BAM KHNE (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A south-west facing cave entrance gives access to the relic of a horizontal exsurgence cave, which has been abandoned by its stream and is now exploited as a natural sacred cave (Hindu temple cave), complete with venerated speleothems (linga) and rapidly increasing rubbish, litter and dirt resulting from effective religious use combined with dubious short-term profits. The sanctuary has not only featured in the Meghalaya media (January / February 2004) but also is reputed to connect by one fabulous subterranean tunnel to Krem Wah Shikar and by another, considerably much more inspiring one, to an unspecified place somewhere in what is considered to be -China- —the next best most far away land imaginable onto which an ambivalent awe oscillating between fascination and threat can be projected. Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss) considers Krem Bam Khnei to function (or to have functioned) as a resurgence (sic!) but actually there is no corresponding insurgence known. ETYMOLOGY: Te cave is probably called -Krem Bam Khne- (note 1) and this can be interpreted not only as Not a Mouse Hole (literally: un-mousy hole) but also as Mouse-Eating Cave or a Biceps [Muscle] Eating Cave (note 2). The Khasi ”ba'm” (prefix) is a contraction of ”ba- + -ym” and forms negative adjectives (SINGH, N 1906: 6) but the verb ”bâm” means to eat (SINGH, N 1906: 8; OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984 appendix C: lxiii, lxiv) as ”bám-krang” means to undermine while the Synteng -khne- corresponds to the Khasi -khnâi- where the masculine -u khnâi“ is a biceps (SINGH, N 1906: 34) while the feminine -ka khnâi- means not only a mouse (GURDON 1906: 201; SINGH, N 1906: 34; SINGH, N 1920: 329) but also a rat (GURDON 1906: 201; SINGH, N 1920: 420; OLDHAM, T 1854 / 1984 appendix C: lxvii). SITUATION 1: Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss): The entrance to Krem Bam Khne lies 1.5 km either at a travelling distance or in a direct line but for sure without direction from La Myrsiang across paddy fields (noe 3). SITUATION 2: Brooks (2004 Mss: Survey Summary) misplaces the entrance to Krem Bamkhnie (sic!) in the area of Diastong ( sic! qua: Daistong) and thus on the Nongkhlieh Ridge opposite east across the Litang valley from the Shnongrim ridge. SITUATION 3: (Arbenz, undated, forwarded 2004.11.13 -Krem Bam Khnei- cave plan) puts the cave somewhere near La Marsiang and thus in the plains west of the Shnongrim Ridge. SITUATION 4: The entrance coordinates (note 4), combined with an altitude of 915 m (Brooks 2004.09.23 personal correspondence) or 930 m asl (Arbenz, cave plan -Krem Bam Khnei- dated 2006.10.28), indicate a spot that lies in a direct line about halfway between the villages of Lad Myrsiang / Latyrke and Shnongrim, on the western flank of the Shnongrim Ridge, and at an elevation of about 100 m vertically above the level of the plains. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1 (Boycott, Antony 'Tony' 2004.02.12 Mss), tentatively quoted literally from a medical doctor's manuscript written in a precriptionese hand: Wet french ends in bouldes inlt henda shure climb up 2 m to wooden pichet gate held padlock. Care is © 600 m of dry well decorated fossil [sic! more likely: relic, abandoned] streamway, ends in boulder choke (draughty) [keywords: air current, air flow]. Some oxbows [note 5] and jupt [gupt?] clerep nat [clearelidnat? develpnat?] un bends are disibutay passage leads back to entrance. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2 (JARRATT 2004a: 28, 2004b): On the 14th some of us were driven to the base of the ridge [note 6] to visit an ancient, dry resurgence cave recently discovered by the locals and featured in the Meghalayan media. Krem Bam Khnei (rat eating cave) was surveyed for 738 metres [note 7] to a massive and impenetrable boulder choke. Many of its beautiful flowstones and gours where covered in Hindi graffiti [note 8] and rubbish was strewn everywhere as, due to its ease of access and lengthy, roomy galleries it has become a subterranean religious shrine [note 9] for coal miners workng nearby. It must once have been a stunning system of deep and clear canals but now, alas, it is doomed. We were glad that the terminal choke was impassable but were very impressed by the speleological potential in this area. CAVE CONTENTS (Boycott, Antony 'Tony' 2004.02.12 Mss): Large crystal stalactite and curtains, dry gours (rimstone dams), sand and polished pebbles. PROSPECTS: We were glad that the terminal choke was impassable … (JARRATT 2004a: 28, 2004b). The allegely terminal collapse is blocked by boulders and once was proven to defeat videoed cavers. CULTURAL HISTORY (Boycott, Antony 'Tony' 2004.02.12 Mss): Hindu shrine at entrance. [The cave is said to have been] Recently discovered by villagers and one TV news-man brought a bag of diamonds out of the cave and disappeared —I suspect it was sparkly calcite. Much rubbish and graffitti [defacing and maring the cave have been left] in last few eeks by local visitors. It is easy to follow the orginal sports cavers when hey loathed understanding an alien creed venerating the very object they were prepared to conquer successfully. Due to a healthy sports caver's tradition of subscribing to a total lack of interest in the reality and matters of cultural relevance, it is difficult to reconstruct if Krem Bam Khnai's association with a small rodent actually reflects, as suspected, that this Hindu temple cave is sacred to the elephant-headed Ganesha. It migt be worthwhile to remember that Ganesh is able to travel even through massive rock without any efforts, and has two jobs. His first duty is to remove obstacles —thus giving reason to be the nearest personal guardian deity among members of the caving community— and his second function is heavely scribe (Secretary General). In the latter job, as the elephant headed (signifying long memory) acting director of heaven's