LAKHON, Mooriap (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A more or less majestic (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss) or relatively big entrance (Kharpran Daly, B D 2010) gives access to a perennially active stream cave with two known relic upper levels of cave passages with secondary calcite formations (speleothems). The apparently big entrance cave is believed to go from Mooriap village [note 1] right up to the to the next village of Lakasein [note 2] (anonymous Kharpran Daly, Brian D undated 2010 February Meghalaya Cave Record: Krem Lakhon). IDENTITY: Compare Krem –>Umtapu, Lakhon. ETYMOLOGY: The meaning, origin and history of the recorded cave name Krem Lakhon (anonymous Kharpran Daly, B D undated 2010 February Meghalaya Cave Record: Krem Lakhon) has not yet been discovered. It may represent -- but this is mere guesswork -- a version of -krem la khong- or corresponding cave (note 3). The Synteng / Pnar Khasi place name -Mooriap- (Mawriap, Muriap) appears to signifiy an elevated observation point pertaining to a rock: something long the lines of a watching over stone or sentinel's rock (note 4). Somebody (no name mentioned) pulled a statement out of thin air (no clue, creed, or reason mentioned) saying Krem Lakhon (a name from the Mahabharat) (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Wednesday). SITUATION 2010: The entrances to this cave lie at an unknown location with an unidentified spatial relation to the village of Mooriap (Mawriap) or Muriap. Kharpran Daly (anonymous, undated 2010 February Mss: Krem Lakhon) placed the village of Mooriap (Mawriap) 10 mins by vehicle [note 5] from 2010 camp (note 6). APPROACH: Get lost right at the very beginning in a curve (with an unidentified GPS position) on an unspecified the road simply by turning to the right of an expedition caver without orientation. Proceed past what had been in February 2014 a police station towards east. and cross a first ford (with an unidentified GPS position). After a more orless short incline and an other curve (with an unidentified GPS position), take at a Y-junction (with an unidentified GPS position) the northern (relatively left) track. This track swings west and leads upstream along the orographically right bank of the Kharkhur (about 200 m away) and ends after about 500 m at a deforested patch with several Shaktiman track ruts off in various directions. Head towards a ca 20 m cliff and a karst area with low pinnacles and pick up an ancient footpath to the top of the cliff. Take the first footpath on the right of an expedition caver without orientation and follow this for 80 m to reach the cave entrance (note 7). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.02.05: The entrance was very majestic with a huge chamber with a number of skylights. A muddy side passage close to the entrance soon joined a streamway going both ways. This was left unsurveyed for the time being. The entrance chamber led into a streamway, possibly the same one as the first side entrance which was selcted as the main passage. This stream passage was mostly easy wading with a few places where the water reached waist or chest level. A few dead rodents and bats were found floating in the water. The floor was some kind of yellow slimy mud quite soft in places. The first side passage to the left was checked by Vijay and should yield about 25 metres of passage when surveyed. Later on Peter and Brian also joined the team but Peter soon headed back to check out the first side passage near to the entrance. Its floor turned out to consist of deep soft mud and it sloped down towards the water. Not wanting to risk a slip and fall Peter retreated. Along the streamway there were some high level passages. At survey point 1/30 Simon made a traversing climb into a dry high level relic passage that was both large and ongoing. This was left for the following day. At about the 400 metre mark, a side passage to the right descended straight into a deep pool of seemingly clean water and was also left [o right] for later (anonymous Arbenz, T in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Wednesday). CAVE DESCRIPTIONS 2014.02.06: Thomas went in [the muddy side passage near the entrance] first checking the soft mud floor and found it about wellie-deep but not too much of a problem. What was a bit more hairy was that it was sloping steeply downwards and a slip would have ended in very deep water and getting out again would have been nearly impossible. … To the west a 3 m high ledge seems to give access to some small, crawl-sized relic passage. However the deep water prevents an easy access. To the east a canal with “bottomless” water leads to another entrance 30 m away, from which two narrow passages with equally deep water lead on (anonymous Arbenz, T in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Thursday). Tudor Tamsa, Vijay Chhikara