Caves of Meghalaya

The Caves of Meghalaya comprise a large number of caves in the Jaintia, Khasi
Hills and Garo Hills districts in the Indian state of Meghalaya, and are amongst
the longest caves in the world. Of the ten longest and deepest caves in India, the
first nine are in Meghalaya, while the tenth is in Mizoram. The longest is Krem
Liat Prah in the Jaintia Hills, which is 30,957 m (101,600 ft).[1][2][3] The word
"Krem" means cave in the local Khasi language.[4]

The exploration of the Caves of Meghalaya is currently undertaken for both

scientific and recreational pursuits,[5]) and there are still many unexplored and
Cave expedition in Meghalaya
partially explored caves in the state.[6] The annual caving expeditions organized
by Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA) are known as "Caving in the
Abode of the Clouds Project".[6][7] The caves, because they are located primarily
in limestone formations, continue to come under threat from the limestone
mining industry.[4]

Contents
History
Numbers and size of caves
Mawsmai Cave well near
Conservation Cherrapunji, well cave[1]
List of twenty longest caves in Meghalaya
See also
References
Bibliography

History
According to the Bengal gazette, Krem Mawmluh was the first cave to be explored by a British subject, Lt. Yule, in 1844.[8] Siju
Cave in Garo Hills was studied in 1922 when 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) was explored and four species of cave life forms were
identified.[9] After the British Raj period extensive interest has been generated in caving as an adventure sport in the state. Since
the 1990s, an exclusive organization known as the Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA) (located in Shillong) has been
carrying out annual explorations in association with European speleologists, cavers from India, experts from other regions of the
world, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy,[2][6][10] bringing to light a large number and length of caves in Meghalaya, relative
to other known karst regions of the country.[10]

Numbers and size of caves

As of March 2015, 1,580 caves and cave locations have been identified in Meghalaya, of which 980 caves have been fully or
partially explored, for a total length of 427 kilometres (265 mi) caves explored.[11] With an explored length of 30,957 metres
(101,565 ft), Krem Liat Prah in Jaintia Hills is the longest cave in Meghalaya, as well as India, and is listed among the longest
caves in the world.[3][12] Krem Liat Prah contains a huge passage called the "Aircraft Hangar."[1] Since the MAA was established
in 1994, the explored caves account for only about 5% of the total underground passages in the state of Meghalaya.[13]

Conservation
Limestone mining for the cement industry is a major threat to the Caves of Meghalaya,[4] causing a major collapse of the Krem
Mawmluh cave, the seventh longest cave in the state of Meghalaya. The "cave-in" stimulated public awareness of the potential
threat mining places to the rich scientific, tourism and ecological heritage. Ecologists and speleologists pressured the Government
of Meghalaya to take effective steps to stop limestone mining in the vicinity of the limestone caves in the state.[4] During the mid
1990s, a cement plant was planned close to the Siju Cave (called the Bat Cave), near Balphakram National Park in the Garo Hills.
This project generated strong opposition from the local community, supported by international scientists, as the cave hosts many
rare species of bats. After considerable public pressure was applied, the Ministry of Environment and Forests finally withheld
clearance for the project.[14]

List of twenty longest caves in Meghalaya

 System Length Location Formation Remarks
Krem Liat Prah 30,957 m Jaintia Hills Limestone In the Shnongrim Ridge. Huge
(101,600 ft)[3][12] trunk passage called the
Aircraft Hangar. Longest cave
in the Indian Subcontinent.[1]

Krem KotSati 21,530 m Lumshnong Limestone 24 entrances, both horizontal

Kotsati – Umlawan Cave (70,640 ft)[3] village, and vertical. Needs to swim to
System Jaintia Hills enter the caves[1]

Krem Tyngheng 21,250 m Jaintia Hills Limestone Near Sammasi village. many
Diengjem (69,720 ft)[15] side passages and very
impressive.[3]

Krem Umthloo-Synrang Labbit 18,181 m Chiehruphi Limestone Dendritic pattern of stream

Synrang-Pamiang (59,650 ft)[3] village, on cave passage. Many
NH 44, entrances. "Titanic Hall"
Jaintia Hills chamber with coloured
formations in orange, red,
black, grey, blue, green and
white.[1]

Krem Chympe 12,434 m From Limestone A river cave. 50 natural dams

Piel Khlieng Pouk (40,790 ft)[5] village or gours, 6–8 metres (20–
Khaddum 26 ft) high. Large colony of
to Sielkan, bats.[1]
Jaintia Hills

Krem Shrieh 8,862 m Tangnub Limestone Also known as Very large

Tangnub (29,070 ft)[1] village, vertical entrance shaft of 97
Jaintia Hills metres (318 ft) depth leads to
fine stream passage and
plethora of high fossil
passages.[1]
Krem Tyngheng 8,671 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
(28,450 ft)[5]

Krem Mawkhyrdop 7,194 m Khasi Hills Limestone Filled with water needs
Krem Mawmluh (23,600 ft)[5] wading, ceiling is 2.5 feet
(0.76 m), formations of
stalactite, stalagmite, and rock
fossils. Also large number of
bats.[16] A speleothem in
Mawmluh cave indicates a
dramatic worldwide climate
event around 2250 BC, and
has been selected by the
International Commission on
Stratigraphy as the boundary
stratotype of the Meghalayan
stage/age of the late
Holocene.[17]

