Etchhiku
26.091700,94.304200
Description
The entrance to a fully unexplored but nevertheless »huge cave« (nagarealm.com accessed 2007.12.12) or »long caves« (Mildred Archer 1947 Mss) is reputed to be visible part way up the steep eastern slope of the »Wokha Hill« (Tiyingchoma; Mount Tiyi). Not only the Lhota Nagas consider the cave on the Wokha Hill as the entrance to the world (abode, land) of the dead. The cave entrance is more or less »inaccessible« (or so) and neither nobody nor anybody ever attempted to get there. One man however, whose nine children had recently died from smallpox, climbed up to the cave where he saw spittle on the floor and scabs on the rock surface indicating that his children had scratched their skin while entering. The man himself could not enter as he still was alive but happily returned home as he was sure to see his dead wife and children later (note 1). SITUATION: »On the precipitous eastern face of Wokha Hill [note 2]« (MILLS, J P 1922: 119-120), the »fine isolated peak of over 6500 feet, which is a landmark for miles around« (MILLS, J P 1926a: 295) and rises about 2 km in a direct line approximately east of the village of Wokha (note 3). The visible shadow, which is interpreted as a penetrable cave entrance, is seen »at one end of a narrow, conspicuous stratum of white rock which looks exactly like a path and is [not only] known as the 'Road to the Dead'« (MILLS, J P 1922: 119) but also as "layasüphu" in the sense of »girl-cloths-drying« (note 4). Officially, »…the Land of the Dead (etchili) … is inaccessible and no living man has ever been into the cave … The cave, which a telescope seems to show does really exist, lies at one end of a narrow, conspicuous stratum of white rock which looks exactly like a path and is known as the 'Road to the Dead' or "etchhililan" [note 5]. Below is a similar stratum, also apparently terminating in a cave, which is believed to be the road used by the spirits of the dead animals« (MILLS, J P 1922: 119-120). VISIBILITY 1922a: »We left Sagami for Longsa [note 6] (15 miles - 126 miles from Kohima). Mills & I rode part of the way & walked the rest. There was a fine view of Wokha Hill (the "abode of the dead", the "roadway of the dead" showing clearly as a white streak below the top. A cave is said to exist there, but no one has visited it & it is almost inaccessible« (Balfour, Henry 1922-1923: Diary of a Tour in the Naga Hills, 1922.10.28). VISIBILITY 1922b: The elevated village of »Yemka« or Yimkha (note 7) is said to be one of the places, from whence the roads are clearly seen …« (MILLS, J P 1922: 120). VISIBILITY 1947: From the Inspection Bungalow at Litami (note 8) »… we can see Wokha hill, its symetrical summit wreathed in mysterious mist« (Archer, Mildred 1947 Mss: Journey to Nagaland: An account of six months spent in the Naga Hills in 1947, entry 1947.08.10). VISIBILITY 2007: The entrance to the relatively »huge cave« at the entrance to »the land of the death can be seen from Yanthamo [note 9]« (nagarealm.com accessed 2007.12.12). CAVE DESCRIPTION: Apparently not even one of all the dead, who ever cared to leave the hither world via the exit cave on Tiyingchoma (Mount Tiyi; Wokha Hill), seems to have composed and forwarded, published or uploaded a speleography of this more often inaccessible than »almost inaccessible« (Henry Balfour 1922-1923 Diary of a Tour in the Naga Hills: 1922.10.28) cave. One widower, however, is said to have been to the cave entrance where he (no name mentioned) noticed in the daylight-lit entrance area the presence of spittle (saliva) on the floor and scabs (ascribed to pustules due to smallpox / variola) on rock surfaces (GANGULI, M 1976: 86-87 allegedly after a certain Rupongo, some