RUBONG (Krem)
25.358100,92.546100
Description
A mostly horizontal and beautifully decorated (speleothems) exsurgence cave (karst rising) is known to be fed, at least in parts, by Krem –>Labit, Mulasngi, 3rd. »Thus, Krem Rubong is part of the cave system of Krem Liat Prah« (Arbenz, T 2008 Mss "Fieldbook" 82). The inconspicuous cave entrance (up to 1.5 m wide and 2 m high) lies at the head of a streambed and gives immediate access to a stream cave passage with shallow water and a squeeze across a fallen slab followed by several hundred metres of joint controlled passage draining from the north to the south. The cave is characterised by lots of orange to red coloured secondary calcite deposits. The colouring may indicate that the spelothem nourishing waters arrive from the reddish coloured and probably ferrugineous Kopili Limestones (Miocene) at the top of the Eocene Litang Limestone sequence. ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the Synteng Khasi cave name »Krem Rubong« (Larsing Sukhlain, Shnongrim, Sutnga, Umthe, etc. 1999.04.03 personal communication) has not been discovered but may derive from the Khasi words "rben" (note 1) or "riew" (note 2) combined with something along the lines of "r*b*n" or "r*b*ng" (note 3). SITUATION: At the base of the eastern flank of the Shnongrim Ridge and above the western (orographically left) bank of the river Litang. Apart from several seasonal springs (exsurgences in the soil of the paddy fields in front of the cave) and numerous (one penetrable) rift cave cave entrances (in the jungle covered bouldery clints and grykes above the cave), there is only one practical cave entrance among jungle-clad, fallen boulders at the head of a tributary from the north and west to the left bank of river Litang. APPROACH: The cave entrance can be reached by a 10 or 15 minutes walk (initially south, later west) from where the Sutnga - Nongkhlieh road has completed descending the Shnongrim ridge at the paddy fields (N25°21'36”: E092°33'10” WGS84) in the "pynthor" (level valley floor) of the Litang River valley short of the "dukan sha" (tea house) near N25°21'37” : E092°33'12” WGS84: 855 m asl). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1999: »Exploration began with a rather wet crawl through a small passage that gradually widened as we progressed through it. Andy, Gregory and Brian went on to survey the first large side passage which led to another entrance, and Kate and Matt went down the smaller side passages along the way, most of which ended in sumps. The rest of the survey team continued down the main passage for good three and a half hours, admiring the beautiful stalagmites and stalactites that decorated the cave throughout. Eventually we came to the most amazing chamber which contained a formation of bright red calcite deposits that looked like a waterfall. We managed a small climb to avoid stepping on the waterfall and continued through several small chambers filled with this red flowstone until we arrived at a fairly simple climb of around eight feet or so. However, we went no further. Andy, Kate, Brian and Gregory decided to carry on up the climb, reporting back that there was another large passage filled with more amazing formations of the red flowstone« (DAWSON, S 1999: 14, 15, cave plan: 16-17). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2008: »The inconspicuous entrance (1.5 m wide and 2 m high) lies at the head of a streambed and gives immediate access to shallow water and a squeeze across a fallen slab to a passage that gradually widens and a large side passage which led to another entrance is met. The main passage starts with a long breakdown corridor, which slopes down to the streamway passage. After an unexplainable distance of joint controlled passage, sometimes in knee to chest deep water, a vertical, 5 m step up has to be negotiated (free climbable but 10 m rope are recommended). Soon [the visitor may have reached] a most amazing chamber with bright red coloured gours (to be climbed without boots). Continue through several small chambers with this red flowstone until