I have been caving for over 20 years, but never been to Meghalaya in northeast India. I’ve heard loads of fantastic stories about this great caving region, dubbed The Abode of the Clouds.
This year I was excited to be invited to join the expedition, which has been running for longer than I have been caving. Our main aim was to collect DNA samples from the worlds largest blind cave fish. The region has not disappointed. As you can see here, I’ve been lucky enough to visit this highly decorated stunning side gallery in Krem Chympe (or its Biate name Peilkleing Pouk). Meghalaya caves are home to endless passages of beautiful cave formations that have formed over hundreds of thousands of years. I visited Perfect Passage in Krem Chympe (Peilkleing Pouk) during the January 2020 expedition and was astounded by the towering spires of calcite that rose above me. Such formations offer more than just pretty sights, as they are also valuable climate archives for scientists. In fact, it was only a coupe of years ago that the most recent geological boundary was officially recognised in a stalagmite from Meghalaya. The boundary at 4200 years ago marks the beginning of the Meghalayan age.
