UMBLEKA (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A clean washed, pothole style cave entrance, some 20 m in diameter, that drops (unspecified depth) into a large 8 to 10 m wide and 30 m high clean-washed canyon passage. This appeared to be dry in February 2001 but obviously functions as a seasonal subterranean drainage (Brooks 2001.02.14 Mss: Krem Umbleka; Jantschke 2001.02.12 Mss: Indien). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi -um- means water, juice (SINGH, N 1906: 242) but -bleka- makes no sense to me. The Khasi interrogative -balei?- means why? (SINGH, N 1906: 8) and -ka- is also a word put at the end of a sentence for the sake of euphony (SINGH, N 1906: 19). SITUATION: According to GPS positions (note 1) at a distance of 1.8 km approximately north (017°) as the crow flies from the Inspection Bungalow at Khunjoy village (note 2). From the I.B., take the road north towards Nongjri (N25°14'50”: E091°07'45” WGS84) and Nongkulang (note 3). After some 1.4 to 1.5 km the road stops rising and reaches level ground. Shortly after this it begins to desent, rounds a couple of bends and swings to the east where a band of limestone is exposed in the embankment above the right-hand side of the road. At a point the road swings to the right, circumnavigating a large doline / depression situated on the right hand side of the road. The footpath down starts near N25°14'28.2-: E091°04'06.2- (WGS84, Gebauer 2003.02.15). The cave entrance is inside this doline. It takes 30 minutes to walk the 1.9 kms from the I.B. to the doline. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: In February 2002 the doline in which the cave is situated has been partly cleared for growing bananas. From the road at the edge of the doline, descent to the base of the doline, keeping to the south-east side. From the SE-side a vegetated boulder slope descends to the edge / lip of the shaft that drops further in two stages. It is possible to free-climb estimated 12 m down to the first step / ledge by taking a route on the side of a large block on the right of the shaft. From here the shaft dros another 10 m to a base covered with clean washed limestone and sandstone. Tackle: 20 m rope or long tether for the first drop in addition to a 8 m ladder and tether / rope for the final section. PROSPECTS: Well positioned. Would seem to offer significant potential: From the first ledge a large canyon passage (8 to 10 m wide, 30 m high) can be seen heading both to the north-west and the south-west. The whole area is very clean washed. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2 (after Jantschke 2001 Mss: Indien 2001; Jantschke 2003 Mss: Fahrtenbericht 2003): At the edge of a banana plantation the path descends steeper and steeper through jungle to a cauldron in mirky light. Creepers find their way down into the cauldron but we end up at the top of two un-climbable 10m-steps which drop into what appears a canyon with clean-washed walls [note 4]. Standing on the first step, a broad ledge of good rock, it becomes obvious why the lower walls are that clean washed: In the right / northern wall, above an overhangig, about 2 m high climb up, opens a man-sized cave passage with polished walls and a small rivulet emerges to fall on the ledge below. During monsson this might be a substantial stream that enters here the cauldron and sweeps it clean. Katrin takes advantage of the situation by washing clothes and thus gives rise to calling that part -Katrin's Laundry-. The passage above the water fall contains a deep pool with many frogs before in branches into two galleries which lead to terminal avens with water showering down from somewhere above. Lindsay abseils the second 10m-step into the cauldron to land on a floor covered with large boulders. Behind one of the large rocks lies hidden a third descend. The rope we brought, unfortunately is too short but Andre attaches a couple of knotted slings. Thus we finally arrive at the pothole's floor, a mess of huge fallen boulders. Towards west descends a rift passage to a pool, which, judging from the flood-marks, indicates a blind end. In the oppoite direction, we clamber down across and between boulders to a large, rocky passage which, at a depth of 60 m, soon is limited by a sump. On the left-hand side short of the sump begins a breakdown passage with air current. It starts in between of unstable boulders and we crawled at least for 50 m through it. Uncomfortably it goes on but there is a chance to gain access to unbroken passages beyond [note 5].g, about 2 m high climb up, opens a man-sized cave passage with polished walls and a small rivulet emerges to fall on the ledge below. During monsson this might be a substantial stream that enters here the cauldron and sweeps it clean. Katrin takes advantage of the situation by washing clothes and thus gives rise to calling that part -Katrin's Laundry-. The passage above the water fall contains a deep pool with many frogs before in branches into two galleries which lead to terminal avens with water showering down from somewhere above. Lindsay abseils the second 10m-step into the cauldron to land on a floor covered with large boulders. Behind one of the large rocks lies hidden a third descend. The rope we brought, unfortunately is too short but Andre attaches a couple of knotted slings. Thus we finally arrive at the pothole's floor, a mess of huge fallen boulders. Towards west descends a rift passage to a pool, which, judging from the flood-marks, indicates a blind end. In the oppog, about 2 m high climb up, opens a man-sized cave passage with polished walls and a small rivulet emerges to fall on the ledge below. During monsson this might be a substantial stream that enters here the cauldron and sweeps it clean. Katrin takes advantage of the situation by washing clothes and thus gives rise to calling that part -Katrin's Laundry-. The passage above the water fall contains a deep pool with many frogs before in branches into two galleries which lead to terminal avens with water showering down from somewhere above. Lindsay abseils the second 10m-step into the cauldron to land on a floor covered with large boulders. Behind one of the large rocks lies hidden a third descend. The rope we brought, unfortunately is too short but Andre attaches a couple of knotted slings. Thus we finally arrive at the pothole's floor, a mess of huge fallen boulders. Towards west descends a rift passage to a pool, which, judging from the flood-marks, indicates a blind end. In the oppog, about 2 m high climb up, opens a man-sized cave passage with polished walls and a small rivulet emerges to fall on the ledge below. During monsson this might be a substantial stream that enters here the cauldron and sweeps it clean. Katrin takes advantage of the situation by washing clothes and thus gives rise to calling that part -Katrin's Laundry-. The passage above the water fall contains a deep pool with many frogs before in branches into two galleries which lead to terminal avens with water showering down from somewhere above. Lindsay abseils the second 10m-step into the cauldron to land on a floor covered with large boulders. Behind one of the large rocks lies hidden a third descend. The rope we brought, unfortunately is too short but Andre attaches a couple of knotted slings. Thus we finally arrive at the pothole's floor, a mess of huge fallen boulders. Towards west descends a rift passage to a pool, which, judging from the flood-marks, indicates a blind end. In the oppog, about 2 m high climb up, opens a man-sized cave passage with polished walls and a small rivulet emerges to fall on the ledge below. During monsson this might be a substantial stream that enters here the cauldron and sweeps it clean. Katrin takes advantage of the situation by washing clothes and thus gives rise to calling that part -Katrin's Laundry-. The passage above the water fall contains a deep pool with many frogs before in branches into two galleries which lead to terminal avens with water showering down from somewhere above. Lindsay abseils the second 10m-step into the cauldron to land on a floor covered with large boulders. Behind one of the large rocks lies hidden a third descend. The rope we brought, unfortunately is too short but Andre attaches a couple of knotted slings. Thus we finally arrive at the pothole's floor, a mess of huge fallen boulders. Towards west descends a rift passage to a pool, which, judging from the flood-marks, indicates a blind end. In the oppoite direction, we clamber down across and between boulders to a large, rocky passage which, at a depth of 60 m, soon is limited by a sump. On the left-hand side short of the sump begins a breakdown passage with air current. It starts in between of unstable boulders and we crawled at least for 50 m through it. Uncomfortably it goes on but there is a chance to gain access to unbroken passages beyond [note 5].