In this cave is hidden the Buddhist heritage of Goa

ABODE FOR ALL

Goa, drained by rivers and numerous perennial tributaries, welcomed merchants and mendicants to this spiritual land.

ENDURING CONNECTIONS

Goa's waterways linking the mainland to the islands have been crucial for travel in ancient times.

SERENE PASSAGE

One such example is Tamsuli, a quaint hamlet of Candola, which was historically connected to the Mandovi River through a network of inland waterways.

MONKS & THE MONOLITH

These waterways attracted travellers, including Buddhist monks. While trekking through Tamsuli, the Buddhist monks were drawn to a huge laterite monolith, in which a unique rock-cut cave was carved.

SACRED HERITAGE

Locally known as Vandevatechi Houri, the cave has long been regarded as the sacred abode of the folk deity of the forest.

REDISCOVERED

Madhu Gaonkar, an agriculturalist, brought the cave to the attention of heritage lovers, who then led archaeologists to the site.

THE SILENT STUPA

Prof Shrikant Ganvir, an archaeologist, identified it as the first cave with a preserved stupa, revealing facets of Goa’s Buddhist heritage.

BUDDHIST HERITAGE

The cave offers glimpses of Buddhist cave architecture found in Western India and the Deccan.

POSSIBLE CONNECTION

Buddhist monks in Lamgao, near Bicholim town, carved a rock-cut cave, which is believed to have been connected to the Candola cave via ancient waterways.

A CALL FOR PROTETCTION

This monolithic cave urgently needs to be notified as a protected monument under the Directorate of Archaeology.

NEXT: Surla is Goa's summer retreat for nature lovers