MAHABON, Lukha (Krem)
25.150600,92.437200
Description
Luckily there are plenty of tree roots that subscribe to a way of life best spend with dangling from the roof of a narrow, bottomless rift cave passage -- the roots provide handholds to drag oneself along against the strong current of water (an estimated 1000 ltr/sec or 1500 ltr/sec) which is drained by the cave passage and almost fills it up to the ceiling even in the dry season. The journey back to the surface is fast and easy due the outward bound waterflow of more than one cubic metre per second in the dry season (1997 February 17). ETYMOLOGY: Unknown. The origin, history and meaning of cave name »Mahubon Cave« (LALOO, S S 1995b), a variant of the Synteng Khasi (Pnar) »Krem Mahabon« (Kharpran Daly B D 1997.02.17) has not yet been identified. On philological grounds, it is suspected that Ma U Bun is a honorific address for an ambivalent "maternal uncle" or tutelary deity, who features not only the ability to provide abundance (wealth) but also to cause fear (note 1). SITUATION: On the orographically right (locally western) bank of the Lukha river and only a few metres downstream of Krem –>Mooïar (Synteng Khasi / Pnar), the –>Awia Pouk of the resident Hmar (Mizo) people. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1995: »The Skai cave [Krem Skei, Lukha, ±150 m 25°09'14”N: 92°26'22”E: 150 m] and the Mahabon cave: Both these caves are located about 7 kms from Tongseng village [note 2]. And the river Lukha passes through these caves. And in both these caves fishes are found in abundance« (LALOO, S S 1995b: 4).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1998: »Krem Mahabon, a sizeable resurgence, yields 43 m of passage« (BROOKS, S J 1998b: 28). CAVE POTENTIAL: Little doubt remains that Krem Mahabon, Lukha, constitutes not only a downstream section of Krem –>Mooïar but also drains part of the Lukha River via an underground, subaquatic shortcut. The unknown parts of these closely related caves are under water and subaquatic exploration is problematic without diving, especially when comparatively constricted space is combined with relatively strong flow of water.
NOTE 1: ba ma (Khasi; adjective), spelled: ba má (SINGH, N 1906: 126), dangerous, frightful (SINGH, N 1906: 126); dangerous, hazardous, impending, malignant, precarious (SINGH, N 1920: 107, 215, 235, 305, 393); black, parlous, serious (BLAH, E 2007: 31, 215, 465).i má (Khasi; noun; honorific appellation) a maternal uncle, »used in case of address« (SINGH, N 1906: 126). ka 'ma (Khasi; noun), an abbreviation of: ka thma (SINGH, N 1906: 126), ka thyma (SINGH, N 1920: 277) a battle, a campaign (SINGH, N 1906: 126).u (Khasi; article / pronominal prefix) denotes the singular masculine gender: a, an, the (SINGH, N 1906: 242; SINGH, N 1920: 18; GURDON, P R T 1906: 207) and "u" (Khasi; masculin personal pronoun, singular) he, it (SINGH, N 1906: 242). bun (Khasi; adjective and adverb) many, much (SINGH, N 1906: 17); considerable, copious, countless, diffuse, diverse, immense, manifold, many, numerous, plenty (SINGH, N 1920: 89, 94, 98, 122, 134, 233, 306, 307, 344, 384); divers, enormous, numerous, rife, several, sundry (BLAH, E 2007: 83, 92, 202, 443, 269, 295). NOTE 2: Skai cave (Laloo 1995), see: Krem –>Skei, Lukha, near (±150 m) 25°09'14”N: 92°26'22”E: ca. 150 m asl. NOTE 3: Tongseng (±500 m 25°08'40”N: 92°23'00”E) is shown on AMS sheet NG46-10 Shillong (U502 series, edition 1959) above the orographically right (locally western) bank of the Um Lunar and about 11 km in a direct line west of Khaddum (±250 m 25°09'15”N: 92°26'47”E).
Documents
Bibliography 17/04/2016Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | MOOÏAR (Krem) | ||
| 0.4 | SKEI, Lukha (Krem) | ||
| 0.5 | THLEA PHOK POUK | ||
| 0.6 | LAILUK POUK | ||
| 0.6 | LAILUK POUK, 2nd | ||
| 0.6 | AA CAVE, Khaddum (1999c) | ||
| 0.7 | URHULU POUK | ||
| 0.7 | PALTAN POUK | ||
| 0.9 | LUNAR, 1st (Cave on the) |