Lyndad Pyngkat (Krem)
25.195000,91.717500
Description
A more than 10 m wide cave entrance gives access to a nearly 70 m deep pothole (shaft), which is not only a celebrated and kind of sacred self-sacrifice pit but also a historically important monument (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi verb "l'ngait" is a contracted version of "lyngait" and means »to disappear without knowledge« (SINGH, N 1906: 121) and "ka pyngkat" is »the name of the day on which the Mynso hât [note 2] is held in the Jaintia Hills« (SINGH, N 1906: 165). SITUATION: From Wahlong (note 3) at a walking distance of half an hour (or 1.4 km as the crow flies) downhill south-east along a continuous succession of steps on a well-paved footpath (apparently a classical Meghalayan bridle path) that connects the village of Wahlong via Bairang (note 4) and Bairang Bazar (note 5) to Ishhamati (note 6) on the banks of the river Tyllap (note 7) or Sonal (in the plains on the Bangladesh). The entrance to the pothole, almost hidden in the forest, lies just a few metres east from the path (upon descending on the left-hand side). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The site is considered by some as a sacred sacrifice (offering) pit but by others as a criminal disposal site. It is associated with a prominent 19th century freedom fighter against British invaders. Here, according to tradition, the leader sacrificed himself to alleviate the well being of his people [Keyword: exitcave]. To commemorate the hero's death, a memorial stone has been put up, inscribed in Khasi, not far from the dark pothole, and on the opposite west side of the path (downhill on the right). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2004a: »Krem Lyndad (Lyndah?) Pyngkat, N25°11'55.8": E091°42'56.3": 333.7 m asl is a descended, but unsurveyed blind pit nearly 70 m deep from the highest point of the sink [US American English for that kind of closed depression known as "pothole" in English] and 57.8 m deep from the rig point« (Zawada, W. "Mike" 2004.04.21 Mss). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2004b: »A jungle shrouded hole … nearly 45 m [sic! qua: 45 feet, almost 15 m] across and at least that deep. An overhanging tree located at the edge of the pit provided an ideal rigging point for a free drop and our two ropes were joined together to reach the floor of the shaft. […] The length of the drop turned out to be 60 m down to an elliptical floor littered with large breakdown blocks. A detailed investigation of the perimeter revealed another blind pit, save for some very small holes along the [sandstone?] floor. Long shadows played across the steep walls as the open flame of my headlamp flickered in the darkness of the chasm. I clipped ascenders onto the rope and began the climb out …« (WARREN 2004: 253). CAVE LIFE - Chiroptera: Having climbed out of the open-air pit at nightfall, Todd Warren remembered having noticed a »rumble of a flight of bats emerging from somewhere below« (WARREN, T 2004: 253).
NOTE 1: Soldiers in the pay of British business people had »conquered« (sic! qua: overpowered and subjugated by use of military force) the villagers of »Byrung Poonjee … in 1829, and its last Rajah Sook Sing, was killed in opposing the British Troops … There is in this district a rather valuable Lime Quarry, which, for some time, has been a bone of contention between the Rajah and Mr. Inglis, and which seems to belong to the Government« (ALLEN, W J 1858: 32). NOTE 2: I do not know on which days the "iew" or "hât" (market) at Mynso (N25°34': E092°20') is held but I am told that »… a considerable weaving industry exists amongst the Khyrwang villages of the Syntengs, and at Mynso and Suhtnga … The Khyrwangs weave a special pattern of cotton and silk cloth, striped red and white. In Mynso and Suhtnga similar cloths are woven, also the sleeveless coat« (GURDON, P R T 1906: 27). NOTE 3: In November 1995 I recorded at a populated place, which I was told to be the village of Wahlong, a poor-precision GPS waypoint near (±150 m) 25°12'29”N: 91°43'25”E : circa (±200 m) 800 m asl (WGS84 modified from 25°12'27”N: 91°43'35”E Everest 1830, Gebauer, H D undated 1995 November unstable 4-channel GPS Garmin 4). At this location, the Survey of India sheets 78-O/12 indicate the village of Mawthangsokkhyllum (edition 1912) or Mawthangsok Khyllum (edition 1937). NOTE 4: Bairang, in the hills, indicated as »Bairong« near (±250 m) N25°12'02”: E091°43'10” (WGS84 modified from N25°12'00”: E091°43'20” Everest 1830) on