DHARAI (Krang pdeng)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

This cave had been described way back in 1890 as a funnel shaped hollow formed on the side of a small knoll (i.e. Cave at –>Lakadong 06) when the -hollow- was already known to descend down to the entrance of a cave formed by the falling in of the underlying limestone (LATOUCHE, T H D 1890: 15). It was incidentally revisited in 2014 by expedition cavers whom Oley Shdong from Umlatdoh had shown a roughly circular doline (closed depression, about 10 m in diameter, 5 m to 8 m deep), which was in February 2014 surrounded by trees and breached the Lakadong Sandstone into the underlaying Lakadong Limestone to intersect an horizontal cave passage (initially aligned approximately NW-SW) with lateral man-made coal mines and an accessible continuation leading to natural north-south trending cave passages (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: Tom D. [Tomas Henry Digges] LATOUCHE (1890: 15) had referred to this site as Cave (6) and indicated it on the Plan of the Umlotodo Plateau (note 2) about 250 m in a direct ine SSW from centre of the miners' huts forming the hovel identified as Village of Lakadog [sic!] (Plan of the Umlotodo Plateau) or Lakadong - Umlatdoh (WGS84 N25°11'50”: E092°16'50”). Expedition cavers were shown in February 2014 at the same spot (WGS84 ±11 m N25°11'39.2”: E092°16'37.0”: 757 m asl) what eventually was identified as a standard Khasi Krem Dharai (Mukhim, K 2014.07.10 Mss -Re: Pdein Daharei- e-mail) in lieu of a Lakadong Khasi Krang Dharai: The actual name [of this cave] is Krem Dharai [note 3]; dharei means ancient [note 4]. Krem Dharei => Krem Dharai (Ancient Cave) (Mukhim, K 2014.07.10 Mss -Re: Pdein Daharei- e-mail). Expedition cavers, however, cared to create the following versions (note 5): Krem Pdein Daharei [anonymous] Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc; DIKSTRA & BURGERS (2014: 39). Krem Pdein Dharei Arbenz, T (2014.04.29 Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx); [anonymous] Abenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc; Arbenz, T (2014.04.30 dated 2014.04.18 Dhareiplan1000.pdf); anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: February 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 24th).Krem Pdeng Dharei [anonymous] Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc. Pdien Daharai Brooks, S J (2015.01.15 e-mail) Krem Pdien Dharei Anonymous (2014.04.05 dated 2014.03.08 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls); Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T (2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). An unidentified interpreter (no name mentioned) claimed that an unacknowledged caving instructor (no name mentioned) had explained in February 2014 the meaning of -Krem Pdein Daharei- as cave between the trees (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 dated 2014.02.25 Mss: Pdein Dharei_Rec.doc) but this is not the case (note 6). The Lakadng Khasi -Krang Pdeng Dharai- is a version of the standard Khasi -Krem Pdeng Dara- and signifies a Cave (or mine) Amidst Hovels. SITUATION: In an unspecified setting on the Lakadong - Umlatdoh Plateau and located in Umlatdoh village (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). The GPS position, which had been recorded in 2014, indicates a spot which seems to correspond to the location of the site No. 6 (Cave at –>Lakadong 06 Latouche 1890) shown on Plan of the Umlotodo Plateau and was described as a funnel shaped hollow formed on the side of a small knoll [note 7] (LATOUCHE, T H D 1890: 15). APPROACH 2014.04.30: Whom it concerns is ordered to walk for about 5 minutes in a southerly direction on a footpath that starts right at [an unspecified] the teashop [with an unidentified GPS position]. Walk south past a rice / paddy field to reach the doline surrounded by trees right behind the field (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05a: The unspecified cave entrance somehow gives access to an unspecified entrance series of survey legs which intersects after approximately 186.52 m a streamcave passage that drains a stream of water from an unidentified catchment area somewhere in the north. The southbound downstream branch reaches after a walking distance, which was identified as soon (sic!), the vicinity of an undiscovered but doubtlessly existing, though possibly impenetrable and, in cases, toe-nibbling (sic!) alternative cave entrance. This was indicated on 19th February 2014 not only by an unspecified air current with an unidentified flow direction but also interpreted as a draughting boulder choke with plenty of loose boulders and “hanging death” [note 8]. A visited part of the upstream branch was experienced as a sports training device that allows the negotiation of fine stream passage heading north with occasiona boulder collapses to clamber over … before time runs out (anonymous Cooke D, Galloway R, Hudson R, or McNally D in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 19th February, Wednesday). Due to the lack of a single passage, which would be sufficiently conventional to challenge expedition cavers, the topographical survey up the stream passage … got more complicated as there were [even] passages branching off and rejoining the main passage. There are perhaps two relic levels and a stream level. The relic levels are very well decorated with some very unusual deposits, one was named The Bagpipes and another was called The Disaster of Alchemists (anonymous Cooke D, Galloway R, Hudson R, or McNally D in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 20th February, Thursday). Further upstream along an active streamway … was quite an impressive cold draught [controlled, as usual, with the concurrent flow of water]. The firstpart of the passage was a temporary sump. After about 140 m the surveying ended in a chamber … [from where the cave continues in unexplored] many of avens. It was observed that he draught came down through these avens. Richard tried to climb up one of them. After 5m he had to declare defeat because the rocks were dangerously sharp and not very stable. … In the streamway passage there was a lot of rubbish and pollution (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 25th February, Tuesday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05b: A large stream way and complex series of very well decorated relic passages (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc).CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: Shaft (hot), horizontal, wet, relic, formations (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.30: A doline with a walking size entrance gives access to a small chamber from which a coal layer is enteed (several mines have been dug into the coal starting in the natural cave). Proceeding further down the chamber, a very short crawl descends to a roomy horizontal passage, where a rise of the temperature is very noticeable. The passage continues in the same size and character but the way on is directly to the left where there is another short crawl down a slope, which continues down to a chaos of boulders from which two pitches depart. Navigate on the right side around the first one using a handline for safety. Then descend the pitch, 6 m down there is a rebelay. The pitch head and the scramble down to it are steep and full of gravel and small stones which shoot down the pitch, so stay away below the rope. Downstream the stream enters a boulder choke, where the way on is lost. The way on is through the boulders just a few metres below the rope into the streamway. Progress here is up and under boulders to reach a roomier section in the stream where a relic passage turns off to the lef. This is a relic oxbow, about 40 m long. From here on the walking up the stream becomes pleasant along sharp-edged floors and walls. The passage is generally 1 m to 3 m wide and 10 m to 30 m high. In the rainy season the stream backs up high as can be seen from the flood marks and mud deposits on the walls.The mainstream passage continues in this style for the next 300 m before the passage lowers past some muddied formations and changes character. A large oxbow on the right containing a stal column enters a larger chamber with huge block breakdown but the easiest way to enter it is by staying low with the stream. This large chamber, formed on a fault, quickly lowers as it enters the finely decorated -Bat Temple-.A number of routes lead off from the -Bat Temple-, directly ahead and upslope a passage leads to the Upper Series. Along the Upper Series route a passage immediately up a short climb to the left again splits. To the left a large fault controlled way soon ends at a 6 m pitch dwn to the large chamber preceding the -Bat Temple-. To the right another junction is soon reached at the richly decorated -Alchemists Revenge-. Left is the aptly named -Buttered Cat Theory-, a passage where it is preferable to avoid touching the roof, floor or walls as there is a profusion of fine decorations. To the right the main Upper Series passage continues in grand style along a passage full of broken stal. Approximately 180 m along this passage the route passes over a chamber where an easy climb down connects the Upper and Lower series. Continuing at high level the passage remains large for several hundred metres passing through a large chamber containing a huge split block before ending in sandstone breakdown.Back at the -Bat Temple- the easiest route into the Lower Series is to carry on straight ahead upslope and pass the climb up to the left. Continuing ahead a stooping height passage becomes walking height at a sharp left corner above a low dry stream bed. Right in the strembed emerges back in the -Bat Temple- whilst left leads to the High/Low series connection chamber mentioned above. However staying high and left takes one past -A Disaster of Alchemists- and through a highly decorated grotto to another junction. Right at the junction a climb and wriggle past straws leads again to the connection chamber. To the left the passage meanders extensively, passes the distinctive -Bagpipe- formations and eventually ends again in sandstone breakdown after a further 200 m.Just beyond -The Bagpipes- the masochistic explorer encounters a narrow jagged streamway on the left. The upstream passage is 400 m of varied crawling, stooping, squeezing and general wetness with a strong draught. The last 40m is in an area of high avens with evidence of surface debris. The main draught enters via -Sushi Aven- so named due to its sharp nature. This has been free climbed for approx. 