Apart from the admirable beaches and waterfalls, Goa is also one of the most sought after destinations for heritage architectures. Goa is an ancient state and so is the architecture found here. A beautiful example of the historical monuments present in Goa is the Arvalem Caves or the “Pandava Caves”. Located in the Bicholim town of North Goa, these caves are ancient rock cut caves that give us a chance to peep into the mythological tales. The origin of these caves dates back to the 6th century.

Popularly known as the Pandava Caves, these caves have derived their name from the five Pandavas of the epic Mahabharata. As the legend has it, the Pandavas sought refuge in these caves during their exile. The presence of five compartments and Shivlingas in the cave complex provides relevance of this fact. However, the caves have also been claimed to be of Buddhist origin due to presence of a huge statue of Buddha near the place. The architectural style of the caves also speaks loud of the Buddhist possession. The opinions regarding the origin of the caves have been ambivalent from years.

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. 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 place a must visit in Goa.

Source:

http://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/travel/arvalem-caves-or-the-pandava-caves-in-goa