Survey of India 78-O/12 (editions 1912, 1937), also »Bairung« (OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984: 33) at barometric elevations of »1242 feet [397 m asl]« (OLDHAM, T 1859 appendix A: i) or about »1250 feet [381 m asl]« (OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984: 33); also: »Byrung Poonjee … There is in this district a rather valuable Lime Quarry, which, for some time, has been a bone of contention between the Rajah and Mr. Inglis, and which seems to belong to the Government« (ALLEN, W J 1858: 32); »Lime and Coal are found in this State« (ALLEN, W J 1858: 32, Appendix 3: xii). »Coal is also found at, or near to, the village of Bairung, South of Cherra Poonjee, and at a much less elevation (1,250 feet [381 m] above sea level). It is seen in a deep dell, or kind of amphitheatre, in the rocks. Imbedded in the sandstone, there are some few irregular appearances of the Coal. It has been slightly opened out, and worked. The dip is from 3° to 5° to South. The coal occurs in irregular beds of carbonaceous mud, mixed with sand and clay, with occasional patches of tolerably good Coal imbedded« (OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984: 33). NOTE 5: Bairang Bazar, in the plains near (±250 m) 25°09'55”N: 91°42'30”E (WGS84 modified from Everest 1830) on Survey of India 78-O/12 (1912, 1937 editions). NOTE 6: Ishamati, near (±250 m) 25°09'54”N: 91°41'20”E (WGS84 modified from 25°09'55”N: 91°41'30”E Everest 1830, Survey of India 78-O/12 editions 1912, 1937) lies at linear distances of about 5 km approximately ESE from Shella (25°10'35”N: 91°38'20”E WGS84) and about 6 km WSW from Therriaghat (25°10'47”N: 91°45'05”E). Also: Iccimati Brooks, S J in: BROOKS, S J & GEBAUER, H D (1998: 17) Ichhamati Kharpran Daly, B D (1996.04.10 pers. comm.) Ichimati Dr. vet. Harper, Rob (undated February 2001 Mss) Isamati Survey of India 78-O/12 (edition 1912)Ischamati IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 11: 386)Ishamati Survey of India 78-O/12 (edition 1937). NOTE 7: There is no river »Tyllap« (Boycott 2001.02.01 Mss) or »Thilap« shown in the area upstream of the Sonal River (Bangladesh) on the Survey of India sheet 78-O/12, only the populated place »Tyllab« (1937 edition) or »Talab Bazar« (1912 edition) near (±150 m) 25°10'07”N: 91°42'15”E (WGS84 modified from 25°10'05”N: 91°42'25”E Everest 1830) and above the locally southern (orographically right) bank of an anonymous »Ceasing Stream« that flows south from the village of Umwai (25°13'50”N: 91°42'00”E).The populated place »Tyllap« (Boycott, Antony 'Tony' 2001.02.01 Mss) or »Tyllap Bazar« (Harper, undated February 2001 Mss) is indicated on the Survey of India sheets 78-O/12 as »Talab Bazar« (edition 1912) and as »Tyllab« (edition 1937) near (±150 m) 25°10'07”N: 91°42'15”E (WGS84 modified from 25°10'05”N: 91°42'25”E Everest 1830) above the western (orographically right) bank of a river which flows as the »Sonai River« across the Bangladesh plains (North Sylhet subdivision) and joins near N25°04': E091°43' the Surma from the north (orographically right).
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1995.11: Brian D. Kharpran Daly and Lindsay B. Diengdoh in company with Simon J. Brooks, Jennifer 'Jenni' or 'Jenny' A. Brooks, Antony 'Tony' Boycott, Herbert Daniel Gebauer, Estelle Sandford, and Christopher M. Smart passed by, lead by a guide from Wahlong who suggested to keep the pothole cave in awe. 2002.12.25: Stephen "Steve" Smith and Todd Warren descended, explored and surveyed to a degree yielding a lengthwise measured distance. They were guided by Kyntiewbor War (Wahlong), assisted by Shelley A. Diengdoh, Franklyn Tokiwayo "Toki" Dkhar and Adora Thabah (Shillong), and accompanied by a team of cavers (mostly USA): Barbara Anne am Ende, Birge Erling (Germany), David Kohuth, Stephen "Steve" Kumpf, Scott Linn, Stephen "Steve / JC" Smith, Toby Stuart (UK), Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler (UK), Todd Warren, W. "Mike" Zawada and Mita Das Zawada (Barbara am Ende deepcaves.net/India02/india02.htm accessed 15.05.2003; WARREN, T 2004: 253; Mike Zawada 2004.04.21, 2004.04.24 personal correspondence).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 | WAHLONG CAVE (Warren 2004) (aa -) | ||
| 0.8 | RI BLAI (Krem) | ||
| 0.9 | SHLEM KHLA (Krem) | ||
| 1.0 | SHOH SHIAP 1 (Krem) | ||
| 1.0 | SHOH SHIAP 2 (Krem) | ||
| 1.3 | LAIT (Krem U) | ||
| 1.4 | MAWRAMDAH (Krem) | ||
| 1.6 | NONGBAH CAVE, Wahlong (aa -) | ||
| 1.7 | WAHLONG CAVE (Ende 2003) (aa -) |