LYMBIT, Mawshamok (Kirsamer 2001) (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) gives access to some tens of metres of crawls which allow gaining insiders' knowledge of gaps between exited bats and slidden (gravitationally dislocated) sandstone boulders. ETYMOLOGY: The Sohra Khasi noun -ka lymbit- (SINGH, N 1906: 124; BLAH, E 2007: 27), a version of the standard Khasi -ka lyngbit- (SINGH, N 1920: 38), is not only the word for a bat (zoologically: Chiroptera) but also for the mica (SINGH, N 1906: 124) and both of these two words are related to the Khasi -lymboit- (adjective), which translates by almost naked (SINGH, N 1906: 124). The Khasi -shamok- (verb) means to produce fire from a flint, to strike (fire) (SINGH, N 1906: 190) and the noun -u máwshamok- (SINGH, N 1906: 131) or ”u máw shamok” (SINGH, N 1920: 184; BLAH, E 2007: 106) signifies a flint (BLAH, E 2007: 106) or, to be less imprecise, a flint-stone (SINGH, N 1906: 131; SING, N 1920: 184). SITUATION: The entrance to this cave lies more or less halfway up the steep, south-facing flank of the Shillong plateau, and in an unknown, forested setting characterised by slidden (dislocated) sandstone boulders. APPROACH: To reach this bat cave from Sohra, drive past Mawmluh (N25°15'10”: E091°42'10” WGS84) down along the dramatically descending road up to the Y-Juction and bus stop for the villages of Mawshamok (note 1), which lies downhill north-west, and Laitkynsew (25°13'00”N: 91°39'25”E), uphill WSW. From the Mawshamok Y-junction, continue downhill south to the first hairpin bend, pass it, and Kirsamer's bat cave lies in the forest on the south side of the road and, If I am not mistaken, above it (note 2)., N 1920: 184). SITUATION: The entrance to this cave lies more or less halfway up the steep, south-facing flank of the Shillong plateau, and in an unknown, forested setting characterised by slidden (dislocated) sandstone boulders. APPROACH: To reach this bat cave from Sohra, drive past Mawmluh (N25°15'10”: E091°42'10” WGS84) down along the dramatically descending road up to the Y-Juction and bus stop for the villages of Mawshamok (note 1), which lies downhill north-west, and Laitkynsew (25°13'00”N: 91°39'25”E), uphill WSW. From the Mawshamok Y-junction, continue downhill south to the first hairpin bend, pass it, and Kirsamer's bat cave lies in the forest on the south side of the road and, If I am not mistaken, above it (note 2).