Borra Caves
Borra Caves
Borrā Guhalu | |
---|---|
Ananthagiri hills of Eastern Ghats |
The Borra Caves (Borrā Guhalu) are located on the East Coast of India, in the
Etymology
Borra is Telugu word in native North Andhra dialect which means hole('Boriya' in standard Telugu).[5]
Legend
On the discovery of the caves, there are several legends, which the
Another lyrical legend is that the
Geography and climate
The caves are located in the Araku Valley of the Ananthagiri hill range and is drained by the Gosthani River. At the entry, the cave measures up to 100 m (330 ft) horizontally and 75 m (246 ft) vertically. Stalagmite and stalactite formations are found in the caves.[7]
The average annual
Geology
The regional geology in the
The caves in the reserved forest area basically host a variety ofFormation
The Gosthani River, which originates from these caves and flows between the solidified stalactites and stalagmites in the karstic limestones formation, is the cause for the development of the odd shapes of structures. Water percolating from the roof of the caves dissolve limestone and trickle drop by drop to form stalactites at the roof of the cave and then dripping down to the ground form stalagmites. These deposits have developed into interesting forms and structures inside the caves such as Shiva–Parvati, Mother–Child, Rishi's beard, human brain, mushrooms, crocodile, temple, church, etc. These shapes have captured the imagination of tourists, while some have been given religious interpretations.[8][9]
Formations in the caves
The caves are deep and totally
These are thick orange microbial mats (2.5 to 3 cm [1.0 to 1.2 in] thick) with patches of yellow biofilms extending 3 m (9.8 ft) from the aphotic deep cave orifice.[8]
While the caves are basically limestone formations, the area surrounding these are of mica formations which are prospected for precious stones like rubies.[7]
Genesis
Biological environment
Micro organisms
The effect of microorganisms in the mats on the cave formation and their role on iron mineral precipitation has been further studied. A report indicates a link between iron–rich mats formation and iron precipitating bacteria.[11]
Fauna and flora
The
Stygofauna
Habrobathynella borraensis was described from the Borra Caves. It is the first Indian cavernicolous species of the genus Habrobathynella.[13]
Location and access
The caves are located in the
Train services operate on the
Visitor information
Guided tours for a day trip to the Borra Caves cover interesting attractions like the Tyada Railway Tunnel, Damuku View Point,
November and December are ideal months to visit the caves.[7]
See also
- Cave research in India
- List of Caves in India
- List of rock-cut temples in India
- Borra Caves Vizag Visakhapatnam
References
- ^ a b "Astrobiology & Geomicrobiology". Division Microbial Systems Ecology, Department of Microbiology, Technische Universität München, Germany. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ISBN 978-90-6191-987-2. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d e File:Borra Caves Info board.JPG
- ^ "borra meaning in Telugu". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ^ a b c "Borra Caves". WWW showcaves. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Borra Caves, Eco India". Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f "Evidences for microbial involvement in the genesis of speleothem carbonates, Borra Caves, Visakhapatnam, India by Sushmitha Baskar, R. Baskar and Anubha Kaushik" (PDF). Current Science Journal, Vol 92, No.3. 10 February 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ^ a b c "Borra Caves – A Million-Year old Wonder". Archived from the original on 13 November 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-387-95100-3. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- S2CID 128814523.
- ^ "Biodiversity News of Andhra Pradesh, Volume 2, Issue 1, Fruit Bats of Andhra Pradesh, page 4" (PDF). April–June 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ISSN 0278-0372.
- ^ "Valley of enchantment". Archived from the original on 10 September 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
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- Ramesh Y (1990). Geomorphic Studies in Upper Gostani River Basin with Special References to Borra (Karst) Caves Visakhapatnam District, A.P., India, India.
- Le Bas, M.J., Subbarao, K.V. and Walsh, J.W. Metacarbonatite or marble? – the case of the carbonate, pyroxenite, calcite-apatite rock complex at Borra, Eastern Ghats, India, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 20, 2002, 127–140.