WAH THYLLIANG DOLINE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A closed depression and sinkhole interpreted as animpressive and enigmatic doline 30 m by 15 m wide, 15 m deep may be of importance (Sheen, R F 2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi (noun) ”[dieng] u thylliang” signifies a tree whose bark is improvised as a headstrap and string (SINGH, N 1906: 230) but the name of this enigmatic (difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious) doline or sinkhole and closed depression has been recorded as Wah Thypliang Jarratt, A 'Tony' R (2003.03.27 personal correspondence); Wah Tylliang Brooks, S J (2004.05.11 Mss: Survey Summary 2004.04.16 revised 2004.05.11); Sheen, R F (2004.02.28 Mss: Wah Tylliang Doline 28/02/03); Sheen, R F (2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence).SETTING: In a very difficult pinnacle karst terrain (Sheen, R F 2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence) which lies below the village of Shnongrim and probably on the (eastern?) flank of the Shnongrim Ridge. SITUATION: One r the other spot near the rim of this 30 m by 15 m wide closed depression is said to lie in an unspecified but pseudo-accurate distance of 68 m S/E either in a direct line or along a more or less winding route (note 1) from the so-called Wah Tylliang Swallet (Sheen, R F 2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence). DOLINE DESCRIPTION: At the south western corner a connecting passage under a [natural] bridge enters a large collapse feature with old stal and flowstone [speleothems] on the walls and two ways on [impenetrable continuations or leads and unexplored sub-conduits] in the floor which choke at approx. 10 m depth (Sheen, R F 2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence).PROSPECTS: According to Robin F. Sheen's wild imagination, this impenetrable collapse doline gives access to a cave system combining Krem –>Synrang Labit and Krem –>Synrang Ngap: The other sinks in the locality, Krem Khurisha, and Krem Soh Lyluait appear to focus into the same doline 68 m to S/E throgh abandoned deeply cut open rifts, typically 10 to 15 m deep and often only 1/2 m wide, to abandoned and choked sinks (Sheen, R F 2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence).gh abandoned deeply cut open rifts, typically 10 to 15 m deep and often only 1/2 m wide, to abandoned and choked sinks (Sheen, R F 2004.11.06 dated 27/02/04 personal correspondence).