Caves of Meghalaya- Krem Khung

Starting as a coral island, after the breakup of the super-continent Gondwanaland, Meghalaya is mostly comprised of a relatively stable high structural block, called the Shillong Plateau, with underlying Precambrian granites, gneisses and schists. Along its southern border however, a younger sedimentary sequence was formed which includes limestone. The land experienced a succession of dramatic events where parts of the land were uplifted only to sink before rising above the sea again, thereby lifting the karst surface to considerable height.

The presence of ideal conditions like high grade limestone, heavy precipitation, elevation and hot and humid climate, induced the formation of caves at diverse locations and elevations making this particular region of the country a delightful paradise of caves. During the last twenty five years of exploration, Eocene limestones have been identified out of which about 1030 have been explored and mapped, yielding a total cave passage mapped at 460 kilometers with the potential of much more to be discovered. These extensive and intricate subterranean systems of Meghalaya are the longest and deepest in India, with the longest being Krem Liat Prah-Um Im-Labit system at 30,397 metres and the deepest being Synrang Pamiang at -317 metres.

These caves are also unique as habitat for rare and endemic troglobitic animals not found elsewhere in the world like Heteropoda fischeri and Schistura papulifera. Department of Posts is issuing stamps on four caves of Meghalaya i.e. Krem Blang, Krem Khung, Krem Syndai and Krem Lymput.

Krem Blang (25°25’26.8” N: 092°35’00.2” E), is located in East Jaintia Hills district. It is 272.93 m long. It is a single large fine passage below a short slope. The passage of the cave remains at more or less uniform width in height dimensions of seven metres by nine metres for almost the whole length. About 50 metres into the cave a tight and easy squeeze through caustic formations have to be negotiated, after which the passage turns and opens up again to a short 200 metre long gallery. A short distance after this, a boulder slope on the south side leads up towards the roof. Here a route has to be climb above by one metre wide pitch extends five metres up to a very unstable chamber and exit to daylight.

After another thirty metres back in the main passage Angie’s Chamber is reached. Here the floor is covered with beautiful crystal pools and cave pearls requiring very careful negotiation. Clusters of high stalagmites and columns form a barrier through picturesque cave formations along the walls. Another passage then heads off to the right with delicate holes in the main passage and arrives on top of a great flowstone and calcite formation called The Fireplace. A little ahead a short scramble and crawl to one’s left leads into an impressive decorated chamber known as The Ballroom an end of which shiny calcite formations block all possible ways onward.

Krem Khung (25°25’ 21.9” N: 92°34’ 48.8” E), is located in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. The cave lies at the valley level at an elevation of 98m above the mean sea level. The 7.4m tall triangular shaped entrance of the cave is through a sinkhole lying on a cliff. Beyond the entrance, the cave floor is covered with mud and roof does heighten steeply to sixty metres after which numerous pools with slushy to knee deep water are to be negotiated for onward progress into the main cave system.

The cave trends in a north east direction towards the Kopili River and is a major sink of the area taking a lot of water during the monsoon.

One of the characteristic features of Krem Khung is its meandering nature which practically obliterates the transitional zone and the zone darkens with less than 100 m of the entrance.

Main trend of the cave leads into a large chamber with a diameter about 50 m and height about 14 m. This chamber, which has been named as Paradise Chamber by cave explorers is spectacular from the point of view of speleological features. Its base is strewn with flat boulders and it has development of multi-coloured stalactites, stalagmites and columns; some of the stalactites are of bright yellow colour due to sulphuric bacterial activity.

The cave is hosted by limestone of Eocene age as indicated by the presence of age diagnostic fossils of foraminiferal species of Nummulites.

At 7,349 metres long it is currently India’s tenth longest cave.

Krem Syndai: (25°10’53.8” N: 92°08’15.7” E; Length 400 metres)
The cave entrance lies in a small depression some four hundred metres from the village of Syndai, in West Jaintia Hills district.

The cave is entered by a stooping height arch and once inside the passage immediately opens into impressive proportions. The way forward lies down a steep calcite slope to the floor of the chamber proper. Here the cave passage is some 26 metres or more high by some 30 metres wide, containing some impressive calcite formations in the form of large stalactite and stalagmite bosses, columns and much flowstone. The passage continues in an easterly direction for over 200 metres in similar proportions with on this rising flat ceilings as large calcite boulders, piles and groups of large stalactite formations are met. The passage eventually begins to diminish in size and ends in a calcite blockage.

Krem Lymput (25°10’ 35.0” N: 091°47’ 10” E)
The cave lies about six kilometers from the village of Nongjri, East Khasi Hills district. The inconspicuous entrance hidden in the jungle covered boulders reveals itself by the cool air it blows. A scramble descent of about 15 metres over masses of rock to a comparatively level space leads to a main passage which heads runs for one kilometer with inclined walls and ceiling towards west into a passage known as Way to Heaven, which by a very slog and slippery climb, it leads into a series of spacious galleries which are very rich in calcite formations. The main attraction of the cave is the Mughul Room which lies about one km from the entrance and measures 25 metres high and 25 metres wide. Numerous side passages creating a maze this is 6641 metres long and currently ranks at number 12 in India.