KHLA, Bholaganj (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A very exceptional and speleologically extremely interesting cave is formed in an old lava conglomerate flow (river boulders and pea grit, with the lava having the appearance of furnace clinker, hard, dark brown) at the edge of a lava field above Bholaganj village. Seen through the lens of sportsmen and chiropterologists, however, it is a relatively small cave (Rogers: 6 m long; Tyler: 10 m long, 2 m deep), less than 1 m below the surface. Part of the floor consists of deep mud which indicates occasional flooding. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi -u khla- is a tiger (note 1) as -ka khla kynthei- is a tigress but -ka khlâw- (Khasi, noun) is the word for a forest (note 2). SITUATION (Tyler 2001.10.11 personal correspondence): At a disputable position (note 3) and in an unidentified setting, which was understood to lie at an unspecified distance of 1.3 km (rather along a winding route than in a direct line) west of Bholaganj / Majai. APPROACH: From Bholaganj (Majai) take the cacher road [sic- qua: -achha road- -- motorable in fair weather] North for 1 km. Here is an area of level scrubland, walk 200 m west to the edge of a small escarpment underneath is the cave (Tyler 2001.05.15 Mss: Krem Khla / Tiger Cave). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The 10 m length is exposed on its length with the slipped section displaced 1.5 m. The height is 2 m in a 3 m cliff (Tyler 2001.05.15 Mss: Krem Khla / Tiger Cave). CAVE LIFE: Tyler (2001.10.11 Mss: Krem Khla / Tiger Cave-; 2001.10.11 personal correspondence) recorded Tigers once, now only occasional bats, none seen. Colin Rogers (2001.03.21 personal communication) noticed recent termite swarming may have resulted in the fresh feeding station for bats (Chiroptera) in this shelter.A very exceptional and speleologically extremely interesting cave is formed in an old lava conglomerate flow (river boulders and pea grit, with the lava having the appearance of furnace clinker, hard, dark brown) at the edge of a lava field above Bholaganj village. Seen through the lens of sportsmen and chiropterologists, however, it is a relatively small cave (Rogers: 6 m long; Tyler: 10 m long, 2 m deep), less than 1 m below the surface. Part of the floor consists of deep mud which indicates occasional flooding. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi -u khla- is a tiger (note 1) as -ka khla kynthei- is a tigress but -ka khlâw- (Khasi, noun) is the word for a forest (note 2). SITUATION (Tyler 2001.10.11 personal correspondence): At a disputable position (note 3) and in an unidentified setting, which was understood to lie at an unspecified distance of 1.3 km (rather along a winding route than in a direct line) west of Bholaganj / Majai. APPROACH: From Bholaganj (Majai) take the cacher road [sic- qua: -achha road- -- motorable in fair weather] North for 1 km. Here is an area of level scrubland, walk 200 m west to the edge of a small escarpment underneath is the cave (Tyler 2001.05.15 Mss: Krem Khla / Tiger Cave). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The 10 m length is exposed on its length with the slipped section displaced 1.5 m. The height is 2 m in a 3 m cliff (Tyler 2001.05.15 Mss: Krem Khla / Tiger Cave). CAVE LIFE: Tyler (2001.10.11 Mss: Krem Khla / Tiger Cave-; 2001.10.11 personal correspondence) recorded Tigers once, now only occasional bats, none seen. Colin Rogers (2001.03.21 personal communication) noticed recent termite swarming may have resulted in the fresh feeding station for bats (Chiroptera) in this shelter.