and Bushan (Bhushan Poshe) srveyed upstream from survey station 1/30. The passage continued in fine style to eventually terminate at a large boulder choke. Just prior to the end of the cave some large chambers were found (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Thursday). Simon J Brooks, Henry Rockcliff and Richa Jain visited side passages in the lower part of the streamway … The first of these proved to be a short and narrow inlet but Henry made a traverse along a ledge above this to gain access to some relic roof passages. The next side passage gained access to these relic passages and fortunately avoided the awkward climb / traverse that had just been done by Henry. The team then explored and surveyed some 390 m of large dry relic passage that connected back to the streamway at station 1/30 and a various other points before that (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Thursday). CVE DESCRIPTION 2014.02.07: Simon J Brooks, Tudor Tamsa and Vijay Chhikara … proceeded to the far end of the cave where Simon thoroughly checked the terminal boulder [collapse] to conclude that there was no negotiable way on. A small inlet at the base of the boulder choke was surveyed for approximately 30 m. Working back downstream another small inlet was surveyed along with some side legs in the mainstream passage just before the second chamber. Surveying into the second chamber numerous large relic passages were found, one of which ended at [sic! qua: continued as] an 8 m pitch down into a large [cave] passage or chamber in which the sound of [water, which was interpreted as] an inlet / small waterfall could be heard. This was not descended due to lack of equipment. Returning to the main part of the second chamber a side passage was followed this quickly intercepted more relic passage some of which were up to 6 m wide and high. One of these passages was followed back to station 14/4 n the second chamber (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 7th February 2014 Friday). CAVE DESCRIPTIONS 2014.02.08: Henry Rockcliff, Tudor Tamsa and Oana Chachula were wearing wetsuits, went to the wet side passage … for approximately 120 m to a sump. [Later on] Henry and Bhushan managed to find a way down into the lower passage and fix a station. They then went off to explore side passages on the other side of the second chamber. … After surveying with the tape the wet passage, which Tudor named “Blue Lagoon” (a very nice and pleasant wet cave passage in which Henry tried to push the end with a short climb in the ceiling without success), they returned to the upper level of the cave were Tudor had been yesterday, met Simon and his team and started a new series. The first passage was a big gallery, quite wide and … beautiful with plenty of gypsum formations on the walls. In the other upper relic gallery many tiny gypsum crystals were growing o a mound of very old bat guano. Even Tudor was amazed about the size of them (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 8th February, Saturday). Simon J Brooks, Vijay Chhikara, Bhushan Poshe and Richa Jain … continued upstream … a [relatively] small dry side passage that had been missed the previous day. They then went to the second chamber and … side passages leading from this, most of which formed lops connecting back into the chamber. They then went to station 17/3 and began surveying [a selection of] the many unexplored unexplored side passages in this area. One of these arrived at a balcony overlooking an 8 m pitch into a cave passage below. … Simon, Bhushan, Richa and Vijay continued surveying side passages at a lower level, reaching the survey station set up by Henry and Bushan. From here a fine seasonal streamway continues to a boulder choke. A cave passage above this gave access to the base of the 8 m pitch and waterfall located the previos day. This area is a cave chamber some 40 m diameter with a 40 m+ aven to one side, down which a waterfall descends. Across the chamber a fine ongoing passage could be seen (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 8th February, Saturday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: Krem Lakhon. Big stream passage and relic high level 2566.32 m -8.93/+30.31 (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.12.26: The entrance is very majestic with a huge chamber with a number of skylights. A muddy side passage close to the entrance soon joins a streamway going both ways. To the left (upstream) it leads to a ledge and short tubular gallery with some water that leads into the main passage. To the right (downstream) it is a very deep, 4 m wide canal that leads to a 2nd entrance some 40 m away. There are several leads to be pushed at a later stage.The entrance chamber leads into a streamway, possibly the same one as the first side entrnce which was selected as the main passage. This stream passage is