POH LAKHAR
25.384400,92.619500
Description
An unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) is said to give access to an awkward 3 m scramble down into a network of fissures at the far end of which was a 3 metre drop requiring a hand line opening into a clean washed canyon passage with an echo (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 7th February). ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of either of the two recorded place names Poh Lakar and Poh Lakhar is clouded in the abode of thick fog but seems to derive from something physically low, including an abdomen, a belly, or, more likely, a lowland area short of plains (note 1). So far recorded have been the senseless and sensible cave or place names Poh Lakar anonymous Arbenz, T (2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 7th February) Poh Lakhar anonymous Arbenz, T (2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). SITUATION 2013.02.07: On the way down te hill just before the paddy fields (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 7th February). POSITION: Poh Lakhar (N 25 deg 23 mins 3,9 secs E 92 deg 37 min 10.1 secs Elev. 802m) (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2013.02.07: A scramble down intersects a network of fissures (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 7th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2013.02.08: The penetration of accessible parts of The cave starts with slightly awkward handline descent of 3 metres, followed by a nice clean washed canyon passage. The cave continued as a canyon with a pronounced draught without dropping vertically much. Passage size reduced but then began to enlarge to 3 m wide and 6 m high and the cave was liberally decorated with sparkling flowstone. After a significant inlet approx 300 m into the cave a short crawl led to very muddy section at a wet choke with daylight visible (TheYuck). However a way on through logs jamming the passage was visible but being lightly clad the surveyors decided to return and polish off … a high level passage off a chamber. This led through a small boulder maze into a very attractive bedding chamber containing some sparkling cave pearls (The Crystal Palace) beyond which the cave lowered to a rat infested (well, one was seen) crawl under a 15 m shaft to the surface (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). CAVE POTENTIAL - prospects: 1. The Yuck: … a short crawl led to very muddy section at a wet choke with daylight visible (The Yuck). However a way on through logs jamming the passage was visible but being lightly clad the surveyors decided to return (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). 2. The Ugh: … a 15 m shaft to the surface (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). CAVE LIFE: This cave got a lotsof big spiders (Heteropoda fischerii ?). We count like 28 exemplars here. On the muddy passages were 10 snoot gobblers and took photo of them. Biological survey was continuing and was found in wet pieces of woods hundreds of ants wich were not observed in previously biological surveys (Oana) (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 9th February). Keywords: A relatively small shelled slug, Arachnidae: Aranea: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda (30 counted individuals). Centipedes indet. Diptera: Mycetophilidae. Hymenoptera: conf. Formicida.Yuck). However a way on through logs jamming the passage was visible but being lightly clad the surveyors decided to return and polish off … a high level passage off a chamber. This led through a small boulder maze into a very attractive bedding chamber containing some sparkling cave pearls (The Crystal Palace) beyond which the cave lowered to a rat infested (well, one was seen) crawl under a 15 m shaft to the surface (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). CAVE POTENTIAL - prospects: 1. The Yuck: … a short crawl led to very muddy section at a wet choke with daylight visible (The Yuck). However a way on through logs jamming the passage was visible but being lightly clad the surveyors decided to return (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). 2. The Ugh: … a 15 m shaft to the surface (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). CAVE LIFE: This cave got a lotsof big spiders (Heteropoda fischerii ?). We count like 28 exemplars here. On the muddy passages were 10 snoot gobblers and took photo of them. Biological survey was continuing and was found in wet pieces of woods hundreds of ants wich were not observed in previously biological surveys (Oana) (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 9th February). Keywords: A relatively small shelled slug, Arachnidae: Aranea: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda (30 counted individuals). Centipedes indet. Diptera: Mycetophilidae. Hymenoptera: conf. Formicida.
Documents
Bibliography 06/01/2018History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 2013.02.07, trip 1: Peter and Angela Glanvill had initially intended to visit Krem Khla (Krem –>Khla, Khahnar) but encountered water pools too deep for Peter and Angela’s walking boots … Slightly disappointed Peter and Angela planned to return to Poh Lakar a potential site noted on the way down the hill just before the paddy fields. However they overshot the path up from the river bank by a few metres and stumbled across the bottom entrance to the so-called Krem –>Lyer (Brooks 2013). After this they walked downstream for another 200 m to another tributary. This was followed for 300 m to a steep gorge-like area where a small stream emerged. However this was found by climbing further up the gorge to be rising and sinking along its length and the overall impression is that the tributary was primarily a dry valley that seasonally took a stream. They returned to the river and made their way back to meet Ralph at Poh Lakar where Peter scrambled down into a network of fisures (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary 7th February). 2013.02.08, trip 2: Mark E Tringham, Peter Glanvill and Angela 'Angi' or 'Angie' Glanvill … explored and surveyed Poh Lakhar … but being lightly clad the surveyors decided to return and polish off a couple of side passages. Mark solo surveyed one whilst Pete and Angie did some photographic work. Mark then rejoined them and the team entered a high level passage off a chamber. This led through a small boulder maze into a very attractive bedding chamber … beyond which the cave lowered to … crawl under a 15 m shaft to the surface. Having surveyed 391 metres and suddenly mindful of the time, after 5 hours underground the team called it a day and made their way back to the surface then back to camp (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary 8th February). 2013.02.09, Saturday, trip 3: Mark E Tringham and Angela 'Angi' or 'Angie' Glanvill surveyed a side passage… continued surveying … Survey length was just over 500 m (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 9th February). 2013.02.09, Saturday, trip 4: Nicola 'Nick' Tringham and Oana Chachula collected specimens starting with a species of horseshoe bat, then a prawn and a crayfish followed by a large Heteropoda and a small shelled slug. Nearly 30 Heteropoda were counted in the cave. The team met at the high level inlet where Oana found ants and centipedes in dry stream detritus. … Peter photographed Nick in various locations including some ‘snot gobbler’ shots. They also noticed an interesting stalactite curtain that resonated to particular tones of voice. The inlet ended as a low wide mud floored decorated bedding plane. All then assembled at the Yuck where Pete started removing a choke of mud, sticks and boulders following a strong draught. After a few minutes work and the removal of some large slabs he emerged on the other side of the Yuck with daylight viible to the left that proved to be coming from the same entrance noted the previous day and giving a clean dry by pass to the Yuck for the rest of the team. After a climb over a slab daylight was seen and the team could emerge at an obvious resurgence entrance about 20 m above the floor of a gorge, probably that in which Krem Khla lies. The survey was completed and photos taken … (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 9th February).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | SLAJAT (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | PHYLLAW MASI (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | MYNTLANG (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | MYNTLANG 2 (Thlu) | ||
| 0.4 | KHLA, Moo Knor (Krem) | ||
| 0.4 | RAPBLANG (Krem) | ||
| 0.5 | Wind Cave | ||
| 0.5 | AA CAVE (Doyle 2013), 2nd | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE (Doyle 2013), 1st |