Prehistoric limestone cave hidden in Asifabad forests located by archaeologists

Hyderabad: A team of archaeologists has brought to light a somewhat hidden prehistoric limestone cave in forests in Asifabad. These experts believe the cave dates back to thousands of years and acquired the present shape over a long period of time.

The archaeologists feel the Telangana forests are a treasure house of hidden and invaluable geological treasures. They surveyed the cave with help from the forest department.

According to M.A. Srinivasan, general secretary of the Public Research Institute for History, Archaeology and Heritage, who led this expedition, “The Arjun Loddi cave is one among the gifts of nature in the Tiryani mandal of Asifabad district.”

He said this is a limestone cave formed by a geological process spanning lakhs of years. Though this is not known to the outside world, local tribals, Gonds and Pardhans worship a stone formation inside the cave, calling it ‘Arjun pen,’ he said.

Some days ago, the archaeologists found stone tools from the Paleolithic phase of human civilisation in the surrounding areas, which strengthened the assumption that this cave was used by the early humans. "Though this cave was known to the tribals, it could not attract scholars or adventure tourists because it is located in the Kawal tiger zone," Srinivasan said.

Another reason for lack of attention was the narrow passages in the cave and the darkness inside of it. One requires courage and an adventurous spirit to venture into it. The team surveyed up to 30 metres inside and feels the cave is much longer and could be surveyed only with back-up facilities like oxygen and lights.

The team referred to a report of Chakilam Venugopal Rao, former deputy director general of the Geological Survey of India, who stated, “This cave as we see it today began to take this present shape somewhere between 1,25,000 to 11,000 years ago.