time between the end of 1963 and October 1968 the »gaobura« [gaonbura; village head man] of Wokha). CULTURAL HISTORY -- reacreational adventure tourism: »Mount Tiyi: Trekking, rock-climbing to the mountain top is an adventurous experience. Legend has it, that it is the abode of the departed souls. In the local folklores it is said that there once existed an orchard which could be traced by the lucky ones only. Colourful rhododendrons are found [presumably in February / March] on the cliffs and steep slopes. The mountain peak offers a panoramic view of the valley down below« (NAGALAND TOURISM circa 1996 s.a.) and, perhaps, parts of the sky high above. CULTURAL HISTORY -- religious fairy tales: 1922: The people of most Naga clans believe that »the Land of the Dead (etchili), lies under our world and has the bottom of our world for a sky [ … ] The entrance to it is a cave (etchhiku) on the precipitous eastern face of Wokha Hill« (MILLS, J P 1922: 119). »In Yemka, from whence the roads are clearly seen, it is believed that sometimes at night lights can be observed moving on the upper road when the dead men come out with torches to meet new-comers and light them on their way« (MILLS, J P 1922: 120). 1926: »… Wokha Hill, a fine isolated peak of over 6500 feet, which is a landmark for miles around. Under it the Semas, Lhotas, and Aos believe the Land of the Dead to lie, and on the east face of it is a conspicuous line of white rock, which they regard as the Road of the Dead« (MILLS, J P 1926a: 295). 1931: Among the Western Rengma Nagas, »the soul of the dead man remains in the village till the Ngada ceremony which marks the beginning of the next agricultural year. Very occasionally the dead man goes to a home in the sky, but the vast majority go to the Land of the Dead under the earth. The Kentennenyu clan go to Sihama, a village to the west, and enter the Land of the Dead at a spot there which is not known. All other clans use the cave in Wokha Hill used by the Lhotas. All meet at the same destination. Including the present life a man has seven lives in worlds one below the other, each being an exact repetition of the one before. Finally those who can sing become crickets, and those who cannot butterflies« (CENSUS OF INDIA 1931, vol. III - Assam Report, Appendix B., part 1.13). 1937: »The souls [called nkapenyu by the Nzong, the southern section of the Western Rengmas and ichamphuwa by the Ntenyi, the northern section] of the dead man go to the Land of the Dead (Nzong: Teronyu phong, Ntenyi: Keshanyu). The souls of the Kentennenyu clan make a journey of three days to Sihama, an Angami village to the south-west, and there enter the earth -- quite how is unknown. The dead of all the other clans go to Wokha Hill and enter the earth by the cave which is reached by the Road of the Dead (Nzong: Teronyu tsong, Ntenyi: Kesha nü) used by the Lhota Nagas. The entrance to the cave is guarded by a woman called Azati« (MILLS, J P 1937: 169-170). 1947: Mildred Archer noted on 10th August 1947 at the Litami inspection bungalow how »… we can see Wokha hill, its symetrical summit wreathed in mysterious mist. It is the hill where the souls of the dead go, to mourn and wander in its long caves« (Archer, Mildred 1947 Mss: Journey to Nagaland: An account of six months spent in the Naga Hills in 1947, entry 1947.08.10). 1975: »Im Lande der Lhota dominiert der von vielen Sagen umwobene Wokha. Die Bewohner glauben, daß sich an einem seiner Hänge der Eingang zum Tötenreich befinde und daß die Geister der Verstorbenen immer, wenn sie ihre Dorf verlassen, auf diesen Berg zustreben. Der Weg zum Wokha heißt deshalb "etschhilan" -- Totenweg« (GANGULI 1976: 77). TACKLE: Climbing gear and a bead or two (note 10).
