SOITTAN (Krem U)

(Mawsynram - IN)
25.205600,91.524800
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Not only a dome-shaped, 1.5 m wide and 2 m high cave entrance which either faces ESE (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan) or south-west (Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 cave plan SoitanPlan.pdf) but also another, smaller [cave] entrance (without identified size or shape), which is said to lie in an unidentified direction 4 m away (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan) but is not shown on the cave plan (Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 cave plan SoitanPlan.pdf), is believed to give access to what had been interpreted as a dendritic river cave (note 1) or, more likely, a stream cave which contained on 5th February 2010 not only clean cave walls exposing an unspecified kind of a fossiliferous limestone but also relatively clear water (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan). The apparently vadose cave seems to drain waters either from N-NW (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan) or the east (Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 cave plan SoitanPlan.pdf) to the Phud Tympew (note 2), Phudtympew or Um Tympw (note 3), which joins the Um Klung near (±250 m) Hat Mawdon (N25°20'40”: E091°33'40” WGS84) and close to the Bangladesh border. ETYMOLOGY: Kharpran Daly (2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan) translated the Khasi cave name -Krem Soittan- as a Christian's Devil's Cave but the pagan Khasi -Ka Suid- or -U Suid- is often rather a demon in the sense of a lesser deity or evil spirit (note 4). On the other hand, one should keep in mind that the standard Khasi verb -tàn- means not only to go and fetch a person; to go and meet a person on the way but also to pull, to drag (SINGH, N 1906: 220). ETYMOLOGY 2012: Somebody cared to introduce, most likely inadvertently, the interesting cave name Krem Sottian (anonymous Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) which, however, makes no sense. GEOLOGICAL SITUATION: Anonymous (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan) noticed that the cave is formed in fossiliferous limestone and the GPS position, which has been recordd for the cave entrance to Krem U Soittan, indicates a spot that lies at the northern edge of the WNW-ESE running belt of the Nummulitic as it is shown on the geological map in PALMER (1924 plate 27). SITUATION: On the southern slopes of the Khasi Hills and on the interfluve between the Khasimara River (N25°09'30”: E091°34') in the West and the Umiew / Umiam (Shella River 25°09': E091°38') in the East, the cave [entrance to the Krem U Soittan] is located at the head of a pool on the orographically right (probably western) or self-centered left bank facing upstream (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan). The GPS position (±19 m N25°12'20.2”: E091°31'29.3”: 1043 m asl WGS84, Yengkhom R S 2010.02.05), which has been recorded for the cave entrance to Krem U Soittan, indicates a spot that lies about 5.1 km in a direct line approximately south-west from the village of Lawbah (note 5). APPROACH 2010: A guide is a must to find the cave [note 6]. It is a 2 hr fast paced trek rom Lawbah along rough and steep rocky terrain to a river -Phudtympew (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan). APPROACH 2011: It is a two hours fast paced trek from the village of Lawbah along rough and steep, rocky terrain to a river called “Phudtympew”. The cave is located at the head of a pool on the left bank facing upstream. A guide is a must to find the cave (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: The dome-shaped 2 m high [and] 1.5 m wide [cave] entrance faces E-SE, with another, smaller [cave] entrance 4 m away. One steps into the entrance in water, which flows out into the river underneath the rocks [note 7]. The [deleted: passage] cave [passage] starts off as a 4 m wide x [by] 2.5 m high [cave] passage generally in the direction N-NW [note 8], and gradually becoming narrower and lower (Kharpran Daly 2010.02.05 Mss: Krem Soittan). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011: The dome-shaped 2 m high by 1.5 m wide entrance faces ESE, with another smaller entance 4 m away. One steps into the water which flows out into the river underneath the rocks. The cave [sic! qua: the sportsman's penetration] starts off as a w4m x h2.5m passage heading generally in the direction N to NW and gradually becoming narrower and lower. The cave is formed in fossiliferous limestone with clean walls and clear water. The stream flows at a good rate. The stream flows at a good rate -- therefore the stream bed is either bare rock or mostly sand and rounded gravel (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss). CAVE POTENTIAL: Apparently only a fraction of this cave has been surveyed and explored so far: Kharpran Daly (2010.02.05 Mss) characterises Krem Soittan expressively as a dendritic river cave but the survey data (Roshan Singh Yengkhom 2010.02.05) show only one single cave passage without any ramification whatsoever. SPELEOMETRY: Among the lengthwise measured distances, which cavers fully measured inside the cave, we are told about several interestig lengths, including, for example 101.29 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 210.0 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc) 339.58 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary (Team 2).xls) 440.87 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 825.79 m Arbenz, T (2011.12.14 SoitanPlan.pdf; Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 SoitanPlan.pdf). