MAWRIAH, Lum Lawbah (Krem)
25.253900,91.728300
Description
A triangular-shaped (4 m wide, 6 m high), south-facing cave entrance gives access to several 100 m of zig-zagging and nearly horizontal cave passage which drains a stream of water generally southwards. A low concrete dam rather just inside the cave entrance backs up a relatively shallow, in 1998 little more than calve-deep pool of water. The interstratal stream cave has often very irregularly shaped cross-sections and is formed, as far as known, in the lower, dolomitic part of the Cherra Limestone and on the contact with the underlying sandstone. About 1.5 m above sandstone base is a peculiar offset sandstone band, on average about 30 cm thick, which protrudes like shelves from the cave walls and often forms a perched floor. ETYMOLOGY: The autochthonous, indigenous and locally known name »Krem Mawria« (Kynsai Jones, Sohra, 1998.02.12) is propbably due to the loose aggregation of relatively small and water-worn stones (gravel), which cover most of the stream cave passage's floor (note 1). SITUATION: To enter the cave is not invited because the cave supplies drinking water to the village of Nongthymmai (N25°15'04”: E091°44'02” WGS84 modified from Everest 1830). The entrance is found in the lowest part of a south-east facing cliff, and lies at the base of Lum Lawbah and about 180 m east of the Krem Dam Um of Nongthymmai (see: Krem –>Phyllud - Dam Um). PROSPECTS: (1) The so-called »terminal collapse« is quite sudden and "terminal" only insofar as it limits the unhindered progress of human-sized cave visitor. The cave itself, of course, continues and the assemblage of rocks forming the collapse possibly could be modified with the help of a wrecking bar. (2) A closer look may reveal that a few challenging crawls were overlooked or intentionally left unprobed. (3) At least two unchecked and jungle-clad –>Lum Lawbah dolines on the surface (plateau) above the cave appear to lie straight above the cave (according to GPS readings).
NOTE 1: The Khasi "u mawria" (noun) signifies »the gravel« (SINGH, N 1906: 131; SINGH, N 1920: 207; BLAH, E 2007: 120); »the metal« (SINGH, N 1906: 131; BLAH, E 2007: 186) in the sense of ”ki maw-rit [maw rit, mawrit] ba kum u sh'iap [shiap, shyiap]; ki maw khro-kroh; u maw uba leit long ha ka panjung” (SINGH, N 1920: 207).
Documents
Bibliography 25/04/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1997.03.13: Brian D Kharpran Daly had recorded the name of the cave »Krem Wah Maria located near Krem Phyllut [sic!]« (Kharpran Daly, B D 1997.03.13 Mss: "Twenty-five caves located" item 16). 1998.02.12: Guided by Kynsai Jones and friends, Yvo "Spiderman" Weidmann climbed along the ceiling to explore a few hundred metres of cave without touching the water. At the same time, H. D. Gebauer recorded a careful read and averaged GPS position. Also without touching the water. 1999.02.22: Thilo Müller and Raphael Warjri, assisted by Estelle Sandford and Fraser E. Simpson, obtained permission from Koris Khynriem, the village headman of Nongthymmai, to visit the cave and mapped 630 m of river cave with a clean streambed leading upstream to a boulder choke where the cave passage continues in an unknown way. 1999.02.24:Thilo Müller and Raphael Warjri mapped another 120 m in crawly tributaries to a major inlet.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | LUM LAWBAH: Doline 6 (aa -) | ||
| 0.2 | DAM UM, Nongthymmai (Krem) | ||
| 0.2 | LUM LAWBAH: Doline 5 (aa -) | ||
| 0.3 | Surprise Entrance Cave (aa -) | ||
| 0.4 | PHYLLUD, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.4 | PHYLLUD, 3rd (Smart 1994) (Krem) | ||
| 0.5 | LUM LAWBAH: Sink 1 (aa -) | ||
| 0.5 | PHYLLUD (Krem) | ||
| 0.6 | LUM LAWBAH: Doline (aa -) |