KARWAR: A cave was discovered at a private plot at Bhandiwala village in Kumta taluk of Uttara Kannada district recently. The spot has now become a tourist attraction in the district.
The 50 metre-long cave was found on a plot belonging to one Vishnumurthy Hebbar. The village is 15km from Kumta and the land is located on the Kumta-Sirsi Road near Katgal.
The labourers were constructing a house for Hebbar on this plot, which is near a hill. When they were removing laterite stones, a five-ft wide hole was formed on the surface. The labourers informed Hebbar about this. Hebbar, along with other villagers, got down in the pit and to their surprise they discovered a natural cave. This cave is about 15-20 ft wide, 6-7 ft tall and about 50m long.
Locals believe the cave might be of historical importance. But when they checked it, they said that it looked like the cave walls were a result of enormous water flow.
Some history professors and historians visited the spot and tried to get into the cave, but returned due to oxygen deficiency.
They suspect that the cave might have formed naturally as there are traces of heavy water flow. Locals said the cave is made of laterite soil. “If rain starts, it might cave in, hence it is not safe to venture into it,” Hebbar said.