KUNGAWRHI PUK
23.094400,93.291700
Description
Not a cave in the strict sense of the word but, at least when visited in January 1999, a foxhole-sized opening draining a seasonally active running, which appears to feed a piping conduit in soil and weathered mudstone. N. CHATTERJI (1979: 17), however, gives a monochrome photograph (showing another cave called Kungawri Puk?), which is at least 20 years older and shows (except vegetation without scale) a gaping hole, possibly one or even two metres in diameter. Resident people reported that during rains a lot of water is sinking in this hole and that the resurgence is not known. SITUATION: At a linear distance of 2 km north of the village of Farkawn (note 1) and on the western (left-hand) side of the motorable fair-weather road, which, having crossed the piping conduit, continues to –>Far Puk and beyond to the village of Vaphai. CULTURAL HISTORY - Cave legend: The cave is named after the beautiful girl Kungawhri (note 2) or Kungwhiri (note 3). When the mythological girl (born from the thumb of her father) had grown into an extremely beautiful maiden, she was married by her father to "Tigerman" (a tiger taking the shape of a man) but the famous warriors Hranchala and »Phawthira« (CHATTERJI 1979) or »Pnathira« (RAY 1993) set out to bring her back. With much toil and trouble they succeeded and lead her away. On the way home, however, the bride was carried away by spirits but the warriors followed and discovered a »… hole which they widened just to find …a full underground village of the spirits« (CHATTERJI 1979: 17-19). Having been rescued, she was married either to Hranchala (CHATTERJI 1979: 19) or to Pnathira (RAY 1993: 16). Internet websites resulting from swiping other websites repeat the story slightly altered (note 4).
NOTE 1: Farkawn N23°04'30": E093°17'30" (±150 m, WGS84, H. D. Gebauer 20.01.1999, 4-channel GPS). NOTE 2: »Kungawrhi Puk is named after a beautiful girl around whom an interesting story is associated« (CHATTERJI 1979: 17; RAY 1993: 16). NOTE 3: Betty Chhakchhuak (2001.05.06 personal communication). NOTE 4: scstsenvis.nic.in/envis/mizoram.htm (accessed 2009.01.19) portends that Kungawrhi Puk is »… a big cave set on a hill between Farkawn and Vaphai villages in the south-eastern part of Aizawl district. The folktale related with this cave speaks of a beautiful young girl named Kungawrhi, after whom this cave was named. She got married to a brave young man, named Pnathira. When the couple was going to Pnathira's village after the marriage, some spirits, attracted by her beauty, abducted her. The spirits brought her to this cave and kept her confined in it. Later she was rescued by her brave husband from the cave.«
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1999.01.20: C. Lianhlira, President of the Farkawn village council, provided guides to lead Vanlalruata, Lalneihsanga, Betsy Chhakchhuak, Neil Sootinck, H. Daniel Gebauer, Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler and Raphael Warjri to Kungawhri Puk.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | FAR PUK | ||
| 4.6 | LAMSIAL PUK | ||
| 6.1 | CHALCHIMA (Cave of) | ||
| 22.4 | RALVAWNG PUK | ||
| 22.5 | Bapui | ||
| 23.9 | CHAWNGCHILHI PUK | ||
| 25.2 | PUKPUI, peak 5857 | ||
| 46.2 | Mura Puk | ||
| 48.5 | BEIRI (Cave at) |