UMPYRTA, Wahjajer (Krem)
25.193100,92.377800
Description
An unidentified cave called »Krem Umpyrta« (Stingson Siangshai, Chiehruphi village headman, 1997 personal communication) or »Krem Umpyrti« (JAA Explores Caves 1999) possibly is a seasonally active stream cave. ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the Synteng Khasi (Pnar) cave name "Krem Umpyrta" (Um Pyrda, Um Pyrta, Um Pyrthat, Umpyrda, Umpyrta, Umpyrthat) has not been identified but seems to refer to a "krem" or cave called after an "um" or stream of water specified by "pyrta" (or, perhaps, pyrda, pyrthat) and possibly signifies a noisy »Shouting Water Cave« (note 1). CULTURAL HISTORY: A noise emitting or "shouting water cave" is a case of a Typhon Cave (note 2). SITUATION 1997: Stingson Siangshai (1997 personal communication), the Chiehruphi village headman, placed the cave entrance to »Krem Umpyrta« near Wahjer / Wahiajer (note 3). SITUATION 1999: The newspaper article JAA Explores Caves (1999) »Krem Umpyrti« (sic!) from a location somewhere a little north of Chiehruphi (25°12'40”N: 92°22'25”E).
NOTE 1: pyrta (Khasi; verb) to cry out, call (SINGH, N 1906: 168); acclaim, bawl, cry, exclaim, hail, holler; "hoop" [sic! whoop?], proclaim, "reclaim" [sic! exclaim?], shout, vociferate (SINGH, N 1920: 4, 39, 103, 163, 211, 222, 223, 402, 471, 580); call, cry, shout, "squat" [sic! shout?], squeak (BLAH, E 2007: 40, 68, 272, 285, 285). pyrta shnong (verb) to cry round the village (SINGH, N 1906: 168). u pyrthat (noun) is the word for »the thunder« (SINGH, N 1906: 168) and the Synteng Khasi (Pnar) "U Lei Pyrthat" (a short form of U Blei Pyrthat) is the name of »the God of Thunder« (GURDON, P R T 1906: 157). On the other hand, the Khasi verb "pyrthuh" means »to imitate« (SINGH, N 1906: 168) and "ka pyrtuh" (also: ka partuh) is the name of »a domestic poojah of a S'iem« (SINGH, N 1906: 169), "pyrtung" (adjective, Khasi) means »bulgingly« (SINGH, N 1906: 169) and "pyrto" (verb, Khasi) »to cherish a grateful remembrance of« (SINGH, N 1906: 168). NOTE 2: Classical Greek mythology explained episodical noise of underground rivers heard on the surface with the great monster (see: A below) Typhon (B), the youngest son of Gaia and Tartaros, born, after the downfall of the Titans, in the korykic / korykian cave (C) of Kilikia (D). Thyphon ("narcotic dust"), husband of Echidne (E), had a big fight with Zeus, escaped to the island of Sicily, and was finally supressed, at least to a certain extend, when Zeus hurled the vulcano Etna (Ætna) on him.TOE-NOTES A: HESIOD, Theogony 819 ff; PINDAR, Pythian odes I, 15 ff; HYGINUS, fable 152. B: LANE FOX, Robin (1986, Harmondsworth: Viking, Pinguin): Pagans and Christians.- edited 1987 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf), page 41: »Near Seleukia, the monster Typhon rumbled in the torrent of an underground river and had to be neutralized by a Byzantine church at the entrance to his mystical resting place. It is only accessible after a steep descent and would not stand there without this pagan presence.«C: "Korykic" means »out of the leather-bag« and reflects the tradition of catching wind in bags, practiced by Aiolus (HOMER, Odyssee X, 1-76; APOLLODORUS, Epitome VII, 4-9).D: In the other korykic cave, at Delphi, is the abode of Delphyne, the consort of Python ("snake"), associated with the destructive north-wind. E: One half of Echidne was a handsome women, the other a nicely patterned snake; once she lived among the Arimi in a deep cave, feeding on human meet, and bore her husband (or her son Orhtros?) scores of formidable brats, e.g. Kerberos the hell-hound, Hydra the hundred-headed water-serpent (according to the rationalistic SERVIUS on Vergil's Aenaeis VI, 287 the source of an underground river) dwelling in a cave at Lerna (five miles from Argos; PAUSANIAS II, 36, 6-8; II, 37, 1-3, 5), Chimaira the lion-headed and snake-tailed goat spitting fire and the double-headed dog Orthros (also: Sirius), who slept with his mother to procreate the Sphinx, the Nemeic Lion and, possibly, Chimaira as well. Echidne, by the way, was killed in her sleep by the hundred-eyed Argos but this in another story (HOMER, Illias II, 783; HESIOD, Theogony 295 ff; APOLLODOROS II, 1, 2). NOTE 3: The village of Wahjer (25°11'40”N: 92°22'45”E) lies 4 km along the National Highway NH44 north from Lumshnong and only one or two kilometres east of Thangskai (25°11'45”N: 92°22'35“E). Downloadable from the Internet is one JUD EIA-EMP.pdf (accessed 2008.05.12) which positions at a distance of 2 km from »Wahiajer« (sic!) a proposed cement plant at 25°11'37”E: 92°22'48.5”E (unspecified geodetic datum).
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1997: Stingson Siangshai, village headman of Chiehruphi, told the cave name »Krem Umpyrta« to H. D. Gebauer. 1999.01.05 to 03.18: George Lyngdoh, Kyrmen 'Hope' C Hiwot Passah and other members of the Jaintia Adventurers' Association visited a cave called »Krem Umpyrti« (JAA Explores Caves … 1999).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | MALO 2 (Caves dubbed) | ||
| 0.1 | KAIMEN FROM FOUNDER CAVE | ||
| 0.2 | HATI (Synrang) | ||
| 0.4 | KHLIEH UMSO, Thangskai (Krem) | ||
| 0.5 | MALO (Krem) | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE, Lumshnong 1 (Lindenmayr) | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE, Lumshnong 2 (Lindenmayr) | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE, Lumshnong 3 (Lindenmayr) | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE, Lumshnong 6 (Lindenmayr) |