you reach a simple 3 m climb up a gour. From there, a small, triangular opening with strong draught [air current] gives access to a large chamber above the stream passage. Following the obvious sink, a short squeeze under a block leads to the canyon-like streamway passage about 8 m down (tackle: 10 m ladder and slings). Follow the streamway passage upstream along a narrow meander until it gradually opens up to about 4 by 6 m in size. At the end of the passage lies what seem to be a terminal sump. A few metres short of the sump, however, ascending a boulder slope on the right-hand side gives access to a further, very short bit of stream passage arriving from a boulder choke. This can be negotiated by squeezing through an opening (down, left) after which the connection to Krem Labit Khaidong is met« (Arbenz, T 2008 Mss "Fieldbook" 81-82). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2012: »India’s longest cave system [Krem Liat Prah] is but only history; already the cavernous entrance of the cave is under attack and its Krem Rubong entrance has been breached. Sad indeed would be the imminent destruction of the rare red flowstone where the breach had occurred« (KHARPRAN DALY, B D 2012.05.22). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2015: » … Ken's [Anthony "Tony" R. Jarratt's] theory of a vast cave system under the Ridge … [was] proving to be a reality with the connection of Krem Liat Prah-Um Im- Labit System to Krem Rubong and Synrang Ngap, making it a system of over thirty five kilometres« (KHARPRAN DALY, B D 2014: 159).PROSPECTS: »Krem Rubong, the resurgence cave at Letein [Litang] river level will need checking in a day or so as I put in a goodly amount of fluorescein in the reasonably fast flowing stream below the climb« in the "Video Passage" in Krem Liat Prah (Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt 2006.03.04 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XIII: 18/2/06). SPELEOMETRY: Krem Rubong (up to where the sump from Krem Labit Mulasngi arrives) is, at a vertical range of 30 m (+29.00 m / - 0.56 m) 815 m long (Arbenz, T 2008 Mss "Fieldbook" 81). According to Arbenz, T et al. (2007.12.28 cave plan "Krem Labit (Moolesngi)" undated), Krem Labit (Mulesngi) 3 contributed at the end of the 2007 season at a vertical range of »+91.15m/-23.61m)« (sic!) or 114.76 m (+0 m / -114.76 m) a survey length of 3'824.47 m to the cave system of Krem –>Rubong - Labit, Mulesngi.
NOTE 1: "ba rben" (Khasi; adjective), a contraction of ”ba ryben” (SINGH, N 1906: 177), »thick« (SINGH, N 1906: 177); »compact; dense« (SINGH, N 1920: 81, 115); »dense« (BLAH, E 2007: 75). "kaba rben" (noun) »the density« (SINGH, N 1920: 115). "rben" (verb, transitive), »to benumb« in the sense of ”bym ioh sngew” (SINGH, N 1920: 43), to feel / to hear not / nothing. "ba ryben" (Khasi; adjective) is the same as "ba rben" (SINGH, N 1906: 177). NOTE 2: "riew" (SINGH, N 1920: 52) and "riw" (GURDON, P R T 1906: 212, 215; SINGH, N 1920: 52) or "briu" (OLDHAM, T 1959 appendix C: lxi) and "briw" (SINGH, N 1920: 40, 80) are versions of "ka briew" (noun, feminine) or "u briew" (masculine), "ki briew" (plural), and "i briew" (honorific, diminuitive), »a man« (SINGH, N 1906: 14; BLAH, E 2007: 179), »a women« (SINGH, N 1906: 14), »a person« (SINGH, N 1906: 14; SINGH, N 1920: 375; BLAH, E 2007: 221); »the people« (SINGH, N 1906: 14); »the apple of the eye« (SINGH, N 1906: 14). NOTE 3: ”ba bang" (Khasi; adjective) »tasty; savoury; palatable« (SINGH, N 1906: 6); »dainty; delicious« (SINGH, N 1920: 106, 113). "beiñ" (Khasi; transitive verb) »to scorn; to despise; to challenge« (SINGH, N 1906: 10); »to brave; to dare; to defy« (SINGH, N 1920: 52, 107, 112). "ka beng" (Khasi / Bengali loan word; noun) »a bull frog« (SINGH, N 1906: 10; SINGH, N 1920: 56) in the sense of ”ka hynroh bah” (SINGH, N 1920: 56) = »a big frog« (Gebauer, H D 2013.01.20). "ka bhang" (Khasi / Bengali, Hindi etc. loan word; noun) »the Indian wild hemp« (SINGH, N 1906: 11). Botanically: Cannabis indica aut C. sativa. "ka bùn" (Khasi; noun) »burnt turf for manure« (SINGH, N 1906: 17).
