PYRDA, Chiehruphi (Krem)
25.213600,92.381400
Description
A man-made trial pit, which coal-miners had sunken at the lower side of a tectonic disturbance, is square shaped in ground plan and 14 m across, descends 12 m down and intersects three accessible limestone cave levels separated by relatively thin and apparently impermeable sandstone intercalations. . ETYMOLOGY: Stingson Siangshai, in February 1997 not only the Chiehruphi village headman but also the cave owner, had called this "krem" or cave by the name of the locality, viz. Pyrda (note 1). The name of the populated place Chiehruphie (25°12'36”N: 92°22'22”E) is added to the cave name to distinguish this Krem Pyrda from the other Krem Pyrda.(25°20'31.4”N: 92°29'22.4”E) near Ladmyrsiang (25°20'34”N: 92°28'35”E). The noun "ka parthuh" or "ka pyrthuh" is the name of certain religious sacrifice ceremonies (note 2). Also suggested was the Khasi loanword "ka pyrda" (note 3) for hangings, a curtain (SINGH, N 1906: 168), screen (SINGH, N 1920: 458; BLAH, E 2007: 264), shade (SINGH, N 1920: 466). SITUATION: At the base of a 6 m to 7 m high cliff (topped with a sandstone caprock, probably Lakadong Sandstone) and about 50 m due west from the cave entrance to Krem –>Pyrda, Chiehruphi, 2nd, the water hole. APPROACH: A path from the northern rim of Chiehruphi passes south of the church and leads via the playing field to what had been in 1997 and 1998 an open area of uncultivated land, which was known as "Pyrda" (market place, fair area) and characterised by monolithic standing stones. At the far end of the grassland and just within the forest, is a source of water and popular washing place with some concrete modifications. The water of this source flows south into a jungle-clad glen where the entrances to the three known Pyrda caves were shown or found. The caves, however, can be reached with much less jungle bashing by traversing around the edge of the forested glen for some 200 m before descending into the locally about 15 m deep and 40 m wide valley. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The UPPER LEVEL, 6 m down from the edge of the miners' pit, is the relic of a single and horizontal, fissure-controlled rift cave passage (1 m wide, 3 m to 5 m high) which seems to once have drained a stream of water towards west-south-west. It is rich in calcite formations (speleothems) and leads to a collapse. The MIDDLE LEVEL is entered by a 2 m deep hole at the bottom of the 12 m deep trial pit (ladder) where a few thin and irregular coal seams occur. Again, it is joint-guided but follows the bedding. The cave passage is of crawling size, either flat (2 m to 5 m wide, less than 1 m high) or otherwise narrow (less than 1 m wide and about 1 m high). Several very low leads to the north-west were too small or too full of secondary calcite formations to be followed. The main passage leads east-south-east (112°) to a calcite cemented boulder choke. Just before reaching the choke, an artificially enlarged hole in the floor (0.4 by 0.8 m) gives access to a 6 m drop (bamboo + ladder) into the LOW LEVEL, which consists of several hundred metres of wet rift cave passages on top of another sandstone layer. By far the major part of the mapped 580 m of cave passage consists of hands and knees crawls and uncomfortable wriggling squeezes. Again, the general direction trends from the east-northeast towards the west-southwest. The downstream section gives access to a wet area where washed-in sand touches the ceiling. The upstream branch has not been pushed to a conclusion but appears to peter out in a branched succession of tributaries which decrease in size at each junction. At one point, however, a 6 m climb gives access to the overlying Middle Level where an other stream is met at an upper level. Both the downstream and the upstream continue as beautifully decorated but wet hands & knees stream cave passages.CAVE POTENTIAL -- prospects: In February 1997 the wide open downstream branch had continued speleotopographically unexplored. The lower reaches of Krem Pyrda had probably disappeared by January 2015 because the cave-bearing host rock had been quarried (see: Krem Quarry U –>Theh) and calcined with clay, was turned into cement and sold by the bag.
NOTE 1: ka pyrda (Synteng Khasi / Pnar, noun) a market (Kharpran Daly, B D 2007.02.03 personal communication). The word is probably related to the vociferate verb pyrta (Khasi; verb) to cry out, call (SINGH, N 1906: 168); acclaim, bawl, cry, exclaim, hail, holler, »hoop« [sic! whoop?], proclaim, shout, vociferate (SINGH, N 1920: 4, 39, 103, 163, 211, 222, 402, 471, 580); call, cry, shout (BLAH, E 2007: 40, 68, 272). NOTE 2: ka pyrtuh, also: ka partuh (Khasi, noun) a domestic pooja [puja, religious sacrifice ceremony] of a S'iem [Syiem] (SINGH, N 1906: 169); "pooja" (SINGH, N 1906: 169) from "puja" (Sanskrit) worship.ka pyrdóng (Khasi, noun) a ceremony which is performed at the time when reconciliation is brought about between two contending parties (SINGH, N 1906: 168). ka um pyrdóng, also: ka umpyrdóng (Khasi, noun) the water in a well in which an oath, libation and rice is sprinkled in connection with sacrificial ceremonies (SINGH, N 1906: 242). NOTE 3: purdah (Arabic; Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, etc.) a curtain / screen put up to conceal or hide ladies and hence the word for the »custom among some conservative Muslims (also adopted by some Hindus, especially Rajputs) of keeping women in seclusion; veiled« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 1110). »pardah, a screen to conceal ladies« (William Crooke 1917 in: HASSAN ALI 1832 / 1917 index / glossary); »purdoes … answered the same end as our doors and windows« (Dean MAHOMET 1794 letter 3). NOTE 4: Simon J. Brooks, however, understood that »Daniel, Andy and Kaiman [Kyrmen 'Hope' C Hiwot Passah] go to Chiehruphi and survey 250 m in Krem Pyrda« (Brooks, S J in: BROOKS, S J et al 1998: 30). NOTE 5: »Fahrt nach Lumshnong. Zwischenziel beim Polizeihauptkommisar („Jimmy“) in Khliehriat um gegen unerfreuliche Eventualitäten abgesichert zu sein. Samlang, der unser Koch sein wird stößt zu uns. Wir beziehen Quartier im Rohbau des Headmans von Lumshnong (Mr. R. Khonglah?). Besichtigung des ehemaligen Waschplatzes von Lumshnong in der Krem Kotsati. Trip nach Norden, kreuz und quer rum laufen auf der Suche nach den Pyrda-Höhlen ohne selbige zu finden« (Scherzer, H 2015.04.01 Mss 1_HyS_Tagebuch.doc Di. 06.01.2015).
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1997.02.27: Stingson Siangshai, In February 1997 not only the cave owner but also the Chiehruphi village headman, showed the cave entrance to Kyrmen 'Hope' C Hiwot Passah, Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler and H. D. Gebauer, who explored the entrance area while mapping the first 300 m of cave passage (note 4). 1998.02.27: Gurjinder Singh and S J. Brooks armed with a fresh piece of bamboo and H. D. Gebauer with a waterproof notebook, imported not only a lightweight crossbeam but also belayed a flexible ladder and mapped 580 m of comparatively mean cave passages. As soon as the downstream branch became fit for unbending people, they left the main continuation unexplored, went for supper and never came back again. 2015.01.06: Harald Scherzer and Franz Lindenmayr drove from Shillong via Khliehriat to Lumshnong, moved into the shell construction of R. Khoonglah's house (then the Lumshnong village headman), had a quick look at »the former washing place in Krem Kotsati« and pushed on in search of Pyrda caves (note 5).