has held up.

Nothing more to see, I rejoined the group and we headed back. On the way we stopped to take a few pictures of the rock-cut Rudreshwar Devasthan. Rudreshwar is a form of Shiva. This rock-cut shrine is on the same hill as the cave seen earlier.

The two-column three-passages format is a proper Hindu temple format. The same design was seen at Arvalem Shivalinga cave.

A damaged idol of Nandi opposite the temple. Someone has left a cute little white colored Nandi here.

Barely 15 minutes in the arecanut plantation I was soaked in my own sweat and raring to get out of this place. Our next destination: Corjuem fort, about 9 km from here.

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Arvalem caves, Sanquelim, Goa

...continued from Arvalem Waterfall.
Sept 1, 2023. The last time I'd stepped into these cave monument was 20 years ago. Back then this monument was being done up for tourism. I remember the open yard was dug up and construction work was in progress. I'd taken a few pictures of the Linga idols in the caves. Shabir had told me that locally people call them Pandava Caves. However, officially they are known as Arvalem caves.

The caves are hacked out from a large laterite outcrop which is very common in the Western Ghats. One other place which has large tracts of laterite is in Bidar district. In the XII Century CE, the social reformer Basaveshwara's disciples had taken refuge in laterite caves when war broke out between king Bijjala's army and members of Shivasharana community. Most of those caves situated in and around Basava Kalyana. One of the caves known as Sharanara Gavi is tourist friendly, it is situated at the base of hillock on which 108 feet idol of Jagatjyoti Basaveshwara.

There are three separate cavities here. The closest one is an empty chamber. The next two are the ones with Linga idols in them.

The tour of these caves must start from here after reading the description etched into a stone slab.

The following is the transcription of the inscription posted by Archaeological Survey of India, Goa Circle: Excavated into the laterite hill, the Arvalem caves consists of two major caves and a residential chamber. The first phase of excavation includes triple shrines; the first cave of the triple shrine on the north-west side is a square chamber having Pitha in the centre, enshrined by a Linga like shaft of schist stone provided in its visible top form as a disc, perhaps standing for solar disc. The rectangular part below the disc-top contains an inscription "Sambapuravasi Ravi" a name of donor in early part of the 7th century A.D. characters. This indicates synchronisation of Siva and Surya and matches with the name of donor.
The central shrine is with a similar Pitha enshrined by a Linga with visible cylindrical top and square bottom which is similar to the early usage of Linga at Ellora, Elephanta etc.
The third shrine on the south-east side had a similar rock-cut Pitha also having similar shaft with the inscription, which assumes the form of a spearhead, a possible representation of Kartikeya. It seems to be reasonable to assume the combination of Shiva, Kaumara (Kartikeya) and Surya cults displayed here in the same manner as the southern Pandyan caves.
The second phase cave is provided by a pillared facade, fairly well finished and contains a rock-cut laterite Pitha in the centre of which is found a Linga shaft with visible cylindrical part. Apart from the above cave shrines, there is one more at the extreme corner of north-west with a similar Pitha enshrined by a Linga with inscription on the shaft datable to the last quarter of the 6th century A.D. Brahmi characters.

This is the largest cavity with five separate spaces; one large hall, and four chambers each containing a Linga. All Linga are mounted in a pedestal which remains integrated to the original laterite block of these caves. Except for the Linga, these caves are made of a monolithic block of laterite.

Linga with disc

Cylindrical top Linga

Spear-headed Linga

This is the second cave with a pillared facade.

The stone workers have attempted to give a touch of decor around the passage. They've also taken care of basic requirements like steps and ventilators. Ventilators allows air flow and also visual access.

Done with Arvalem caves, we head towards Assonora. I'd mentioned another ancient cave marked as Buddhist caves, situated near Bicholim. That would be our next stop. 

