PHLANGMET (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A relatively large cave entrance (without identified dimensions) gives access to boulder choked, relic cave passages (abandoned by flowing water). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi cave name -Krem Phlangmet- translates as Good Grass Cave as the noun -ka phlang- is grass and the adjective -met- means full, good while the noun -ka met- is a body, a person (SINGH, N 1906: 132, 157). JARRATT (2003) was led to believe -Krem Phlangmet- translates as Grass Body Cave but does not mention a Pothead Cave.SITUATION 2003.1: On the NW side of the Shnongrim Ridge and in a chilli plantation, circa 10 minutes walk from roadside by Carlyn Phyrngap / Shor Pajuh's house (Jarratt 2003.03.13 Mss: Krem Phlangmet). SITUATION 2003.2: In an area of dense jungle and giant grykes (Laumanns 2003.03.03 Mss: Krem Phlangmet) and well above the Pyrda plain east of the Jaintia Cement Works. CAVE DESCRIPTION (Laumanns 2003.03.03 Mss: Krem Phlangmet): The cave mainly consists of a large downsloping entrance chamber with a rectanglar cross-section. At the SE end of the chamber a short descend (5 m ladder is useful) leads to another short climb in unstable boulders down to narrow fissures. A dig at the highest point in the chamber yielded approximately 20 m of small passage leading to a calcite choked sink. The entrance chamber has many stalactites (speleothems), of which some are inclined (due to algae growth?) towards the daylight. Calcite (flowstone) covers the walls of a small chamber at the northern rim of the entrance chamber. Jarratt (2003.03.13 Mss: Krem Phlangmet) draws attention to impressive phototrophic stalactites [in the entrance chamber almost in the open air], up to 2 m long, the first in Meghalaya? JARRATT (2003): The 44 m long Krem Phlangmet (grass body cave) was not a record breaker but notable for the stunning examples of phototropic stalactites in its very majestic entrance, possibly the first recorded in India. They grow in the direction of sunlight due to moss and algae growth on this sid. PROSPECTS: Cave finish (Jarratt 2003.03.13 Mss). CAVE LIFE: Heteropoda spiders (Jarratt 2003.03.13 Mss).