SHILLONG, March 15: A team of international cavers along with members of the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association (MAA) have mapped 6,635 metres of new cave passage in the state.
Besides, MAA members, the team, comprising cavers from the UK, Switzerland, and Ireland, took part in the 31st International Cave Expedition under the project “Caving in the Abode of the Clouds” between February 6 and 24, in Muallian area in East Jaintia Hills District.
The focus of this year’s expedition was Krem Rynjang (Retdung Khur), Pynnoh Um Sngad and Ram Khur.
Krem Pynnoh Um Sngad was extended from last year’s length of 5,295 m to 7,831 m and further connected to Ram Khur, making the cave system (Pynnoh Um Sngad-Ram Khur system) with a total length of 14,951 metres jump up to the 7th place in the list of India’s longest caves.
Many side passages remain including a massive relic passage (The Barren Lands) which is 50 m wide and 29 m high ongoing in a NE direction, the team said.
Krem Rynjang has been extended by a further 4,117 m taking its length to 20,445 m making it the fifth longest in India. Numerous side passages still remain to be explored, the team said.
“The expedition this year was much harder and more technical as all the caves in the area are vertical with over 85 m entrance shafts. Further, as exploration gets deeper into the cave systems more than 3.5 hours are spent in reaching the last point of survey from the entrance,” said MAA general secretary, Brian D. Kharpran Daly.
“At present, the whereabouts of over 1,700 caves and cave locations are known in Meghalaya of which over 1,100 have been explored or partially explored. With this year’s expedition, the total cave passage explored and mapped in the state of Meghalaya has reached 537.6 km with much more still waiting to be discovered. This solidifies Meghalaya as a top caving region in the world,” Daly said.
Much of the cave that has been explored and mapped in Meghalaya over the last 31 years consists of impressive river caves mixed with massive and often richly decorated relic passages along with magnificent clean-washed shafts that create cave systems equal in size and beauty to those found elsewhere in the world, maintaining Meghalaya’s status on the world-caving map as a significant caving region. Besides, these caves offer a rich diversity of cave life, Daly mentioned, hailing the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs and the Meghalayan Age Limited for supporting the caving movement in the state.
