Threat of laterite mining in their area being pushed by politicians has forced Girijans to bring to light ancient caves in their village so that the goddesses they pray in the caves and their village and lands are protected.
No one knew about the caves in the Gangalamma Konda (hill) near Hasanagiri, a Girijan village under Sarugudu gram panchayat in Nathavaram mandal of the district, till three youths decided to throw light on them.
Seven in number
Till now the Girijans decided to keep the caves and the goddesses away from the outside world. Old people of the village claim that revolutionary leader Alluri Sitarama Raju had spent some time in the caves when he was planning ‘Manyam Pituri’ (armed struggle against the British in the Visakha Agency) between1922-24. Folklore had it that he used to apply paste of ‘Maaru’ leave which makes one invisible.
The attack on Rampachodavaram police station was planned by him while sitting inside the caves.
There are seven caves and entry to three was closed by the villagers long time ago to prevent people from falling in a small lake behind them.
A ‘deity’ of Gangalamma is inside one of the four caves. All the caves appear in red colour. Villagers of all tribes – Bagata, Valmiki and Kondadora – celebrate the annual Gangalamma Thalli ‘panduga’ during the last week of January. After the festival, village youths Ravula Kasibabu, Kosuri Chinnabbai and Pandavula Nookaraju decided to bring the existence of caves to the notice of the outside world since it is the only way to protect them.
With public hearing on laterite mining being scheduled to be held on February 19, the villagers want the caves and their village protected.
The caves, which are 20 km from mandal headquarters Nathavaram and 15 km away from Tandava reservoir, can be combined to be developed as a major tourist spot, feel the villagers.