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use fishing ground: Thomas Arbenz had learned that the cave is used as a fishing spot just 5 to 10 m inside. The team were told by the guide that they had once caught an eel inside the cave (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Thomas Arbenz had learned about the presence of unidentified bats, fish, woodlice, slug shells [sic! qua: snail shells (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss) or, if you prefer, unspecified Gastropoda, Isopoda, Chiroptera and Pisces, the latter including an eel or so (note 9).g lengths, including, for example 101.29 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 210.0 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc) 339.58 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary (Team 2).xls) 440.87 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 825.79 m Arbenz, T (2011.12.14 SoitanPlan.pdf; Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 SoitanPlan.pdf). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use fishing ground: Thomas Arbenz had learned that the cave is used as a fishing spot just 5 to 10 m inside. The team were told by the guide that they had once caught an eel inside the cave (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Thomas Arbenz had learned about the presence of unidentified bats, fish, woodlice, slug shells [sic! qua: snail shells (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss) or, if you prefer, unspecified Gastropoda, Isopoda, Chiropterag lengths, including, for example 101.29 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 210.0 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc) 339.58 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary (Team 2).xls) 440.87 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 825.79 m Arbenz, T (2011.12.14 SoitanPlan.pdf; Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 SoitanPlan.pdf). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use fishing ground: Thomas Arbenz had learned that the cave is used as a fishing spot just 5 to 10 m inside. The team were told by the guide that they had once caught an eel inside the cave (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Thomas Arbenz had learned about the presence of unidentified bats, fish, woodlice, slug shells [sic! qua: snail shells (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss) or, if you prefer, unspecified Gastropoda, Isopoda, Chiropterag lengths, including, for example 101.29 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 210.0 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc) 339.58 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary (Team 2).xls) 440.87 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 825.79 m Arbenz, T (2011.12.14 SoitanPlan.pdf; Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 SoitanPlan.pdf). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use fishing ground: Thomas Arbenz had learned that the cave is used as a fishing spot just 5 to 10 m inside. The team were told by the guide that they had once caught an eel inside the cave (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Thomas Arbenz had learned about the presence of unidentified bats, fish, woodlice, slug shells [sic! qua: snail shells (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss) or, if you prefer, unspecified Gastropoda, Isopoda, Chiropterag lengths, including, for example 101.29 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 210.0 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc) 339.58 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary (Team 2).xls) 440.87 m Anonymous (Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls) 825.79 m Arbenz, T (2011.12.14 SoitanPlan.pdf; Arbenz, T 2011.12.17 SoitanPlan.pdf). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use fishing ground: Thomas Arbenz had learned that the cave is used as a fishing spot just 5 to 10 m inside. The team were told by the guide that they had once caught an eel inside the cave (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Thomas Arbenz had learned about the presence of unidentified bats, fish, woodlice, slug shells [sic! qua: snail shells (Arbenz, T 2011.11.14 Mss; Arbenz, T 2011.11.17 Mss) or, if you prefer, unspecified Gastropoda, Isopoda, Chiroptera and Pisces, the latter including an eel or so (note 9).

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 2010.02.05, trip 1: Kynsai Shanprun and Pastor Marngar from an unidentified populated place (perhaps from the village of Lawbah) guided Brian D. Kharpran Daly, Phrang Kupar “Teddy” Mawlong, and the Indian Navy marines Roshan Singh Yengkhom (Medical Assistant), Pankaj Rai (Seaman 1st Class), Karma Choki Bhutia (Leading Store Assistant) and Vinklo Sumi … to Krem Soittan or Devil’s Cave. Surveyed 210 m (Anonymous et al. 2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc). Arbenz, T (2011.11.14 alias Brian D. Kharpran Daly 10th Feb.2010 Mss: Krem Soittan) repeated by Arbenz, T (2011.11.17 alias Brian D. Kharpran Daly 10th Feb.2010 Mss: Krem Soittan) interprets this as 5th Feb 2010: BK Daly, Teddy Mawlong, Roshan Yengkhom, Pankaj Raj, Karma Bhutia and Vinklo Sumi were shown the cave by the guides Kynsai Shanprun and Pastor Marngar. The survey was started: Roshan did book, Pankaj did instruments and Teddy the survey points. The team had only two hours of survey time as the hike t and from the cave took about 5 hrs plus another 2 hours of travel in the vehicle. 2012.02.16, Unidentified knowledgeable people familiar with the area (no names mentioned) stepped out of their way to guide Kyle Wayne Baker, Ryan P. Baker and Samira Zareei into the cave entrance of the Krem Soittan (near Mawsynram) inside which they measured the distance 101.29 m (anonymous Brooks, S J 2012.06.23 undated Meghalaya 2012 Survey Summary Kopli.xls). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
2.7MAWJUDOK (Krem)
4.1DUM, Jyllang (Krem)
4.1UM, Jyllang, 2nd (Krem)
4.1UM, Jyllang, 1st (Krem)
4.1BLANG, Jyllang (Krem)
4.4DIKUBIN (Krem)
4.6MAWTAPIEW, Lawbah village (Pung)
5.2UMTYLLUN / UMSNIONG (Krem)
5.4LAWBAH SINK, Mawsynram (Sink near)