Documents
Bibliography 15/05/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1999.04.03 - 04, trip 1: Larsing Sukhlain guided Nick Cain, Gregory D. Diengdoh, Paul Edmunds, H. D. Gebauer, Brian D. Kharpran Daly, Katharina "Kate" Janossy, Sophie Kumar, Louise LeFlufy, Earl Francis Lyngdoh, Buntie Pettifer, Helen Philp, Matt [Matthew] Truman and Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler, assisted by Betty "Betsy" Chhakchhuak, Vivian [Bibiana] Kharnaior, Gladina Lyngwa, and Angelica Nampui. A passage length of 1013.1 m at a vertical range of 42.2 m was gained (DAWSON, S 1999).1999: Louise LeFlufy drew a cave plan (DAWSON, S 1999: 16-17). 2002.02.15-19, trip 2: Thomas Arbenz, Boycott, Antony 'Tony', Jörg Dreybrodt and H. D. Gebauer re-surveyed parts of the cave, filling the gaps and adding side legs (survey length of 815.01 m at a vertical range of 29.56 m = +29.00 / -0.56). 2006.02.18, trip 3 (Krem Liat Prah: Video Passage): Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2006.03.04 Mss: Cave Log, vol. XIII: 18/2/06) »put in a goodly amount of fluorescein in the reasonably fast flowing stream below the climb« in an attempt to check the colour of the water issuing from Krem Rubong »in a day or so« but never came back it. 2007.02.08, trip 4, team 1: »Pete G. [Peter Glanvill], Philippa [Glanvill], Thomas [Arbenz], Barbara [am Ende] and Brian KD [Kharpran Daly] went upstream in Krem Rubong making the connection with the Labbit Moolasgni [Krem Labit, Moolasngi] team. Pete G took photos en route« (Brooks, S J et al. 2007.03.01 Mss: Diary2007.doc). 2007.02.08, trip 5, team 2: Mark W. Brown, Quentin "Cooper" Cowper, Neil Pacey, Brian Cullen, Henry Rockcliff, Robin Sheen and Henry Duxbury »went down Krem Labbit Moolasgni. Mark took some photos on the pitch then went with Neil, Quentin and Brian C into the high level passage they had begun the day before. They surveyed to a boulder choke, where the streamway was met. Upon investigating the choke they heard the team in Krem Rubong. A boulder was moved and connection made. The surveys were joined together and the united teams exited via Rubong for tea at the Dukan Sha. Henry R., Robin and Henry D. went upstream and surveyed down the streamway exit passage, past many side passages still ongoing« (Brooks, S J et al. 2007.03.01 Mss: Diary2007.doc). 2007.02.13, trip 6: Peter Glanvill, Boycott, Antony 'Tony' »and the biologists« (Ilono Kharkongor (scientist), Silbaster Swell (collection tender), Madhav Soonar (laboratory attendant), Gerald Japang (driver), and Shinoti Kharkongor of the ZSI = Zoological Survey of India, Eastern Region Station, Shillong, »went down Krem Rubong to sample and photgraph« (Brooks, S J et al. 2007.03.01 Mss: Diary2007.doc). According to JARRATT & DAWSON (2007), »Tony B. took the biologists into Krem Rubong 1 to take samples and photographs.« 2008.02.12, team 1, trip 7: »Tony B, Des and Sharon went to Krem Rubong to rig the climb and ladder pitch for the connection to KLM and went through the boulder choke to the first climb« (Brown et al. 2008 Mss: Meghalaya 2008 diary: Tuesday 12th February). 2008.02.25, trip 8: »Jayne, Tony B, Joel and Elizabeth went to Krem Rubong to derig the ladder« (Brown et al. 2008 Mss: Meghalaya 2008 diary: Monday 25th February). 2009.02.06, trip 9: Brian D. Kharpran Daly took Joanne "Jo" Hardy and a crew of Indian Navy people comprised of Sujan Shubba (Leading Seaman), Karma Choki Bhutia (Leading Store Assistant), and Bishnoi Prakash (Leading Seaman) to the cave of »… Robong [sic!] on a tourist trip. A good couple of hours were spent wandering along the cave passage, taking photos and marvelling at the beautiful formations« (Brooks, S J et al. 2009 Mss: Diary.doc Friday 6th February).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | RUBONG 2 (Krem) | ||
| 0.7 | DOHTHLI, Mulesgni, 4th (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | KDONG THLOO, Rya (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | KDONG THLOO, Rya, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | JALABAN (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | LABIT, Mulesngi, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | LABIT, Mulesngi, 3rd (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | DOHTHLI, Mulesgni 1 (Krem) | ||
| 0.8 | LABIT, Mulesngi, 1st (Krem) |