intelligence agency, his official car (vehicle), since mythical time, is the mouse, of course, as it is known the whole world over, togain access to every household and thus listens to each talk and watches every action. It is, by the way, quite common in Hindu India, to associate a stalactitic flowstone formation with Ganesha's elephant trunk, of course especially when the stalactitic flowstone comes in a shape resembling an elephant trunk attached to the cave wall. CAVE LEGEND 1: Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss: Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei) understood Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei was initially considered to represent (tentatively quoted literally from a manuscript written in a prescriptionese hand) a rumoured cave to north of ridge said that the King went in here & came out of Wah Shikar [probably not out of the stream Shikar itself but out of the cave Krem –>Wah Shikar] —no chance (note 10). CAVE LEGEND 2 (Arbenz, T 2004.11.14 personal correspondence): Needs to be translated (note 11), preferably into English. CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2004.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls), confirmed by Arbenz, T (2004.1.28 personal communication), draws attention to having noticed on 14th February 2004 (no time mentioned: afternoon) a strong air current (unidentified flow direction, unquantified delivery).gain access to every household and thus listens to each talk and watches every action. It is, by the way, quite common in Hindu India, to associate a stalactitic flowstone formation with Ganesha's elephant trunk, of course especially when the stalactitic flowstone comes in a shape resembling an elephant trunk attached to the cave wall. CAVE LEGEND 1: Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss: Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei) understood Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei was initially considered to represent (tentatively quoted literally from a manuscript written in a prescriptionese hand) a rumoured cave to north of ridge said that the King went in here & came out of Wah Shikar [probably not out of the stream Shikar itself but out of the cave Krem –>Wah Shikar] —no chance (note 10). CAVE LEGEND 2 (Arbenz, T 2004.11.14 personal correspondence): Needs to be translated (note 11), preferably into English. CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2004.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls), confirmed by Arbenz, T (2004.1gain access to every household and thus listens to each talk and watches every action. It is, by the way, quite common in Hindu India, to associate a stalactitic flowstone formation with Ganesha's elephant trunk, of course especially when the stalactitic flowstone comes in a shape resembling an elephant trunk attached to the cave wall. CAVE LEGEND 1: Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss: Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei) understood Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei was initially considered to represent (tentatively quoted literally from a manuscript written in a prescriptionese hand) a rumoured cave to north of ridge said that the King went in here & came out of Wah Shikar [probably not out of the stream Shikar itself but out of the cave Krem –>Wah Shikar] —no chance (note 10). CAVE LEGEND 2 (Arbenz, T 2004.11.14 personal correspondence): Needs to be translated (note 11), preferably into English. CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2004.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls), confirmed by Arbenz, T (2004.1gain access to every household and thus listens to each talk and watches every action. It is, by the way, quite common in Hindu India, to associate a stalactitic flowstone formation with Ganesha's elephant trunk, of course especially when the stalactitic flowstone comes in a shape resembling an elephant trunk attached to the cave wall. CAVE LEGEND 1: Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss: Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei) understood Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei was initially considered to represent (tentatively quoted literally from a manuscript written in a prescriptionese hand) a rumoured cave to north of ridge said that the King went in here & came out of Wah Shikar [probably not out of the stream Shikar itself but out of the cave Krem –>Wah Shikar] —no chance (note 10). CAVE LEGEND 2 (Arbenz, T 2004.11.14 personal correspondence): Needs to be translated (note 11), preferably into English. CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2004.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls), confirmed by Arbenz, T (2004.1gain access to every household and thus listens to each talk and watches every action. It is, by the way, quite common in Hindu India, to associate a stalactitic flowstone formation with Ganesha's elephant trunk, of course especially when the stalactitic flowstone comes in a shape resembling an elephant trunk attached to the cave wall. CAVE LEGEND 1: Boycott, Antony 'Tony' (2004.02.12 Mss: Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei) understood Krem Bam [deleted: Khnai] Khnei was initially considered to represent (tentatively quoted literally from a manuscript written in a prescriptionese hand) a rumoured cave to north of ridge said that the King went in here & came out of Wah Shikar [probably not out of the stream Shikar itself but out of the cave Krem –>Wah Shikar] —no chance (note 10). CAVE LEGEND 2 (Arbenz, T 2004.11.14 personal correspondence): Needs to be translated (note 11), preferably into English. CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2004.02 Mss: Abstracts.xls), confirmed by Arbenz, T (2004.1.28 personal communication), draws attention to having noticed on 14th February 2004 (no time mentioned: afternoon) a strong air current (unidentified flow direction, unquantified delivery).