Show Caves of India: Billa Surgam Caves

Billa Surgam Caves

Useful Information

Location:	Beeravolu, Kanumakindi Kottala, Andhra Pradesh 518206. (15.4353933, 78.1853139)
Open:	All year daily 10-17. [2026]
Fee:
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:	Michael Haslam, Ravi Korisettar, Michael Petraglia, Tam Smith, Ceri Shipton, Peter Ditchfield (March 2010): In Foote's Steps: The History, Significance and Recent Archaeological Investigation of the Billa Surgam Caves in Southern India South Asian Studies. 26 (1): 1–19. DOI researchgate Frank Raymond Allchin (1962): A Neolithic pot from the Billa Surgam caves, Andhra Pradesh Antiquity, 36, 302–303. K. Thimma Reddy (1976): Billasurgam: An Upper Palaeolithic Cave Site in South India, Asian Perspectives, XX(2), 1977. pdf
Address:	Billa Surgam Caves, Beeravolu, Kanumakindi Kottala, Andhra Pradesh 518206, Tel: +91-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1883-1884	H. B. Foote excavates at the cave.
1962	Frank Raymond Allchin excavates at the cave and discovers a neolithic pot.

Description

(Billa Surgam Caves) is series of karst caves which were frequented by prehistoric man, and thus are important archaeological sites, including Indias oldes cave art dated to be 4,000 years old. Actually the cave is more or less collapsed, forming a sort of gorge which is the roofless main passage. The different caves are side passages of this cave, so they actually belong to the same cave. The site is quite spectacular, due to the collapsed ceiling there is no light required. However, this is a strange cave tour, there are spectacular rock formation, but almost no speleothems, and the tours are self-guided. While the cave is well developed with concrete paths and level, there are only few educational signs and there is no archaeological background, no museum or exhibition.