WAH RALO, 1st

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A karst resurgence / spring called Wah Ralo or, perhaps -Sound Emitting Cloud Stream- (is this a typhoon cave?) on the eastern flank of the Shnongrim ridge. A flow of about 0.05 l/s (2001.02.21) issues from fallen boulders some way up a not very steep and north-west to south-east trending gully (guided by a tectonical disturbance?) bordered on the south-western side by serrated cliffs exposing the heads of limestone strata. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi -ka wah- is a stream, a river and -ka wahbah- is a large river (SINGH, N 1906: 244). The verb -riew- means to give out a sound, to produce a sound while -ka / u riew- is a contraction of -briew- and means a person, a woman, a man and the plural -ki briew- is a people or (a contraction of shriew) means arum root (SINGH, N 1906: 244). The noun -u lyoh- is the same as -u l'oh- and means cloud, mist (SINGH, N 1906: 119). Not identified remain the versions -rulo- (Jarratt 2003.03.13 Mss -Krem Rulo 1 (and 2)- dated 13/3/03 after Mulda Rupon 2001.0218; Mulda Rupon, Pa He 'Respected Father' Shor Pajuh and Horbis Patlong 2003.02.22) or -ralo- (Arbenz, T 2007.02.25 Mss -Korrekturen 2007- undated, after a female teacher without identified name at Shnongrim village).LEGENDARY HYDROLOGY: Mulda Rupon (2001.02.18, personal communication) said the spring of Wah Ralo is fed by the impenetrable sink Krem –>Paupau. CAVE POTENTIAL: Possibly enterable via Krem –>Syoi 1, Krem –>Syoi 2 and/or Krem –>Soh Shylle 1.