mostly easy wading with a few places where the water reaches waist or chest depth. There are several side passages in the lower part of the streamway. The first of these is a short and narrow inlet but a traverse along a ledge above this gives access to some relic roof passages. The next side passage again gives access to these relic passages and fortunately avoids the awkward climb/traverse. The large, dry, relic passage is 390 m long connects back to the streamway at station 1/30 and at various other points before that. Staying low, the wet side passage continues for 120 m to arrive at a sump. Swimming is required to get there.Along the streamway there are some upper level passages. At survey point (1/30) a traversing climb leads into a dry upper level relic passage that is both large and ongoing. At about the 400 metre mark, a side passage to the right descends straight into a deep pool of seemingly clean water. Heaing on the stream passage continues in fine style to eventually terminate progress at a large boulder choke. Just prior to the visitor's end of the passage there are some some large chambers. From the second chamber several large relic passages take off, one of which gives access to an 8 m pitch down into a large passage or chamber in which the sound of an inlet or small waterfall can be heard. It connects to a passage that is reached via another 8 m pitch from the 2nd chamber.Another side passage from the 2nd chamber quickly intercepts more relic passages some of which are up to 6m wide and high. One of these passages leads back to station 14/4 in the 2nd chamber. Most of the other side passages off the 2nd chamber just loop back into it, forming quite a challenging maze.From stn 17/3 there are again several ways on. One of these arrives at a balcony overlooking an 8m pitch into a large passage below. From this the gallery goes on along a fine seasonal streamway to eventually reachan impenetrable boulder choke. A large passage above this gives access to the base of the 8m pitch and waterfall. This area is a large chamber of some 40m diameter with a 40m+ aven to one side, down which a small waterfall descends. Across the chamber there is a fine ongoing passage.In the upper level the first passage is a big gallery, quite wide and not very long but beautiful with plenty of gypsum formations on the walls. In the other upper relic gallery are many tiny gypsum crystals on a mound of very old bat guano (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: 10-02-2014 and 25.12.2014 Krem Lakhon.doc). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2015.04.03: The passage surveyed [on Tuesday, 3rd February 2015] was 140 m long with lots of huge boulders but only very few flow stones and curtains. There was a huge aven, 38 m high, with a small stream entering at roof level some 35 m above. Beneath the aven was a pot, festooned in drip formations, of some 11 m deep. The [invasion of the] main passage ended in [sic! led to] a bouler choke (Anonymous [Arbenz T, Brooks S J et al.] 2015.04.03 Mss: Diary 2015.docx 3rd February 2015 Tuesday). CAVE POTENTIAL 2014.04.05: Krem Lakhon, being known [by name] about for several years and on this occasion finally accessed, this impressive river cave was partially explored for 2,566 m and is ongoing. Much unexplored passage remains in a dry relic series and a large ongoing seasonal stream way (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). CULTURAL HISTORY -- human use, bat hunting ground: It appeared that the local men from a nearby village had a recent hunt for bats. The shrubs were used to close as much openings of the cave entrance area as possible, including one old mosquito net, before they hit hundreds of bats with bamboo poles (Anonymous [Arbenz T, Brooks S J et al.] 2015.04.03 Mss: Diary 2015.docx 3rd February 2015 Tuesday). CAVE DEATH 2014.04.05: A few dead rodents and bats were found floating in the water (anonymous Brooks S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Wednesday). CAVE DEATH 2015.04.03: At least ten dead bats were left to rot in the pools that released a bad odour into the air and greyish colour of the water (Anonymous [Arbenz T, Brooks S J et al.] 2015.04.03 Mss: Diary 2015.docx 3rd February 2015 Tuesday). CAVE LIFE 2014.04.05: On 5th February 2014 it was Khlur Mukhim who thought a strange sound was that of an earthquake but soon realized it was produced by hundreds of bats up in the roof. Many crickets and fossils were seen on the limestone wall near the entrance but it’s hard to see any aquatic organisms maybe due to pollution. Oana [Chachula] collected crustaceans in the first part of the streamway where an inlet brought clean water into the cave (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 5th Frebruary [sic!] 2014 Thursday). On 8th February 2014 Oana Chachula identified one bat (Chiroptera) as Hipposideroslankadiva / armiger (either Hipposideros lankadiva Kelaart 1850 or Hipposideros armiger Hodgson 1835). This can be interpreted to mean that some of the estimated 300 or 500 bats in this day roost represent one of these two distinct species. It was really interesting that those bats were not hibernating and somehow got used to the cavers. Oana saw also relatively small-sized but unidentified bats roosting in this cave.Regarding biospeleogical fauna, the cave is not so rich. In the stream one big Decapoda was found in the Blue Lagoon, one relatively big fish of unknown size in the same gallery and a crayfish (Decapoda) was caught. Other observations include few juvenile and adult specimens of Heteropoda sp. (Arachnidae: Sparassidae) on dry walls, and, in a relic cave gallery, more or less many millipedes at a site with apparently fresh bat guano. Oana counted in one place 20 individual specimens (modified after anonymous Chachula, O in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: DiaryMeghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 8th February, Saturday). CAVE LIFE 2014.12.26: Apparently dead rodents, dead bats in addition to bats (either hipposideros lankadiva or hipposideros armiger; crayfish (decapoda); huntsman spiders (heteropoda), millipedes (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: 10-02-2014 and 25.12.2014 Krem Lakhon.doc). CAVE LIFE 2015.04.03: Shabuddin Shaik and Khlur Mukhim were identified as two biologists Shabu and Khlur [who] also visited the cave and reported something which ended up as over a hundred bats were still seen clinging inside the cave and making big humming sound when they flew around. One good nest of the blue whistling thrush [Passeriformes: Muscicapidae: Myophonus caeruleus], with outer dimensions of about 20 cm x 24 cm and 11 cm deep, was also found on the ground near the entrance; it might have been brought down by one of those bamboo poles from the high wall during the bat hunting event. Few fish were seen that looked similar to a dark Channa species, 6-7 cm in lenth, with a relatively large head. Some animals seen on the walls of the cave included crickets, over three different species of spiders (including Heterapoda species), some flies and few millipedes [millipeds, Millipedes] and centipedes [centipeds, Centipedes] (Anonymous [Arbenz T, Brooks S J et al.] 2015.04.03 Mss: Diary 2015.docx 3rd February 2015 Tuesday) conf. Myriapoda.Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 8th February, Saturday). CAVE LIFE 2014.12.26: Apparently dead rodents, dead bats in addition to bats (either hipposideros lankadiva or hipposideros armiger; crayfish (decapoda); huntsman spiders (heteropoda), millipedes (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: 10-02-2014 and 25.12.2014 Krem Lakhon.doc). CAVE LIFE 2015.04.03: Shabuddin Shaik and Khlur Mukhim were identified as two biologists Shabu and Khlur [who] also visited the cave and reported something which ended up as over a hundred bats were still seen clinging inside the cave and making big humming sound when they flew around. One good nest of the blue whistling thrush [Passeriformes: Muscicapidae: Myophonus caeruleus], with outer dimensions of about 20 cm x 24 cm and 11 cm deep, was also found on the ground near the entrance; it might have been brought down by one of those bamboo poles from the high wall during the bat hunting event. Few fish were seen that looked similar to a dark Channa species, 6-7 cm in lenMeghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 8th February, Saturday). CAVE LIFE 2014.12.26: Apparently dead rodents, dead bats in addition to bats (either hipposideros lankadiva or hipposideros armiger; crayfish (decapoda); huntsman spiders (heteropoda), millipedes (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: 10-02-2014 and 25.12.2014 Krem Lakhon.doc). CAVE LIFE 2015.04.03: Shabuddin Shaik and Khlur Mukhim were identified as two biologists Shabu and Khlur [who] also visited the cave and reported something which ended up as over a hundred bats were still seen clinging inside the cave and making big humming sound when they flew around. One good nest of the blue whistling thrush [Passeriformes: Muscicapidae: Myophonus caeruleus], with outer dimensions of about 20 cm x 24 cm and 11 cm deep, was also found on the ground near the entrance; it might have been brought down by one of those bamboo poles from the high wall during the bat hunting event. Few fish were seen that looked similar to a dark Channa species, 6-7 cm in lenth, with a relatively large head. Some animals seen on the walls of the cave included crickets, over three different species of spiders (including Heterapoda species), some flies and few millipedes [millipeds, Millipedes] and centipedes [centipeds, Centipedes] (Anonymous [Arbenz T, Brooks S J et al.] 2015.04.03 Mss: Diary 2015.docx 3rd February 2015 Tuesday) conf. Myriapoda.