Krem Lymput 6,641 m Nongjri Limestone Attraction is from a small

Nongjri
Krem Rongdangngai Mondil Kol
(21,790 ft)[5] village, entrance leads to 1 kilometre
Khasi Hills (0.62 mi) passage called 'Way
to Heaven," and further to a
Mughal Room (more than 25
metres (82 ft) wide, 25 metres
(82 ft) high, and 75 metres
(246 ft) long).[1]
5,831 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
(19,130 ft)[5]
Krem Shyrong Labbit 5,715 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
Shyieng Khlieh (18,750 ft)[5]

Tetengkil Balwakol 5,681 m Nengkhong Limestone two circular entrances of 1

(18,640 ft)[5] village, metre (3 ft 3 in) dia expanding
Garo Hills to walking height passages
with dendric river flow.[1]
Krem Umsynrang 5,612 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
(18,410 ft)[5]

Siju Cave 4,772 m Siju village, Limestone It is in the vertical side of the
Siju–Dobhakhol (15,660 ft)[5] Garo Hills Simsang River.[18] Also known
as "bat cave". Has attractive
stalagmites and stalactites. It
has a Di's chamber.[1] The
cave has been extensively
researched and is well
known.[19]
Krem Risang 4,565 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
(14,980 ft)[5]
Krem Synrang Ngap 4,172 m Jaintia Hills Limestone Initial reaches consist of
(13,690 ft)[5] calcite bosses to reach a
major junction leading to an
inlet tunnel converging to a
smaller section of passage
beyond which are potholed
galleries with cave pearl-like
sandstone pebbles in the
floor[20]
Krem Synrang Labbit 3,933 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
(12,900 ft)[5]
Krem Wah Ryngo – Khongrang 3,416 m Jaintia Hills Limestone
(11,210 ft)[5]
Krem Iawe 3,398 m Shnongrim- Limestone Daylight lit very wide pothole
(11,150 ft)[5] Tangnub entrance. A number of
Ridge, attractive fossil passages.[1]
Jaintia Hills
Krem Mawshun 3,339 m Near Limestone Dendritic master river cave.
(10,950 ft)[5] church Has many decorated high
Lelad, level passages.[1]
Khasi Hills

See also
Cave research in India

References
1. "Caves" (http://megtourism.gov.in/caves.html). Tourism Department, Government of Meghalaya.
2. Kaur, Preetinder (9 April 2014). "Subject Matter: Speleology:Explorers' delight" (http://www.tribuneindia.com/201
4/20140409/jobs.htm#6). The Tribune India.
3. Daly 2013, p. 123.
4. "Cave-in proves ecologists right- Limestone mining causes part of India's seventh longest cave to collapse" (htt
p://www.telegraphindia.com/1080428/jsp/northeast/story_9195867.jsp). The Telegraph India. 28 April 2008.
 5. "Caves in Meghalaya (As on February 2006)" (http://meghalayadaily.com/caves.html). Meghalaya Daily. February
2006.
6. "What is Caving" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150704182137/https://www.adventurenation.com/activity/cavin
g). Adventure & Nature Network Pvt. Ltd. Archived from the original (https://www.adventurenation.com/activity/ca
ving) on 2015-07-04.
7. "Exploration 2000: Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Project" (http://www.indiancaving.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=
exploration:2000). Indian caving Organization.
8. "The biodiversity of Krem Mawkhyrdop of Meghalaya, India, on the verge of extinction" (http://www.indiaenvironm
entportal.org.in/files/The%20biodiversity%20of%20Krem%20Mawkhyrdop.pdf) (pdf).
9. Daly 2013, p. 40.
10. "Scuttle Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from Caves in Meghalaya, India" (https://caves.org/pub/journal/PDF/v71/cave-7
1-01-81.pdf) (pdf). Journal of Cave and Karst Studies.
11. "2015 Meghalaya Caving Expedition Continues to Find New Caves" (http://cavingnews.com/20150330-2015-meg
halaya-caving-expedition-continues-to-find-new-caves). cavingnews.com. 30 March 2015.
12. "Worlds Longest Caves" (http://www.caverbob.com/wlong.htm). caverbob.com. 4 June 2015.
13. "Longest/Deepest Limestone Caves of Indian Subcontinent" (http://www.caves.res.in/journal/articles/Amb_Sci_01
(2)_Features.pdf) (pdf). Ambient Science. 2014.
14. Bengt G. Karlsson (15 May 2011). Unruly Hills: A Political Ecology of India's Northeast (https://books.google.com/
books?id=_-MRFbForK4C&pg=PA182). Berghahn Books. pp. 182–. ISBN 978-0-85745-105-7.
15. Daly 2013, p. 71.
16. "Caving for beginners – Meghalaya" (http://www.outdoorjournal.in/how-to-2/caving/caving-for-beginners/). The
Outdoor Journal. 20 August 2013.
17. Formal subdivision of the Holocene Series/Epoch (https://www.qpg.geog.cam.ac.uk/news/formalsubdivisionofthe
holoceneseriesgeogr18.pdf)
18. Kamal Ramprit Dikshit; Jutta K Dikshit (21 October 2013). North-East India: Land, People and Economy (https://b
ooks.google.com/books?id=iorHBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA124). Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 124–.
ISBN 978-94-007-7055-3.
19. Brian D. Kharpran Daly (January 2013). Caves for the Uninitiated (https://books.google.com/books?id=9AQGdP3
KegYC&pg=PA40). Strategic Book Publishing. pp. 40–. ISBN 978-1-61897-470-9.
20. "Meghalaya" (http://www.bec-cave.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1196:meghalaya-200
5&catid=62&Itemid=566&lang=en). Bristol Exploration Club.

Bibliography
Daly, Brian D. Kharpran (January 2013). Caves for the Uninitiated (https://books.google.com/books?id=9AQGdP
3KegYC&pg=PA123). Strategic Book Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61897-470-9.

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