Harvalem Caves

These is a 7th century cave.The Harvalem caves are popularly known as Pandava caves. People believed that the Pandavas came to Goa and build these cave.There are five compartment in the cave and the middle compartment enshrines the linga held in great reverence by devotees. The shafts of the four crafted lingas are very similar to those that can found in Elephanta,Ajanta and Ellora cavesin Maharashtra. The Harvalem caves are very much patterned in the Buddhist cave style. The architecture of the caves is simple yet appealing. The walls are plain with no paintings on them. The rock structure has been cut into laterite stone with the sanctuary at the northern end and the vihara at the southern end. The mysterious look of the caves has been attracting the tourists over long years. The presence of the famous Rudreshwar temple and a waterfall in its vicinity makes this palce a must visit in Goa.