The List : Krem Liat Prah

What was your first reaction when you read the title? Is this guy talking about a Chinese movie on his list? Or maybe, it was : he has lost it after just five posts. Sadly, I am still sane and this is another awesome addition to The List.

Krem Liat Prah is the largest natural cave in India. It is situated in the Shnongrim Ridge of the Jaintia Hills district in the state of Meghalaya, northeast India. Currently being surveyed in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition, its length is approximately 25 kms and more is being added to that as connecting tunnels are discovered. It is carved out of limestone and contains some spectacular caverns, one of which is called the Aircraft Hangar. (Well, they must have named it that for a reason, no guesses why!)

Krem Liat Prah   (picture courtesy: Hugh Penney; flickr.com)

And that's not it. Liat Prah is not the only cave in the area. There are around 150 other caves, not as large as Liat Prah but equally spectacular.

So, now that you are all in awe and amazed at the beauty and extent of the cave, let's get a little geological insight into it as well. How are these formed? And why here of all places? The reason is simple - I mentioned it before - limestone.

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate. CaCO3 is one mineral which dissolves so easily that I sometimes wonder how it even forms huge massive rock deposits! So, as groundwater makes its way through these rocks, it carves out a path and over a period of time enlarges them enough to create these marvels. And, sure enough, the Jaintia Hills, where these caves are found, are composed of  limestones belonging to the Prang formation of the Sylhet Group. Massive, fossiliferous and grey, these limestones are from the Eocene Period (approximately 48 MYA to 34 MYA) and form a thick succession which is perfect for the formation of an underground network.


Going by the extra ordinary proportions of Krem Liat Prah, it is a surprise it has remained hidden for so long. Not anymore. Its wait in the shadows ends now. Time for some spelunking!

So Where Are The Comments?

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack of posts. I've been quite busy with - midterms, competitions and above all, journal completion. But don't you worry. I've got a lot of stuff lined up for the next few weeks. I'll put it up soon enough for you to enjoy - that's assuming you enjoy reading my posts.

So, that brings me to my next point. At the start of this blog, my first post had emphasized on the fact that I am doing this to try and create a network of young geologists like us. But I do not see that happening. I mean, if you really do enjoy reading my posts (again, just assuming) I guess Blogger would have told me to get out because the comments section was getting flooded with, well, comments.

I do not ask you to start a conversation everytime I post on the blog. But what I ask of you is that if you really think that this is a good initiative, help me make this better. Help me reach out to the thousands of geologists who never get a chance to speak out. It is only with your feedback that I can improve or else I'll just keep posting whatever I like. And that really doesn't serve any purpose at all.

If you are confused on how you can contribute, here are some pointers - 

YOU COULD

• comment on the post and share it (well, sorry, that was a little obvious).
• send me written articles about something interesting that you found and that you would like to share with us. My email id is right beside the photo of the handsome guy you see to your left.
• suggest a topic on which you would like a post either by mentioning it in a comment or via email.
• if you know me personally, I would like you to let your friends know that I am an awesome guy and that I do not put emails regarding any query into my spam folder.

These are just some of the ways you could help out (feel free to innovate and find out new ways to spread the word).

So, that's all for now. Keep your eyes peeled for the expected posts.

Peace Out.