KHADDUM (Umpohliew hajan)
25.154200,92.447500
Description
A vertical, solutional cave entrance (1 m wide, 2.5 m high) descends 4 m free-climbable down to rift cave passages (on average 0.7 m wide and 1 m high) with relatively small sized secondary calcite deposits (speleothems) and intersects a subhorizontal cave passage (1 m wide and 0.5 m high, both ends continue impenetrable) with a rivulet (less than 1 l/s in the dry season) above shaly interbeds. ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for what is here referred to by combining the noun "umpohliew" (note 1) and the preposition "ha" (at) with Khaddum (note 2), the name of the site and populated place. CULTURAL HISTORY -- human use: The cave or well was said to have been used as a source of water for Khaddum villagers. SITUATION: Some 150 m east of Khaddum village and on the orographically right (northern) bank of Lukha river. CAVE LIFE: Millipedes (Myriapoda, Diplopoda, Trachyjulidae, conf. Trachyiulus mimus Silvestri 1924).
NOTE 1: ka umpohliew (Khasi; noun), listed as: ka um-poh-liu (OLDHAM, T 1854 appendix C: lxviii), ka um pohliew (SINGH, N 1920: 191), ka um-poh-liew (SINGH, N 1920: 491), ka umpohliew (BLAH, E 2007: 284), a contraction of: ka um poh thliew (hdg 2012.12.14), a spring (of water) (OLDHAM, T 1859 / 1984 appendix C: lxviii); a spring, fountain (SINGH, N 1906: 242); fountain, spring (SINGH, N 1920: 191, 491); spring, well (BLAH, E 2007: 284, 331). NOTE 2: khad (Khasi; verb) to perform a sacrifice for the repulsion of an evil spirit (SINGH, N 1906: 24). khatum (Khasi; verb), listed as: khat-um (SINGH, N 1906: 28), to massage by using water and oil (SINGH, N 1906: 28), rub and knead a person or part of the body with the hands. ka khet (Khasi / Hindi loan word; noun), binomial: ka khet ka bishna (SINGH, N 1906: 30) a throne (SINGH, N 1906: 30); throne (SINGH, N 1920: 528); realm, throne (BLAH, E 2007: 247, 307). u dum (Khasi / Bengali loan word; noun), binomial: u dúm u maswa (SINGH, N 1906: 74) a fisherman (SINGH, N 1906: 74); fishmonger (SINGH, N 1920: 181). ba dum (Khasi; adjective) dark (OLDHAM, T 1859 / 1984 appendix C: lxvi); dark, ignorant (SINGH, N 1906: 74); black, dark, dismal, ignorant, impenetrable, indistinct, murky, obscure, "opague" [sic! opaque], sombre, sombrous, stygian, sullen, tenebrous (SINGH, N 1920: 46, 107, 129, 203, 231, 235, 249, 331, 345, 350, 484, 484, 502, 507, 522); black, dark, dusk, inert, murky, opaque, wan (BLAH, E 2007: 31, 71, 86, 148, 195, 206, 329). ka um (Khasi, noun), binomial: ka um - ka wah (SINGH, N 1906: 242), more often than not a stream (of water) bit also a fluid (SINGH, N 1920: 185; BLAH, E 2007: 106), juice (SINGH, N 1906: 242), liquid (SINGH, N 1920: 294; BLAH, E 2007: 330), liquor (BLAH, E 2007: 330), river (SINGH, N 1920: 444), solvent (SINGH, N 1920: 484), stream (SINGH, N 1920: 500), water (OLDHAM, T 1859 / 1984 appendix C: lxi; SINGH, N 1906: 242; SINGH, N 1920: 586; BLAH, E 2007: 330).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 | PALTAN POUK | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE, Khaddum (1999c) | ||
| 0.7 | THLEA PHOK POUK | ||
| 0.8 | SKEI, Lukha (Krem) | ||
| 1.1 | LUNAR, 1st (Cave on the) | ||
| 1.1 | MOOÏAR (Krem) | ||
| 1.1 | LAILUK POUK | ||
| 1.1 | LAILUK POUK, 2nd | ||
| 1.1 | MAHABON, Lukha (Krem) |