LAI KHILON, Riatnohkhlieh (Krem)
25.250000,91.708300
Description
An unspecified cave entrance, which may be characterised by a triple arch (mere guesswork), is said to give access to a cave locally known as »Krem Lai Khilon« (Raphael Warjri, Shillong 1998.03.23 personal communication). ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the Khasi cave name "Krem Lai Khilon" (Warjri, Raphael 1998.03.23) has not yet been discovered but suspected to combine the Khasi word for »arch« (note 1) rather with the number »three« (note 2) than with the word for a »palm« or »rope« (note 3). SITUATION: Somewhere in the vicinity of Sohra (Cherrapunjee) and at a certain »Riatnohkhlieh« (Raphael Warjri, Shillong 1998.03.23), which I am tempted to interprete as something along the lines of a »main throw precipice« (note 4) and therefore to identify -- but this is mere guesswork -- with the famous waterfall (ka kshaid) of Nohkalikai (note 5) as this was the site where »Ka Likai … ran to the precipice and cast herself down it« (GURDON, P R T 1906: 162-163).
NOTE 1: "ka khilon" (Khasi, noun) signifies »an arch« (SINGH, N 1906: 31; SINGH, N 1920: 25; BLAH, E 2007: 17) in the sense of ”a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it” (citation needed). NOTE 2: "u lái" (Khasi, number / noun) is the word for »the 3; the three« (SINGH, N 1906: 109; SINGH, N 1920: 527; BLAH, E 2007: 307; GURDON, P R T 1906: 208; OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984 appendix C: LXII). NOTE 3: "u 'lái" (Khasi, noun) is not only a short form of ”u tyllái” (SINGH, N 1906: 109; SINGH, N 1920: 445; BLAH, E 2007: 258) »a rope« (SINGH, N 1906: 109) but also a short form of "ka tlái” (SINGH, N 1906: 109, 234; GURDON, P R T 1906: 52; SINGH, N 1920: 361; BLAH, E 2007: 213) or ”ka dieng tlai” (BLAH, E 2007: 213) »a palm tree« (SINGH, N 1906: 109). NOTE 4: "ka riat" (Khasi, noun) »a precipice; a cliff« (SINGH, N 1906: 172); »a cliff, crag, precipice« (SINGH, N 1920: 74, 100, 394); »a cliff; a precipice« (BLAH, E 2007: 52, 233). "noh" (verb, transitive) »to throw into« (SINGH, N 1906: 145); »to jump« (OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984 appendix C: lxiv); "noh" (adverb), »away« (SINGH, N 1906: 145; SINGH, N 1920: 34; BLAH, E 2007: 23). "ka khlieh" (noun), »the head; the top« (SINGH, N 1906: 33); »a cap; the head; the top« (SINGH, N 1920: 59, 215, 532); »the head; the top« (BLAH 2007: 127, 310). NOTE 5: »Noh kalikai waterfall« (GAIT 1898: 64) or »Noh Ka Likai waterfall« (GURDON 1906: 98 note) is indicated as »Nohkalika Falls 650« (Survey of India 1913 toposheet 78-O/11) and as »Nohkalikai Falls« (Survey of India 1974 toposheet 78-O/11) near (±150 m) N25°16'25”: E091°41'15” (WGS84 modified from N25°16'25”: E091°41'25” Everest 1830, Survey of India 78-O/11 edition 1974): »The water-fall of Ka Likai is a magnificent cascade in the rainy season; it can best be viewed from the heights of Laitkynsew. The water-fall is situated close to the village of Nongriat, which is approached by a succession of stone steps from the village of Tyrna, just below the Charrapunji Laitkynsew bridle-path« (GURDON, P R T 1906: 160).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | AA CAVE, Sohra (Chapman 2000) | ||
| 1.0 | MAWMLUH CAVE 3 | ||
| 1.0 | LUMSHLAN (Krem) | ||
| 1.0 | LUMSHLAN 2 (Krem) | ||
| 1.1 | MAWMLUH CAVE | ||
| 1.1 | MAWMLUH CAVE 2 (Brooks & Smart 1992) | ||
| 1.1 | MAWMLUH CAVE 2 (Lindenmayr 2015) | ||
| 1.2 | LUM LAWBAH: Doline 4 (aa -) | ||
| 1.2 | RONG UMSOH - SOH PANG BNIAT (Krem) |