A unique creation of nature – the fabulous Kov-ata Cave

There is the famous cave in Baharly not far from Ashgabat, located in the Kopetdag foothills, with the no less famous underground lake Kov-ata (“Father of Caves”).

Release time : 2020-07-13 11:18:35

source : Ashgabat city municipality

There is the famous cave in Baharly not far from Ashgabat, located in the Kopetdag foothills, with the no less famous underground lake Kov-ata (“Father of Caves”). The fame of this place is more associated with the healing properties of water rather than the beauty of the underground nature. Residents and guests of Ashgabat going to visit this cave have the opportunity to get into a completely different world in less than an hour.

As archaeological data show, the local population knew about this cave a long time ago and visited it as early as 2000 years ago. There are many different legends about the “Father of Caves”, which is considered the place of omnipotent spirits, and the origin of the cave itself was attributed to supernatural powers. A significant part of the legends is associated with the wonderful, healing effect of the hydrosulfuric water of the underground lake.

One legend says that, in the time of Parthian kings, there was a miraculous healing of the rebellious slaves in this place, who had previously been subjected to mortal torture. Since then, the sufferers came to the hot spring and rappelled into the depths of the cave.

Another legend explains the origin of the cave’s name as follows: …a shepherd who noticed someone else’s animal in his herd, wanted to know whose it was. Following it in the evening, he learnt that the owner of the cow was an old man living in a cave. The old man gave the shepherd a small bag for his labor, and instructed to open it only upon arrival home.

As soon as the shepherd left the cave, impatient with curiosity, he immediately untied the bag and, disappointed with what he saw, threw out the fig leaves and returned home. Having heard what happened, his wife turned the bag inside out and found gold in it. Realizing that he threw his wealth to the ground, the shepherd returned back to the cave, where he found neither an old man nor a cow, but only saw a thin fig tree not far from