KHANJOY SONGACHAM CHIGNAPKOL

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A comparatively large (16 m wide, 30 m high), NNE-facing cave entrance and seasonal insurgence gives access to a solitary passage (75 m long, 5 to 6 m wide, 12 m high) which descends (on average by 10° on bearing 200°) from north-northeast to south-southwest via a chamber (up to 18 m wide and 25 m high) to a pool of water and sump at an elevation of 23 m (13th February 2003) below the entrance. ETYMOLOGY: The Garo -songacham- are abandoned jhum plots (note 1) but Erok Sangma, Asakgre (2002.02.14 personal communication), translated -songitcham- as old / former [location of the] village (in this case the village of Khanjoy). The Garo -chignap- (literally: water flowing under) means about the same as the US English 'sink', the UK English swallet' or slucker and the German Schluckloch' or French perte and Italian insurgenza etc. PROSPECTS: Technical climbing aids are necessary to negotiate access to what appears to provide a very promising high level passage, approximately 20 m abve the river cave's stream bed, which seems to continue towards approximate south-southwest and thus escaping from the Morasora River, bypassing the Morasora Rongkol Cave Systen at right angles, and heading towards a neighbouring drainage system, which, if it exists, predates the current Morasora basin.ve the river cave's stream bed, which seems to continue towards approximate south-southwest and thus escaping from the Morasora River, bypassing the Morasora Rongkol Cave Systen at right angles, and heading towards a neighbouring drainage system, which, if it exists, predates the current Morasora basin.