Laterite is a relatively soft stone. It's easy to shape the blocks. During my numerous visits to Goa, I'd seen a stone worker shape laterite blocks using a pick-axe. Those blocks were being used for a residential building.
Before I close this post I would like to add a line or two about another laterite monument- the rock-cut  temple of Amminabavi village near Dharwad. Amminabavi cave is a subterranean cave said to be made single handedly by an ascetic which lived the Rudrabhoomi (Hindu burial ground) situated just outside the village. The cave was created sometime early 1970s. The ascetic had settled well into his cave temple and when things got too comfortable he got into trouble with law and his current whereabouts are unknown.
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Arvalem waterfall

The first time I saw Arvalem waterfall was 2003, the year our business set foot in Goa. The waterfall was close to our business associate Shabir's home at Sanquelim. Shabir had taken us to Arvalem caves and then Arvalem waterfall, both places are on the same road off Sanquelim-Ponda road.

Arvalem waterfall is a result of Cudnem river diving off a 50 meters cliff. The mouth of the gorge at the waterfall is about 7 meters wide. During and just after a good rainy season, the roar of Arvalem waterfall can be heard half a kilometer away. Between 2003 and 2005, I must've visited this waterfall two or three times. Once it was during the peak of monsoon, the waterfall was like a ferocious monster. 

Sept 1, 2023

This trip to Goa was planned in the last week of September on Srinu's arrival at our place. We got accommodation at a resort near Assonora in North Goa. On Shabir's advice we skipped Dharwad-Ramnagar-Goa highway and took Dharwad-Belagavi-Chorla-Goa highway. On entering Chorla ghat road, the memories of 2003-05 came alive. I'd travelled Chorla ghats on a bike, a bus, and number of times by car; traveled during day and night; during clear and rainy days. With all the variables, one thing was constant- the road on Karnataka side was pathetic and the road on Goan side was always like new. This trip, the road on Karnataka side was bad but not as bad as in 20 years ago.

The first major town we touch in Goa is Sanquelim. As we approached the town, more memories came alive... the restaurants we ate at, the shops we visited, a glimpse of the town bus-stand, etc. Sanquelim had grown over the years, one of the main junctions had traffic lights and medians. Despite the changes, the town had retained its charm. I had no difficulty in locating the road leading to the historical caves and waterfall.

We decided to see the waterfall first and stop at the caves on the way back. We left our car at the parking place just outside the waterfall-temple complex gates and went by foot. The path goes past Rudreshwar Mandir and then a staircase runs parallel to the stream. One needs to be careful on the steps since they are slippery in the rainy season. Here it is, the marvelous Harvalem waterfall.

That's Pushpa, and Srinu our friend from Hyderabad. A fine mist rises from the waterfall keeping the surroundings moist. 2023 rainy season has been poor, probably received just 30 to 40% rainfall compared to last year. If the rains were better, this waterfall would've been a different sight with a heavy spray covering the entire space. 

The waters of Cudnem river after the falls. The steps seen on the left is the temple's bathing ghat. During one of the previous visits, the water level of this river was at least four feet more than the present.

Barely half hour outside the airconditioned car, the warm & humid Goan weather had hit Pushpa. She decided to rest while I took a few pictures.

The stubby columns in waters are flow controllers, I think they reduce turbulence. Also there's a cross-over along those columns. Anyone wanting to cross the stream could go there. To my knowledge, crossing the stream with this flow is not advisable. May be when the water level is much lower.

This Rudreshwar Mandir, a temple dedicated to a form of Shiva. I had been inside the temple during an earlier visit.

This is the rear view of the grand temple. Goan temple structures are different, most of them have an open hall attached to the temple. The sloped roof portion is the temple, the dome is right over the sanctum. The extension in the front is an open hall which is used for cultural events. Most temples in Goa and Western ghats are in the same format, only the size and design will vary. Two other major temples of Sanquelim are Radha-Krishna Mandir and Dattatreya Mandir.

I really wish to see this waterfall again after a good rainy season. So praying for good rains in the future years. From here we go to Arvalem caves, also called as Pandava caves by local people.

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Neerasagar and Bedthi Halla

July 31, 2010. An office colleague had accompanied me that afternoon to Neerasagar. In fact I learnt about the reservoir from that colleague. The moment we reached the dam, it started raining, we had taken shelter under the gate-house. It was very windy too. I'd taken a few pictures in Nikon Coolpix, battery life and memory were constraints at that time. The place was green, fresh air blowing all the time, anyone would like it.

