KAVALA n°1 (Cave at)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A natural temple cave in unspecified host rock (note 1), is sacred to Mahadeo (Shiva) and said to offer a labyrinth of tunnels and passages (note 2) or a labyrinth of tunnels that go on underground for miles (note 3) but was, when visited in late January 2003, gated and locked (note 4). SPELEOTHEM: Judging from Internet goss, Kavala Cave vexes its visitors initially with a repelling entrance crawl to an attractive four-foot high Shivling-like stalagmite [speleothem] structure [sic!] and some stalactites (LAKSHMI 2002) or with Shivalinga-like laterite formations (note 5) which some people (note 6) with less common, sort of peculiar preferences consider as tempting stalagmates (sic!). indianbureaucratsdiary.blogspot.com/2007/11/dandel… (accessed 2008.02.06) points out a gigantic naturally formed Shiva Linga inside. You have to crawl into the caves to see it. Yadava, M G (2002 Mss Thesis: 94) reports from Kavala cave in the Halyal taluk … many good stalgmite deposits but it’s collection is not allowed as they are all part of a temple premises. HUMAN USE - Cave tourism: The cave is advertised as a highlight (LAKSHMI 2002) and must see destination (note 7) on a certain Kali River Bank Trek which takes a rugged teak (Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Bambus var.) forest trail along the dark river Kali (note 8) and one tributary, a certain Kaneri (sic! for Pandri?). An Ecolodge at Khanapur (note 9) advertises excursions to the Kavala caves, a labyrinth of tunnels and passages reached by 1000 steps (note 10). SITUATION: Near the tiny hamlet of Kavala or Kavla (note 11) and 1000 steps (on foot about 100 to 150 vertical metres) above or below (note 12) the right (south-western) bank of the river Pandri, a tributary of the Kali Nadi. Tourist information goss place Kavala Cave near Ambikanagar (note 13), a place which is said to lie about 25 km (note 14) along a road in an unspecified direction (south?) from Dandeli (note 15) and 93 km (approximaely north?) from Karwar (note 16). Arriving from Goa, is Londa (45 km away, at N15°28': E74°31' on AMS sheet ND43-02) the nearest but seldom served railhead while Hubli (85 km away, at N15°21': E75°10' on AMS sheet ND43-03) is better for those travelling from Bangalore (481 km) or Bombay (renamed Mumbai). CAVE POTENTIAL: The caves remain largely unexplored. You can explore the caves, but don’t go alone. Hire some one who knows about the caves (note 17). CAVE LIFE: On 24th January 2003 Siegfried Huber (2003.01.26 personal correspondence) saw bats (Chiroptera). indianbureaucratsdiary.blogspot.com/2007/11/dandel…> (accessed 2008.02.06) confirms Colonies of bats roost inside the caves.gmite deposits but it’s collection is not allowed as they are all part of a temple premises. HUMAN USE - Cave tourism: The cave is advertised as a highlight (LAKSHMI 2002) and must see destination (note 7) on a certain Kali River Bank Trek which takes a rugged teak (Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Bambus var.) forest trail along the dark river Kali (note 8) and one tributary, a certain Kaneri (sic! for Pandri?). An Ecolodge at Khanapur (note 9) advertises excursions to the Kavala caves, a labyrinth of tunnels and passages reached by 1000 steps (note 10). SITUATION: Near the tiny hamlet of Kavala or Kavla (note 11) and 1000 steps (on foot about 100 to 150 vertical metres) above or below (note 12) the right (south-western) bank of the river Pandri, a tributary of the Kali Nadi. Tourist information goss place Kavala Cave near Ambikanagar (note 13), a place which is said to lie about 25 km (note 14) along a road in an unspecified direction (south?) from Dandeli (note 15) and 93 km (approximagmite deposits but it’s collection is not allowed as they are all part of a temple premises. HUMAN USE - Cave tourism: The cave is advertised as a highlight (LAKSHMI 2002) and must see destination (note 7) on a certain Kali River Bank Trek which takes a rugged teak (Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Bambus var.) forest trail along the dark river Kali (note 8) and one tributary, a certain Kaneri (sic! for Pandri?). An Ecolodge at Khanapur (note 9) advertises excursions to the Kavala caves, a labyrinth of tunnels and passages reached by 1000 steps (note 10). SITUATION: Near the tiny hamlet of Kavala or Kavla (note 11) and 1000 steps (on foot about 100 to 150 vertical metres) above or below (note 12) the right (south-western) bank of the river Pandri, a tributary of the Kali Nadi. Tourist information goss place Kavala Cave near Ambikanagar (note 13), a place which is said to lie about 25 km (note 14) along a road in an unspecified direction (south?) from Dandeli (note 15) and 93 km (approximagmite deposits but it’s collection is not allowed as they are all part of a temple premises. HUMAN USE - Cave tourism: The cave is advertised as a highlight (LAKSHMI 2002) and must see destination (note 7) on a certain Kali River Bank Trek which takes a rugged teak (Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Bambus var.) forest trail along the dark river Kali (note 8) and one tributary, a certain Kaneri (sic! for Pandri?). An Ecolodge at Khanapur (note 9) advertises excursions to the Kavala caves, a labyrinth of tunnels and passages reached by 1000 steps (note 10). SITUATION: Near the tiny hamlet of Kavala or Kavla (note 11) and 1000 steps (on foot about 100 to 150 vertical metres) above or below (note 12) the right (south-western) bank of the river Pandri, a tributary of the Kali Nadi. Tourist information goss place Kavala Cave near Ambikanagar (note 13), a place which is said to lie about 25 km (note 14) along a road in an unspecified direction (south?) from Dandeli (note 15) and 93 km (approximagmite deposits but it’s collection is not allowed as they are all part of a temple premises. HUMAN USE - Cave tourism: The cave is advertised as a highlight (LAKSHMI 2002) and must see destination (note 7) on a certain Kali River Bank Trek which takes a rugged teak (Tectona grandis) and bamboo (Bambus var.) forest trail along the dark river Kali (note 8) and one tributary, a certain Kaneri (sic! for Pandri?). An Ecolodge at Khanapur (note 9) advertises excursions to the Kavala caves, a labyrinth of tunnels and passages reached by 1000 steps (note 10). SITUATION: Near the tiny hamlet of Kavala or Kavla (note 11) and 1000 steps (on foot about 100 to 150 vertical metres) above or below (note 12) the right (south-western) bank of the river Pandri, a tributary of the Kali Nadi. Tourist information goss place Kavala Cave near Ambikanagar (note 13), a place which is said to lie about 25 km (note 14) along a road in an unspecified direction (south?) from Dandeli (note 15) and 93 km (approximaely north?) from Karwar (note 16). Arriving from Goa, is Londa (45 km away, at N15°28': E74°31' on AMS sheet ND43-02) the nearest but seldom served railhead while Hubli (85 km away, at N15°21': E75°10' on AMS sheet ND43-03) is better for those travelling from Bangalore (481 km) or Bombay (renamed Mumbai). CAVE POTENTIAL: The caves remain largely unexplored. You can explore the caves, but don’t go alone. Hire some one who knows about the caves (note 17). CAVE LIFE: On 24th January 2003 Siegfried Huber (2003.01.26 personal correspondence) saw bats (Chiroptera). indianbureaucratsdiary.blogspot.com/2007/11/dandel…> (accessed 2008.02.06) confirms Colonies of bats roost inside the caves.