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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