UMTE, Pynthor (Krem)
25.288900,92.509400
Description
NOTE 1: The morphem "te" (as recorded in March 1999) might stand for teh to bind, to fasten theh to pour, to spill; theh-sei = to pour out in abundancetieh mud, marsh; short for ”ktieh” thei woman; short for "kynthei" them a hollow, valley, depression thih to dig, to discuss (SINGH, N 1906: 222, 225, 231, 233).
A group of sinks (insurgences) and resurgences in a limestone spur between the paddy fields (in Khasi and in Synteng: pynthor) lie south-east and far below the village of Tangnub. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi noun "ka um" means »water, juice« (SINGH, N 1906: 225) and is an epithet for a stream, a river but the cave name "Krem Umte" as such makes no sense (note 1) as the Khasi "te" is only a conjunction and means »then« (SINGH, N 1906: 222). SITUATION: At a linear distance of about 1.8 km approximately south-east (145°) of Tangnub village but at a much lower elevation, and near the right (western) rim of the Lunar river valley. The cave is reached from the southern end of Tangnub village by a footpath descending eastwards along the crest of a spur. About five walking minutes downhill occur on the track reddish and highly fossiliferous limestone rocks (Upper Sylhet stage: Miocene Kopili Limestone). Another five or ten minutes further on, the way contours for almost a whole kilometre and passes through whitish limestone pillars (Middle Sylhet stage: Eocene Umlatodoh Limestone). The well-trodden path is left at a place where three stacked, horseshoe shaped slabs of rock form a karst pinnacle. An inconspicuous trail descends to a plain at the foot of the spur. A stream running across this plain with paddy fields sinks in the far end into a confusion of jungle clad fallen pinnacles and boulders of Eocene Lakadong Limestone (Lower Sylhet Stage). CAVE DESCRIPTION: One cave entrance, a 2 m descent between clean washed fallen boulders with several specimens of huge spiders (conf. Heteropoda), leads to shallow, murky and still water below a confusion of leaning rocks with perhaps 15 m of passage. Pendant flowstone (speleothems) fills some spaces and a wet crawl (4 m wide, 0.5 m high) towards the south-east (230°) leads after some 10 m to a sump. The resurgence(s) is (are) situated some 50 m south-east and are reputed to be a good site to collect specimens of not merely edible but nice to eat … CAVE LIFE: … mud dwelling fish (Pisces, perhaps Cat Fish, Bull Head, or so).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | BAM BRIEW (Thlu) | ||
| 0.2 | PARROT SINK | ||
| 0.7 | DAK DAK (Bayley 2002) (Krem) | ||
| 0.7 | LYNGTAH, insurgence (Krem) | ||
| 0.9 | GULLY SINK 1 (aa -) | ||
| 0.9 | GULLY SINK 2 (aa -) | ||
| 0.9 | LOOSE HOLE (Rockcliff 2009) | ||
| 1.0 | WAH UM BLOH (Krem) | ||
| 1.0 | LIZARD's SPLAT CAVE |