MAWKTANGKDIER, Phlangjaud (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A 40 m long or wide, 3 m high and 5 m horizontally deep undercut in what looks like calcareous sandstone (note 1) contains several more than 1 m large speleothems (Tyler 2001.10.11 Mss: Krem Mawtangdair). Compare: Krem –>Phlang Jaud (Krem Phlang Ja'ut) and Synrang –>Phlangjaud. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi noun -ka maw- is a rock and -tang- is a short form of -ka ktang- and means a bamboo pipe in which water is kept (SINGH, N 1906: 50) or simply a pipe (SINGH, N 1906: 218) but I do not know what -dair- means unless it has something to do with the verb -kdier- that means to straddle in a reckless sense, or with the adjective -kdiar- which means transparently, uncloudedly as it is said of water and weather (SINGH, N 1906: 23). SITUATION: About a kilometre (or so) past (perhaps south) the small shifting settlement called Phlangjaud (note 2) and finally then from a spot at an unidentified GPS position into the jungle for 100 m to the base of a cliff which contains the cave (note 3).A 40 m long or wide, 3 m high and 5 m horizontally deep undercut in what looks like calcareous sandstone (note 1) contains several more than 1 m large speleothems (Tyler 2001.10.11 Mss: Krem Mawtangdair). Compare: Krem –>Phlang Jaud (Krem Phlang Ja'ut) and Synrang –>Phlangjaud. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi noun -ka maw- is a rock and -tang- is a short form of -ka ktang- and means a bamboo pipe in which water is kept (SINGH, N 1906: 50) or simply a pipe (SINGH, N 1906: 218) but I do not know what -dair- means unless it has something to do with the verb -kdier- that means to straddle in a reckless sense, or with the adjective -kdiar- which means transparently, uncloudedly as it is said of water and weather (SINGH, N 1906: 23). SITUATION: About a kilometre (or so) past (perhaps south) the small shifting settlement called Phlangjaud (note 2) and finally then from a spot at an unidentified GPS position into the jungle for 100 m to the base of a cliff which contains the cave (note 3).