Krem Puri: Meghalaya’s fairy cave where you can get lost

Krem Puri in Meghalaya is the world’s longest sandstone cave. But that’s not the only unique feature of the caves nestled near the hamlet of Laitsohum in Mawsynram in the East Khasi Hills district. 

The 24.5 km-long Krem Puri Cave is also the ‘Bhool Bhulaiyya’ of the North East, with its intricate network of passageways and corridors that can be difficult to navigate.

An underground cave, Krem Puri was hidden away from the world until 2016 when it was discovered. It was mapped in 2018 after a team from the Meghalaya Adventurers' Association (MAA), led by Brian D Kharpan, a retired banker, thoroughly explored its intricate network of passageways and corridors.

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Kharpran, who received the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2002, had earlier uncovered other caves in Meghalaya and was familiar with the challenges. “If you get lost inside, you may never be able to find your way out,” he said about the cave.

The 24.5-km Krem Puri Cave’s network of short passages and long corridors forms a maze and one can easily get lost and possibly not return to the point of entrance. That’s why speleologists (persons who study or explore caves) only enter Krem Puri in groups accompanied by sophisticated equipment. Guides are also available for tourists at the entrance of the cave and it is not advised to venture alone.

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The fairy cave with a world record

Krem Puri means ‘fairy cave’ in the native Khasi language – ‘krem’ is cave and ‘puri’ is fairy. It derives its name from the mysteries surrounding the cave. Apart from hosting frogs, fish, giant Huntsman spiders, bats and other animals, the cave is also home to dinosaur fossils from 66 to 76 million years ago, including those of the Mosasaurus, a huge carnivorous aquatic lizard.

The world’s longest sandstone cave spread over 13 sq km, Krem Puri surpassed the previous record-holder, Imawari Yeuta in Venezuela, by almost 6km. Imawari Yeuta, a quartzite sandstone cave, measures 18.7 km.

A distinguishing feature of Krem Puri is that it has formed in sandstone, which has low solubility, while most caves develop through the dissolution of limestone. Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, becoming a weak acid that dissolves rock over time. But, Krem Puri has survived, making it a rare cave. For sandstone caves to form, they require large volumes of water to erode and carve out underground spaces.

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Meghalaya, one of the highest recipients of rainfall in the world, provides the ideal conditions for such formations. Experts suggest that it’s not entirely surprising that sandstone caves can develop on such an impressive scale in this region due to its climate.

It has stalactites, which are mineral formations that hang from cave ceilings. Stalagmites have also formed on the cave floor as material accumulated from the droplets falling from above.

Krem Puri's discovery was also a scientific milestone as it provided insight into the Earth's history and previous climates. The cave also helped geologists discover a climatic catastrophe that wiped out most of the Bronze Age civilizations, including the Harappan Civilization, 4,200 years ago.

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