Oct 28, 2023

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.

.........

No comments:

Post a Comment