LUM DAIT KHUNG, 1st (Krem)
25.350000,92.502800
Description
This cave is one of altogether three distinct 30 m or 40 m deep shafts on the western side of Lum Dait Khung above the village of Shnongrim on the Shnongrim ridge. Some of these were dropped again and again by several cave encroachers with no result (note 1) except an obviously missing GPS-position. ETYMOLOGY: Carlyn Phyrngap, Shnongrim (2003) translated the Synteng Khasi (Pnar) "Lum Dait Kung" as »Hill [where the] Kung Cut / Bit / Dismembered« (note 2). The alternatively reported name "Lum Dait Krong" (Agnes Lakhiang, Sutnga - Ladmyrsiang 1998, Larsing Sukhlain, Stunga and Shnongrim 1999) seems to relate to "ka krong" (noun, female), a »bier / stretcher« and "dait" (abbreviation of "kdait" noun, masculine) is a kind of »reed, ekra.« So far, I saw the name of the "lum" or hill referred to as the Lum Dait Krong Kharpran Daly, B D 1998 personal communication after Agnes Lakhiang, Sutnga - Ladmyrsiang; Larsing Sukhlain, Sutnga and Shnongrim 1999 personal communication Lum Dait Kung Dowswell, Peter N F (2003 Mss) after »Menda Syih of Shnongrim« Lumdiat Kro JAA EXPLORES CAVES (1999) PROSPECTS: Pretty interesting but poor if investigated by blind cave encroachers. The shafts deserve attentive exploration as they may yield clues of how the lost high level drainage once has drained Krem –>Shyien Khlieh (aka Krem "Shynrong Labbit") and Krem –>Labit (Lum Dait Khung) via Krem –>Liat Prah to the river Rashu (note 3).
NOTE 1: »Roger and Rhys descend twin shafts beyond Shnongrim both choked. Apparently this is Krem Lum Dait Kung [sic!], the hill where the kung bit the man (as advised by Menda Syih of Shnongrim). Another shaft near the village also choked -- all were 30 to 40 m deep« (Dowswell, Peter N F 2003 Mss: Abode of the Clouds). NOTE 2: The Khasi verb ”khung” means »to wrap or tie up in a cloth« and the noun ”u khung” signifies »the cross-beam in a house« (SINGH, N 1906: 36) but the animal "ka khung" (feminale) or "u khung" (male), which is generally said to resemble a small kind of a bear (Larsing Sukhlain 2000.02, personal communication), but rather looks like a much aged cross-bread between a badger and cat with a prehensile tail, but is a species of the strange group of bear cats and better known as a binturong (Carnivora: Feloidea: Viverridae: Paradoxurinae: Arctictis binturong Raffles 1821: 253, race in India: Paradoxurus albifrons F. Cuvier 1822: 44, 48). The animal spends most of his quiet life climbing around trees and eats mostly fruits but also carrion and fish but avoids being eaten, and raises two or three youngs twice a year. You can look with your own eyes at a stuffed one exhibited in the Lady Hydari Park at Shillong (Jantschke, H 2002.04.10 personal communication). NOTE 3: The "nadi" (Hindi, Bengali, etc.) or river and valley indicated as »Ravi Nadi« on the Survey of India sheet 83-C/SE (Half-Inch series, 1939 edition) and on the Russian Karta Mira sheet G-46-XXI (scale 1: 250,00, 1953 edition) or to the "nala" (river bed and seasonal stream) marked »Rushu nala« on the Survey of India sheet 83-C/SE (Half-Inch series, 1923 edition) but »Rashu Nadi« on the American Military Service (AMS) sheet NG46-10 Shillong (1959 edition). The river Rashu arrives from the west-southwest to join near N25°23'17”: E092°32'48” (WGS84) and opposite across the village of Mynsning (N25°23'25”: E092°33'01” WGS84 ) the left bank of the river Kharkor, which itself joins near N25°22'50”: E092°35'02” (WGS84) the left bank of the Kopili from the south.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1998.01.17: George Lyngdoh, Kyrmen 'Hope' C Hiwot Passah, Nixon Pde (all three of the Jaintia Adventurers' Association, Jowai) and two others reported (GOGOI, N 1998) »… scouting … many pit holes. One of these holes is so deep that we did not even hear the sound of the stone hitting the pit or if there was water any splash …« 1999.01.05 to 03.18: George Lyngdoh, Kyrmen 'Hope' C Hiwot Passah and other members of the Jaintia Adventurers Association visited parts (the entrance?) of a »Krem Lumdiat Kro« (JAA EXPLORES CAVES 1999). 1999.04.01: Larsing Sukhlain reported the name »Krem Lumdait Krong« and indicated the approximate position. 2003.02: Roger Galloway and Rhys Williams descended, ascended and yo-yoed.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | LUM DAIT KHUNG, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.0 | LUM DAIT KHUNG, 3rd (Krem) | ||
| 0.0 | SHYIENG KHLIEH, ex Shynrong Labit (Krem) | ||
| 0.1 | RYNHENG (Krem) | ||
| 0.1 | LABIT, Lum Dait Khung (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | KHAIDONG (Whitaker et al. 2006) (Cave near) | ||
| 0.6 | URLE 4 (Krem) | ||
| 0.6 | URLE 3 (Krem) | ||
| 0.7 | IAP KSEW (Krem) |