I'd thoughts of visiting Neerasagar again however a trip never materialized until the time our friend Srinu came home 24th evening. It was Srinu's first visit to our place. He was new to Dharwad though he had driven through the town in late 1980s. After a day's rest, Srinu was ready to see places. I thought of Kittur fort and ancient temples of Dharwad. Srinu inquired about Dandeli. I froze on Neerasagar since it's a place worth seeing and nearby, the trip wouldn't be tiring.

Aug 26, 2023. We left home around 10-45. The 15 km journey took almost an hour because we took a slightly round about route and we had to stop at the reservoir check-post for a few minutes. Somewhere on the way I'd seen a board stating Neerasagar waterfall. We headed towards the waterfall spot first, the dirt road ran parallel to the earthen bund (embankment) and then climbed up on to the southern end of the bund. A gate barred vehicle entry any further. This is the southern end of the bund, on the left is the overflow wall. As you see the reservoir is filled to capacity.

The on-duty guard told us that the reservoir was overflowing until a week ago, it was a sight worth seeing. I'll make it a point to visit Neerasagar the next time it rains heavily.

The overflow wall is around 280 meters long. The spillage flows southwards towards Kalghatgi and Mundgod. As per the information board here, the source of Neerasagar is Bedthi Halla. The word Halla means a stream. Bedthi can be called a perennial stream.

According to a Karnataka Aranya Elakhe (Karnataka forest department) board near Yellapur, Bedthi Halla's headwater (starting point) is near Unkal lake, Hubballi. Below is the transcript of the board.

ಬೇಡಿ ನದಿಯ ಮಾಹಿತಿ: ಧಾರವಾಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿ (ಉಣಕಲ್ ಕೆರೆ) ಯಿಂದ ಹುಟ್ಟಿ ದಕ್ಷಿಣದಿಂದ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮುಖಮುಖವಾಗಿ ಹರಿದು ಕಲಘಟಗಿ ಯಲ್ಲಾಪುರ ಮುಂಡಗೋಡ ತಾಲುಕಿನ ಗಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹರಿ ಮುಂದೆ ಮಾಗೋಡ ಜಲಪಾತವೆಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧವಾಗಿದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಜಲಪಾತವು ಭವ್ಯವಾಗಿ 650 ಅಡಿ ಎತ್ತರದಿಂದ ಧುಮುಕಿ ರಂಜನಿಯ, ರಮ್ಯಮಾಯ ದೃಶ್ಯ ಗೋಚರವಾಗುವದು.  ನಂತರ ಅಂಕೋಲಾ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ಗಂಗಾವಳಿ ನದಿಯಾಗಿ ಹರಿದು ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿಯ ಸುತ್ತುವರಿದು ಅರಬಿ ಸಮುದ್ರ ಸೇರುತ್ತದೆ.

From Unkal, Bedthi flows southwards touching Kalghatgi and Mundagod, then flows through Yellapur Taluq and creates a spectacular waterfall at Magod by plunging 650 feet in two stages. Further, on entering Ankola Taluq, it is called as Gangawali. After taking a circuitous route in the hills & jungles of Sahyadri Ghats, Gangawali touches the west coast and merges into the sea.

Magod waterfall is a sight to behold, I'd seen the waterfall two times, about 13 years ago. Coming to Neerasagar, impounded by the dam, Bedthi is a humble brook here. That's Srinu crossing over to the left bank. After a good rain, fed by smaller streams, Bedthi becomes a gushing stream. Going by the terrain she flows through, Bedthi can be called as the younger sister of river Kali.

The rocks in the stream bed caught my attention. These grey colored rocks with white streaks seem to be shale with calcite lines. The calcite deposits are so prominent, a real beauty.

The calcite streaks are several meters long at places. It's also possible the streaks are quartz deposits. Only a geological specialist could identify them correctly.

The predominantly dark grey rock-bed has patches of brown at places. Those patches have wood like look. In this picture below, it looks as tough the white lines are embedded into wood.

A Neem tree on an outcrop. Plants prove their versatility by growing at unthinkable locations. In the background is Neerasagar overflow wall.

