SARANG, Chiehruphi (Krem)
25.201700,92.376700
Description
An estimated 10 m or 12 m wide and up to 3.5 m high cave entrance, which possibly faces north-west, gives access to obviously much more than 600 m of cave passages in the face of which the expedition cavers Ian E. Chandler (Croyden Caving Club) and Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler (Bristol Exploration Club) observed (1998.02.25 personal communication) »a dark hole in the ground« (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: Since the Khasi noun "sarang" (noun, feminine) signifies »rust« and the adjective "sarang" means »rusty« (SINGH, N 1906: 183), the Khasi cave name "Krem Sarang" translates as »Rust [coloured] Cave« or »Ochre Cave« while "Krem Umsarang" means »Cave on the Rust [coloured] Stream« or »Cave on the Ochre [coloured] Stream«. On the other hand, the Khasi noun "ka jarang" is the word for »a hole or chink where fish make their dwelling« (SINGH, N 1906: 99). SITUATION: At an unknown location somewhere in the vicinity of the village of Chiehruphi (note 2) and an unspecified distance in an unidentified direction from what was understood to be a »Krem Thloo Shrieh« (Cave of the Monkey's Hole) but rather is the Thloo –>Shrieh or Monkey Pot near (±100 m) 25°12'17”N: 92°22'35”E. POSITION: Anthony 'Tony' R. Jarratt (2000.03.15 personal correspondence) told me that Tyler expressed in February 2000 the wish that »the coordinates provided by him in February 1998 should be further north.« CAVE DESCRIPTION: Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler mastered to notice in this cave perfectly nothing except darkness. It seems to be more or less horizontal and the participation of Tyler in the preliminary exploration clearly indicates that unavoidable swimming sections are definitely absent in the known part of this cave.
NOTE 1: »You can form but an imperfect idea of such a masterly piece of workmanship, and I am therefore unhappy that my abilities will not permit me to pursue such a combination of inimitable art and elegance, through all the complicated minutiae of an adequate description« (Dean Mahomet 1794: Travels …- online ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft4h4nb20n/ accessed 22.05.2004). NOTE 2: Chiehruphi village main road junction near (±20 m) 25°12'36”N: 92°22'22”E: circa 920 m asl.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1998.02.23 + 25: Ian E. Chandler (Croyden Caving Club), Brian D. Kharpran Daly, Lieut.-Col. Fairweather W. Mylliemngap, Donbokwell Syiemlieh and Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler visited and "surveyed" the number »657.6« (probably metres) to a degree yielding a survey (total sum of survey leg lengths) but no trace of a survey (cave plan).