On December 12, the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association (MAA) announced the discovery of three new caves in the East Jaintia Hills district.
They were discovered during the 2022 ‘Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition,’ which took place from November 6 to December 1, beginning with a nine-member pre-expedition in the village of Jalaphet, East Jaintia Hills.
Krem Poh Bhang in the village of Poh Bhang and Krem Mo Ryho in the village of Kairang, East Jaintia Hills were among the three newly discovered caves.
Krem Poh Bhang produced 220 metres, while Krem Mo Ryho produced 323 metres.
According to the MAA, this year marked the 30th anniversary of Meghalaya caving expeditions, exactly 100 years after the famous interdisciplinary scientific expedition of Siju Dobhakol of Kemp and Chopra in 1922.
The International Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition Team (no major expeditions were conducted in 2021) included 19 cavers from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, the United States, other parts of India, and MAA members.
The main expedition team, on the other hand, concentrated its efforts in the Muallian area of East Jaintia Hills, where they explored and mapped one new cave (Krem ETB) as well as the continuation of Krem Rynjang (Ret Dung Khur) and Krem Pynnoh Um Sngad.
Krem Pynnoh Um Sngad was extended from 4,131 metres (2020) to 5,295 metres and linked to the new cave Krem ETB, which had also been explored to 7,138 metres, making the Krem Poh Um Sngad ETB the ninth longest cave in India at 12,433 metres.
Krem Rynjang – (Ret Dung Khur) has been increased from 11,558 metres to 16,328 metres and is now ranked seventh.
“Both the cave systems Krem Pynnoh Um Sngad-ETB and Krem Rynjang are ongoing and geologically there is a convincing possibility that the two systems will connect,” said MAA general secretary Brian D. Kharpran Daly.
Daly also stated that the prospect of the next expedition is very exciting as the mysteries of these two subterranean labyrinths unfold, with the possibility of surpassing the Krem Liat Prah-Um Im-Labit system as India’s longest cave.
He stated that this year’s expedition was much more difficult and technical because all of the caves in the area are vertical with over 85m entrance shafts.
Overall, the expedition 2022 explored and mapped 13.35 kms of new cave passage.
He stated that until November 2022, the locations of just over 1,700 caves and cave locations in Meghalaya are known, of which over 1000 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 531 km. With much more still waiting to be discovered. This solidifies Meghalaya as a top caving region in the world,” Daly said.
According to the MAA general secretary, much of the cave that has been explored and mapped in Meghalaya over the last 30 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, ensuring Meghalaya’s status as a significant caving region on the world-caving map.
Furthermore, he claims that these caves have a diverse range of cave life.
The MAA has also expressed gratitude to the Government of Meghalaya’s Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs and the Meghalayan Age Limited for their ongoing support, without which the documentation of Meghalaya’s caves would not have been possible.
