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Goa's
prehistoric caves as tourist spots
by Devraj
Panaji: With its characteristics of modern civilisation and culture, Goa fascinates a lot of tourists every year. But it also has a rich heritage dating back to the prehistoric times that can promote heritage tourism here. Recently, some important traces and remains of the ancient culture in the form of rock-cut pit-dwellings or caves were discovered here. The discovery has given a new hope to some historians about prospective tourist spots that can be useful in promoting heritage tourism.
The State archaeological department had recently located caves at Issorcim, Khollant, in Vasco believed to be of Megalithic period (dated nearly 500 century BC). The length of these holes is around 1.5 metres and the girth is enough for a man to slide down to the underground chambers. Normally, the area of the underground chambers is around 10 by 6 by 5 feet. When it was discovered the mouth was covered with hard Laterite rock. A skeleton of a reptile was also found at the bottom of the cave, which is about one meter in length. Historians believe these dwellings may captivate tourists interested in heritage tourism. But for this adequate facilities are required to protect the sites from erosion. "We have found underground chambers at Issorcim, Khollant in Vasco. These chambers are supposed to be either pig dwelling of granaries or simply caves. The caves are mysterious. When we examined the interiors of those caves, we found a skeleton of a reptile on the surface of the cave, which is made up of laterite," said Prajal Sakhardande, a Historian and Heritage activist. Three similar caves were also located at Nakelim in Chicalim panchayat jurisdiction. Experts claim that these caves are contemporary to the underground chambers found at Nakelim and Chicalim a few years ago. "At another place-Chicalim--similar chambers were discovered, previously, by the State archaeology department. In one of the caves of Chicalim we found some pieces of potteries. We examined the potteries and learnt that those are of Megalithic period. So the remote antiquities in the present generation about which none of us knows establish Goa's history with the prehistoric period. All this hold the potential of making it a prospective place for heritage tourism, "said Prajal. "It proves the saying 'Goa's history begins with Portuguese' a misnomer. It establishes our link with the remote past, the prehistoric period," added Prajal.
Some
residents believe that these caves were used for the purpose of rotting
the seashells in order to take out the pearls by the Arabs who came to
Goa during the medieval period. "Perhaps, the Arabs who sailed the sea
might have put those shells in to the caves and let them rot. Because
some times, even now a big and matured shell has a little pearl inside.
Perhaps the Arab sailors could have put those shells there to rot in order
to take pearl out of them," said Leera, the owner of the land where caves
were discovered. All the caves are situated in the hilly areas covered
with dense forest. .
-April 23, 2006
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