7 m but no further progress is possible without bolting equipment (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.3 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc). CAVE CONTENTS: Big blocks and slabs (break down), rounded rocks, gravel, mud, sand, silt, calcite formations. Yellow and bluish deposits supposedly from mine sewage (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc). TACKLE: 20 m handline to get safely to the pitch. 26 m pitch needing 35 m rope (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 dated 2014.02.25 Mss: Pdein Dharei_Rec.doc). PROSPECTS 2014.04.29: Speleotopographical progress once was ongoing with an unidentified one lead, but dangerous (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). PROSPECTS 2014.04.30: The accessible part of the cave seems to continue in aven at the end of Series 10 but proceeding is very dangerous (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc). SPELEOMETRY 214.04.05a: 3111.37 m (Anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls). SPELEOMETRY 2014.04.05b: Krem Pdien Dharei [sic!] … was explored along a large stream way and complex series of very well decorated relic passages to yield 3,111m of surveyed passage [sic! qua: accumulated survey length] (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). SPELEOMETRY 2014.04.29: Length 2971.49 m, Vertical range 55.20 m /-52.45/+2.75 m (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc; Arbenz T 2014.04.30 dated 2014.04.18 Dhareiplan1000.pdf). CAVE LIFE 2014.04.05: It may have been David -Cookie- Cook and Marcel Dikstra who noticed on 20th February 2014 in Krem Pdein Dharei a presence various life forms … though nothing out of the [unspecified and only at a first glance] ordinary spiders, crickets and crayfish in addition to colony or, more likely, a day roost of what looked lke Hipposideros armiger, the same species that was found in Krem Pdein Laphiang … here, however, about 300 bats or more (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 20th February, Thursday). CAVE LIFE 2014.04.30: Upper series with sparse life including brown crickets. Monkey skeleton found. Heteropoda & troglobitic cockroaches. Lower streamway with occasional Macrobrachium (shrimp), numerous troglobitic cockroaches & crickets in some areas. Dead bat found with cholevid beetles, millipedes and isopods. Bat colony of 400 or more Hipposideros Armiger, other bat flying, photo by Richard Hudson. 21 bat skeletons Hipposideros Larvatus & Armiger (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc).14.04.05a: 3111.37 m (Anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls). SPELEOMETRY 2014.04.05b: Krem Pdien Dharei [sic!] … was explored along a large stream way and complex series of very well decorated relic passages to yield 3,111m of surveyed passage [sic! qua: accumulated survey length] (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). SPELEOMETRY 2014.04.29: Length 2971.49 m, Vertical range 55.20 m /-52.45/+2.75 m (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc; Arbenz T 2014.04.30 dated 2014.04.18 Dhareiplan1000.pdf). CAVE LIFE 2014.04.05: It may have been David -Cookie- Cook and Marcel Dikstra who noticed on 20th February 2014 in Krem Pdein Dharei a presence various life forms … though nothing out of the [unspecified and only at a first glance] ordinary spiders, crickets and crayfish in addition to colony or, more likely, a day roost of what looked l14.04.05a: 3111.37 m (Anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls). SPELEOMETRY 2014.04.05b: Krem Pdien Dharei [sic!] … was explored along a large stream way and complex series of very well decorated relic passages to yield 3,111m of surveyed passage [sic! qua: accumulated survey length] (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). SPELEOMETRY 2014.04.29: Length 2971.49 m, Vertical range 55.20 m /-52.45/+2.75 m (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc; Arbenz T 2014.04.30 dated 2014.04.18 Dhareiplan1000.pdf). CAVE LIFE 2014.04.05: It may have been David -Cookie- Cook and Marcel Dikstra who noticed on 20th February 2014 in Krem Pdein Dharei a presence various life forms … though nothing out of the [unspecified and only at a first glance] ordinary spiders, crickets and crayfish in addition to colony or, more likely, a day roost of what looked lke Hipposideros armiger, the same species that was found in Krem Pdein Laphiang … here, however, about 300 bats or more (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 20th February, Thursday). CAVE LIFE 2014.04.30: Upper series with sparse life including brown crickets. Monkey skeleton found. Heteropoda & troglobitic cockroaches. Lower streamway with occasional Macrobrachium (shrimp), numerous troglobitic cockroaches & crickets in some areas. Dead bat found with cholevid beetles, millipedes and isopods. Bat colony of 400 or more Hipposideros Armiger, other bat flying, photo by Richard Hudson. 21 bat skeletons Hipposideros Larvatus & Armiger (anonymous Arbenz, T 2014.04.30 / 2014.12.26 Mss: Marcel Dikstra / David Cooke / Richard Hudson 25-02-2014 Krem Dharai.doc).