NOTE 1: A certain Rupongo, some time between the end of 1963 and October 1968 the »gaobura« (also: gaonbura; village head man) of Wokha, is said to have narrated a tale according to which »… eine Höhle an der steilen Ostflanke des Wokha [gilt] als Eingang zum Totenreich … ist völlig unzugänglich, und bisher hat sich niemand zu ihr vorgewagt. Es heißt jedoch, daß einmal ein Mann, verzweifelt über den Verlust seiner neun an Blattern gestorbenen Kinder, zu dieser Höhle emporgeklettert sei. Auf dem Boden habe er Speichel gesehen und Grinde an den Felswänden als Zeichen, daß sich die Kinder daran gescheuert hatten, als sie die Höhle betraten. Er selbst konnte das Innere allerdings nicht betreten, weil er noch lebendig war; aber er kehrte getröstet von dort zurück, weil er Frau und Kinder, die in das Totenreich eingegangen waren, einmal wiedersehen würde« (GANGULI, M 1976: 86-87). NOTE 2: The so-called »Wokha Hill« or »Mount Tiyi« (MILLS, J P 1922: 119) is the Tiyingchomo which rises about 3 km in a direct line east of the village of Wokha (near ±1 km N26°05'30”: E094°15'20”: ±40 m 1600 m asl WGS84) and culminates near north east elevation m feet name (source) 26°05'55” 94°17'15” [1976.9 m] 6486 Tiyingchoma AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition) 26°10' 94°19' [1969.6 m] 6462 Mount Tiyi MILLS, J P (1922) [1981.2 m] >6500 Wokha Hill MILLS, J P (1926a: 295) 26°07' 94°18' [1982.4 m] 6504 Wokha Hill MILLS, J P (1926a map opposite page 292) -- -- 1977 m [6486] Vankhong India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth (2006: 47 F1) 1313.7 m [4310] Wokha hill nagaland.nic.in/tourism (2002.11.10) 1969.6 m [6462] Mount Tiyi nagaland.nic.in/tourism (2002.11.10). NOTE 3: Wokha, the village, near (±1 km) N26°05'30”: E094°15'20” at about (±40 m) 1600 m asl (AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition). NOTE 4: »The Aos [Ao Naga people] place the entrance to the World of the Dead, which lies under the earth, at the same spot on Wokha Hill as do the Lhotas, and call the line of white rock leading up to it layasüphu ("girl-cloths-drying"), regarding it as a collection of dead men's cloths laid out to dry by their dead girl friends« (MILLS, J P 1926b: 227-228). NOTE 5: So far (17.05.2013), I saw the »Road to the Dead« (MILLS, J P 1922: 119), »roadway of the dead« (Henry Balfour 1922-1923 diary 1922.10.28) or »Road of the Dead« (MILLS, J P (1937: 170) and »Totenweg« (GANGULI, M 1976: 77) called word user source etchhililan MILLS, J P (1922: 119) etschhilan GANGULI, M (1976: 77) Kesha nü Ntenyi Lhota Nagas MILLS, J P (1937: 169-170) layasüphu Ao Nagas MILLS, J P (1926b: 228) Teronyu tsong Nzong Lhota Nagas MILLS, J P (1937: 169-170). NOTE 6: Longsa (Balfour, Henry 1922-1923: Diary of a Tour in the Naga Hills, 1922.10.28) is rather the village of Lungsa near (±1 km) N26°03'40”: E094°14'50” (WGS84, AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition) and about 3 km in a direct line SSW from Wokha than Longsa near (±1 km) N26°13'30”: E094°33'00” (AMS sheet NG46-08 Sibsagar, U542 series, 1955 edition) and about 33 km in a direct line ENE from Wokha. NOTE 7: »Yemka« (MILLS, J P 1922: 120) seems to be the village of Yimkha near (±1 km) N26°04'00": E094°19'15" (AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition) and about 6 km or 7 km in a direct line approximately ESE from the »Wokha Hill« (Tiyingchomo). NOTE 8: Litami (±1 km) N26°10'30": E094°23'00" (AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition) and 13 km in a direct line north-east of the »Wokha hill« (Tiyingchomo). NOTE 9: »Yanthamo« (nagarealm.com accessed 2007.12.12) is rather the village of Niroyo Yanthomo near (±1 km) N26°04'15”: E094°17'30” (AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition) and about 4 or 5 km in a direct line SSE from Tiyingchomo (Wokha Hill) than the other Changsü Yanthamo near (±1 km) N26°11'45”: E094°18'00” (AMS sheet NG46-07 Jorhat, U502 series, 1955 edition) and about 10 km in a direct line due north from Tiyingchomo (Wokha Hill). NOTE 6: »On this road the spirit, Etchhilivanthamo, lies in wait for passers-by to catch and destroy them if he can. To appease him every dead Lhota has a bead tied to his wrist when buried, so that he can give it to this spirit and get by« (Hutton in: MILLS, J P 1922: 119 note 4).
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Etchhiku 2 | ||
| 19.0 | PHUKHUHE SUMI (Cave of) | ||
| 21.3 | MONGZU KHI | ||
| 21.5 | Funzen Kih | ||
| 21.5 | Funzen Kih 2 | ||
| 22.0 | LUKOBOMI CAVE | ||
| 22.0 | SUSURO KVU, Lakhuti village | ||
| 22.1 | TCHHÜPFU IZZÜ, Morakcho | ||
| 27.0 | LANGABAKI LONGKHI |