Less than 100 meters from the wall corner is the cascade. The brook takes small leaps from rock to rock making gurgling sounds on its way down. Though a small cascade, one needs to be careful while negotiating these rocks. These rocks could be slippery due to smooth surfaces or layers of moss. On a cool day one could sit here hours together listening to the soothing music of water & stone.

The brook flows down and collects into a small pond and continues it's journey towards Kalghatgi.

The stream bed was getting warmer by the minute due to radiation. We decided to move on and see the reservoir. Neerasagar dam is an earthen type. The bund is 1.35 km long and 155 meters wide at the base and 6.1 meters at the top. The catchment area is 181 sq km, no idea what the average depth is.

The dam is under watch always. there are guards watching the gate here and the gate-house situated at the mid-point of the bund. A cement pipe fashioned into a sentry post is a real piece of art. Had it been painted, white shaft and red cap, it would've looked awesome. Being a Saturday, there were a number of visitors, mostly youngsters from Dharwad and Hubballi.

Another view of the bund and the gate-house. On the northern shore of the reservoir are farmlands growing sugarcane and maize.

View of the service road from the bund. This picture was shot in Srinu's mobile phone as I drove down. I would be meeting him at the mid-point where the steps and gate-house are situated.

The service road and the well maintained bund. There were a team of a dozen people pruning overgrown vegetation. Neerasagar is one of the sources of drinking water for the rapidly growing twin cities, maintenance is a year round work.

The iconic three-stage staircase of Neerasagar. The function of the stages is to stop anyone falling down or to reduce the speed of water during a heavy downpour. 

Another guard on duty. The guards need to be alert keeping visitors within limits. There are two information boards planted on either sides of the staircase, one in Kannada and the other in English. The other board is notice to public- this being a source of drinking water, no people are allowed to enter it, bathing cattle or fishing too aren't allowed.

Here's the transcript of the English board:
KARNATAKA URBAN WATER SUPPLY & DRAINAGE BOARD
NEERASAGAR WATER SUPPLY SCHEME: HUBLI-DHARWAD
TOTAL COST OF PROJECT: I STAGE RS. 170,50,000/- (COMPLETED DURING 1955)
                                     II STAGE Rs. 48,17,000/- (COMPLETED DURING 1969)
DETAILS OF NEERASAGAR LAKE & EARTHEN BUND
1. SOURCE: BEDTI NALA
2. LENGTH OF EARTHEN EMBANKMENT: 1356.36 M
3. CATCHMENT AREA: 181 08 SQ.KM
4. AVERAGE RAIN FALL: 750 MM
5. STORAGE. CAPACITY: 28.90 MCUM
6. USABLE, STORAGE: 26.15 MCUM
7. MAX. HEIGHT OF DAM BUND: 24.60 M
8. MAX. WIDTH OF DAM: 155.33 M
9. RL. OF TOP OF DAM: 594.66 M 
10. FLOOD LEVEL: 592.53 M
11. FULL SUPPLY LEVEL: 590.70 M
12. TOP WIDTH OF DAM BUND: 6.10 M
13. OUTLET LEVEL: 1. TOP : RL 589.17 M
                             2. MIDDLE RL 585.36 M
                             3. BOTTOM: RL 580.94 M
14. SIZE OF OUTLET: 750 MM DIA CI PIPE LENGTH 1.45 KM
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, (CENTRAL) HUBLI.

As I scanned the surroundings through my camera lens, this young-man gestured his request for a picture. Selfies are good but nor as good as being photographed. Shubam is from Yellapur studying at Dharwad. He likes traveling and I guessed it rightly that a Himalayan bike parked near the staircase was his.

Time to leave. I thought of a picnic plan here with Pushp, one of the Sunday for sure.

At the vehicle parking spot, we ran into this group of students from KLE, Hubballi. I asked them if they had bunked classes. No, they hadn't. Srinu joined them for a picture... Srinu Sir & his students on an outing.

We said bye to our friends and we headed home for a light lunch and nap. Later I sent pictures to Shubam and Kiran, the guy on Srinu's left. The following day Srinu, Pushp and I went bicycling to Navalur Gudda. After the early morning bicycle ride, we had breakfast at home and went shopping at Dharwad Vegetable Market. We purchased a few things needed for the week and the upcoming two-day trip to Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole.

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