Caving in India is very popular considering the number of caves one can find here. Every state has a number of caves worth exploration. There is the right mix of history, spirituality, mystery, meditation, and adventure in cave explorations. Most of the Indian caves are now sheltered and maintained by the Archaeological Society of India, and thus one needs ideal permissions and registrations. We list here the top 10 places for caving in India. Explore away!
Ajanta Ellora Cave
1. Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
The Ajanta Ellora caves are the most famous caves of India. They are carved into hillside rocks and are located in the north of Maharashtra. One needs to see these caves to understand the magnificence of their beauty and form. There are in all 34 caves at the Ellora. These date back to the 6th and 11th centuries AD. There are 29 caves at Ajanta. These date back to the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. The caves at the Ajanta are all Buddhist. However the caves at Ellora are a mix of Buddhist, Hindu as well as Jain.
2. Elephanta Island Caves, Maharashtra
The Elephanta caves are located on an Island just off the coast of Mumbai. There are in all seven ancient caves, which are hand carved out of a single rock. These caves date back to 450 and 750 AD and thus are very ancient. Out of all the caves, there is one main cave, which has many stunning large sculptured panels. These panels depict the Hindu god, Lord Shiva. One has to take a ferry from the Gateway of India to reach these island caves.
3. Badami, Karnataka
The caves of Badami are very attractive due to the presence of the many beautiful cave temples. The four temples are open daily for a specific time frame. The four caves are dedicated to individual deities like Lord Shiva (one), Lord Vishnu (two), and the Jains (one). These caves overlook the 5th century Agastyatirtha Tank and also the beautiful waterside Bhutanatha Temples. A perfect caving location, one might say!
4. Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, Orissa
The Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves are located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Orissa. The landscape is dotted with many ancient caves, but Udayagiri, also known as the Sunrise Hills, have the most interesting caves. There are many ornately carved caves, which are believed to be once occupied by Jain aesthetics. There is the mysterious Tiger Cave, which has an entrance shaped like a tiger’s mouth, and the Queen’s Palace Cave, which has the remains of the Jain symbols. Khandagiri is another cave collection, which has beautiful caves.
5. Tabo, Himachal Pradesh
One can find spiritually vibrant caves in Tabo, which offers the visitors a chance to meditate and go into a trance. Situated in the Spiti Valley, the rugged and rocky ridge is located in high altitude. The town is dotted with many caves that aid the local Buddhist lamas in meditating peacefully. One can explore a lot of small and big caves here as the mountains house many of them and thus there are many visitors annually.
6. The Many Caves of Meghalaya
Meghalaya is one state of India, where the caving exploration expeditions actually started! The place has many caves in almost all the nooks and corners of its landscape. Scores of cavers visit Meghalaya annually to undertake caving expeditions. These caves are simply beautiful and awe inspiring. Words fail to describe how magnificent these caves actually are during sun rise and sun sets. Come to Meghalaya, the land of beautiful caves!
7. The Caves of Jammu & Kashmir
There are many caves in Jammu and Kashmir, but two important Indian caves include those dedicated to Lord Shiva. Thus, these are very popular with pilgrims from all over India. Shiv Khori is placed near Ransoo, deep in the Swalik Hills. It is a kilometer long cave and has a natural Shiva lingam made out of a nice stalagmite. Then there are the famous Amaranth caves on the mount amaranth. There is also a temple and a famous Hindu shrine in those caves, made of ice. Ideal time to visit these caves are in the months of July and august.
8. Undavalli and Mogalarajapuram Caves, Andhra Pradesh
In the famous city of Vijayawada, one can find the well preserved 7th century dated Undavalli cave temples. There is a quiet tranquility to the place that is really unmatched elsewhere. In the caves one can find many shrines that are dedicated to the powerful Hindu deities like lord Shiva, lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma. The Mogalarajapuram caves are an interesting find but they are in the ruins nowadays but still worth a visit. However, these caves are very famous for exploration and getting to know about their make and architecture is very interesting.
9. Trichy Rock Fort Temple and Pallava Caves, Tamilnadu
The Rock Fort Temple is the main point of Trichy, and one of the major attractions of south India. It was constructed by the Nayaks of Madurai, many ages ago. The temples are built on a rocky outcrop, almost 237 feet above the city. The view from the top is really very awesome and the sunsets are just very glorious. There are many awesome caves that are cut into the rocks but navigation into those takes some time and energy. But make sure not to miss any of those. There are many captivatingly beautiful and ancient sculptures carved inside the caves.
10. Dungeshwari Cave Temples, Bihar
The famous Dungeshwari caves house the Buddhist temples that are very artistically structured. The Dungeshwari cave temples are also popularly known as the Mahakala caves. These are the caves where it is believed the Buddha spent a lot of years meditating, before going to Bodhygaya and attaining enlightenment. The place is thus a tourist hub, especially those who follow Buddhism. Meditation and spiritual time can be spent in these caves, which offer optimum peace and serenity to the souls.
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