PASKE, Daistong (Krem)
25.311100,92.544400
Description
NOTE 1: The standard Khasi noun "u pa" or "i pa" (honorific) is the word for »the father« (SINGH, N 1906: 147; SINGH, N 1920: 175; BLAH, E 2007: 101) but the repeating particle ”pa” expresses continuation as "pa" + ”leh” or »to do, to perform, to act« (SINGH, N 1906: 113) means »to continue to do« (SINGH, N 1906: 147). "ba skah" (adjective), »thick, adhesive« [boiled rice or lime mortar] (SINGH, N 1906: 185). "Ka Skâi" (appelation / noun, feminine) »an evil spirit who causes flatulence« (SINGH, N 1906: 185). "skâi" (verb), »to corrupt food out of envy by mantras« (SINGH, N 1906: 185). "ka skei" (Khasi, noun, feminine) or "u skei" (masculine), »the barking deer« (SINGH, N 1906: 185) or, to be precise, »the barking red deer, a Indian muntjac; Muntiacus muntjak« (MADHUSUDAN, M D s.a. circa 2005).
An about 5 m wide and 15 m long vertical cave entrance gives access to a free-climbable pothole which decends 10 m down into a NNE-SSW running 500 m of main cave passage in addition to 200 m of lateral maze passages. The mostly low but wide cave galleries force the most unshakeable caver to stoop or even to progress on hands and knees. Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2001.02.12 Mss: Krem Paske) identified Krem Paske as a »summer flood sink« (monsoonal, seasonal sink). ETYMOLOGY: Carlyn Phyrngap suggested to spell »Krem Paske« instead of »Krem Pakse« (unidentified source of information) but the meaning and origin of the Synteng (Khasi) cave name "Krem Paske" has not yet been discovered (note 1) but may derive from the Khasi "behskei" (verb), »to hunt after deer in order to kill« (SINGH, N 1906: 10). SITUATION: In the Eitkoh area, on the flank of Lum Iakorsing on the western flank of the Nongkhlieh Ridge. At a walking distance of about 2 hours in an unspecified direction from Tongseng (N25°19'28": E092°30'05” WGS84). CAVE POTENTIAL: According to GPS records the cave –>Maja (Thloo? = pot or Krem? = cave) lies right above Krem Pakse. Several uninspiring crawls have not been pushed to a conclusion. Near the southern, downstream end are at least three descents to uninspiring sumps with low visibility water, including a loose 4 m descent to some 100 m of passage leading to water. CAVE LIFE: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt saw bats (Chiroptera, indet). Daniel B. Harries collected on 2002.02.08 one specimen of the giant crab spider: Arachnida: Aranea: Sparassidae: Heteropoda fischeri JAEGER 2002. Christian W. Fischer collected on 15.02.2001 three specimens of spiders (Arachnida, Aranea, Pholcidae spec.) and a beetle (Insecta, Coleoptera, Staphylinidae). Dr. Frank MENZEL (2001.11.22 personal correspondence with Christian Fischer): Insecta: Nematocera: Sciaridae: Corynoptera spec. (1m, 15.02.2001).
Documents
Bibliography 01/05/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1999 January 5 to March 18: George Lyngdoh, Kyrmen 'Hope' C Hiwot Passah and other members of the Jaintia Adventurers' Association visited the cave entrance (JAA EXPLORES… 1999). 2002.02.08 (?): Daniel B. Harries collected here one individual of a new species of spiders: Arachnida: Aranea: Sparassidae: Heteropoda fischeri JAEGER 2002. 2001.02.12: Brian D. Kharpran Daly, Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt, Alan Lawrence "Goon" Jeffreys and Christian Wilhelm Fischer visited, guided by Wesley Rupon and Pyntyngen Bamon of Tongseng village. 2001.02.15: Guided by Pyntyngen Bamon, Pynkhat Dkhar, Darlig Pajuh and Nai Kumna Pajuh of Tongseng village, it were H. Daniel Gebauer, Christian W. Fischer, Peter Ludwig, Harald Kirsamer, Thomas Matthalm and Anja Renner who mapped 776.34 m (including 2b-additions).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 | MAJA (Thlu) | ||
| 0.7 | DHAKA, Eitkoh, 3rd (Krem) | ||
| 0.7 | KHULONG (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | CHUN, Eitkoh (Krem) | ||
| 1.0 | DHAKA. Eitkoh, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 1.0 | DHAKA, Eitkoh (Krem) | ||
| 1.1 | LANGSHREH SINK 1 (Sheen 2003) | ||
| 1.1 | LANGSHREH (Krem) | ||
| 1.2 | LANGSHREH 2 (Krem) |