BUK POUK, Sielkan

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified peculiar characteristic) takes not only an unidentified seasonal stream of water (with an unidentified name) but also gives access to a descending insurgence cave passage (sink) in what looks like sandstone (?). The encroachable part of the cave passage is up to 1.5 m by 2 m in cross-section, about 30 m long, and leads to unexplored, crawl-sized continuations (Jantschke, H. 2005.02.11 Mss: Fahrtenbericht Meghalaya 2005). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known cave name has been identified for what was nicknamed Buk Pouk (note 1) because an invasion of the visited cave passages allows expedition cavers to hone the skill of banging their heads against the ceiling. SITUATION: Not only at a walking distance of an estimated 800 m without orientation from Muallian (note 2) but also next to a footpath to Sielkan (±250 m 25°11'47”N: 92°27'12”E), the small Hma hamlet which lies on the one-hand side about 1.5 h on foot from Muallian but on the other close to –>Sielkan Pouk, the insurgence entrance of –>Pielkhlieng PoukCAVE DESCRIPTION 2005a: Sandstone cave, slightly dipping in an easterly direction at an average passage size of 2 by 1.5 m. May function as an inlet during monsoon (Bäumler, G 2005.02.14 Mss: Buk Pouk). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005b (after Jantschke, H 2005.02.14 Mss: Fahrtenbericht Meghalaya 2005, v. 2005.04.17; JANTSCHKE, H 2006: 148): A slightly descending cave in sandstone, about 30 m long and on average 2 m by 1.5 m large, which deteriorates beyond a bypass into impenetrable holes beyond which the cave passage continues in an unknown way (note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005c: Inlet s/stone cave (Arbenz, T 2005.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls). hamlet which lies on the one-hand side about 1.5 h on foot from Muallian but on the other close to –>Sielkan Pouk, the insurgence entrance of –>Pielkhlieng PoukCAVE DESCRIPTION 2005a: Sandstone cave, slightly dipping in an easterly direction at an average passage size of 2 by 1.5 m. May function as an inlet during monsoon (Bäumler, G 2005.02.14 Mss: Buk Pouk). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005b (after Jantschke, H 2005.02.14 Mss: Fahrtenbericht Meghalaya 2005, v. 2005.04.17; JANTSCHKE, H 2006: 148): A slightly descending cave in sandstone, about 30 m long and on average 2 m by 1.5 m large, which deteriorates beyond a bypass into impenetrable holes beyond which the cave passage continues in an unknown way (note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2005c: Inlet s/stone cave (Arbenz, T 2005.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls).