Hyderabad: An ancient cave has been discovered in Telangana’s Asifabad jungle. The jungle is famous for its natural beauty, tribal culture and customs.
The lime stone cave was found in the jungle at Triyani Mandals Mesramguda Gram Panchayat. The district forest officer Shantaram and the forest range officer T Pranoy have reported the discovery to the archeological officials.
A team of the officials of the Public Research Institute of History (PRIHA) lead by its General Secretary M A Srinivas visited the cave. The interior of the cave was recorded and studied with the help of geological experts.
A folklore tale said that the Pandavas had stayed in the cave. The cave is inside a rock that is being worshipped by Gond and Pradhan tribes as Arjuna Bhagwan. The locals knew about this cave since ancient times.
The cave, located in Kawal Tiger Zone, is so narrow that it is difficult to move freely inside. The experts could move only upto 30 meters inside the cave.
According to the geologists, the cave had formed due to the climatical changes on earth. But the retired Deputy Director of Indian Land Survey said that the cave formation process was set in motion during the Neoproterozoic era about 54 crore years due to the groundwater cutting through the limestone layer.
Some stone tools used by the ancient people were found inside the cave. It is thought that the people of that era were dwelling inside this cave. There is a remnant of a water spring in front of this cave.
There are sprouted stone formations on the ceiling and ground of the cave which are worshipped by the tribals as Arjun Bhagwan.