Cave Research in India

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In India, Speleo/biospeleological research is still in its infancy. Although there are thousands of caves in this country, research work either proper cave expedition or to understand its biodiversity properly is restricted to very few states. The state Meghalaya of India is famous for existence of maximum caves. These caves attract number of tourists form India and abroad. Few caves of this region have been listed among the longest and deepest caves of the world. Some of the well explored caves of these are as follows:

Caves in Khasi Hills: Mawsmai Cave (show cave exclusively for tourist), Krem* Mawmluh (4th longest in the Indian sub continent), Krem* Phyllut, (Length - 1003m), Krem* Soh Shympi (Mawlong, East Khasi Hills; Length - 760m),Krem* Mawsynram, Krem* Dam (Length -1297m.).

Caves in Jaintia Hills: Krem* Um-Lawan (lt. 6381m), Ka Krem* Pubon Rupasor or The Rupasor Cave, Krem* Kotsati, (lt-3650m), Krem* Umshangktat (lt.- 955m), Krem* Lashinng (lt- 2650m), Krem* Sweep (lt.- 970m),

Caves in Garo Hill: Siju-Dobkhakol (lt-4772m), Tetengkol-Balwakol (lt-5334m), Dobhakol Chibe Nala (lt-1978m), Bok Bak Dobhakol (lt-1051m).

The second state famous for natural caves is Andhra pradesh. The most famous among them are - Belum Caves, Borra Caves, Guthikonda Caves, Yaganti Caves.

Indo-Italian joint venture in cave expedition

Most of the caves of these areas are either discovered or mapped/surveyed by the Europeans (especially by German, British and Italian cavers). Mr. Herbert Daniel Gebauer is the most prominent name among them. Daniel have been engaged in cave expedition work since last 30+ years in most of the states of India. Followed by Dr. Rosario Ruggieri (Italy) since 1996 till date, he covered Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan. In addition to these the cavers associations of Meghalaya have always been found to be active in cave discoveries of that plateau.

The cave expedition is also getting momentum in the state Chhattisgarh, after it getting depart from state Madhya Pradesh. Besides, few caves of Kotumsar area located in the south Chhattisgarh, few more caves Mandhip Khol has been discovered as well as mapped in this area.

The blind and albinic cavefish from Kotumsar Cave, India

Nevertheless, the field Biospeleology is still remain almost untouched in India. The Kotumsar Cave is one of the much biologically explored cave of India. The biologist succeed to classify all the types of cavernicoles i.e., trogloxene, troglophile and troglobite from this cave. In this respect the work of Dr. Jayant Biswas gives the maximum bulk to the subject. His effort succeeds to explain the subterranean life system of the cavernicoles of few caves of India in a better way. During NSS Convocation 2007, held at Indiana, USA, the Poster entitles "Towards the Verge of Extinction? The Biodiversity of the Kerm Mawmluh Cave Ecosystem" presented by Dr. Biswas has became fact within 6 months, as the Mawmluh Cave of Meghalaya collapsed due to unscientific quarrying of Lime stone from that area.

Panorama of the Ajanta Caves

Interestingly, in India the terminology cave has always been a tempted word for tourism. And it is due to the presence of world famous Ajanta] other relevant caves which are famous for either great Archaeological means or for its high Religious value. And thus few concentration to study the microbial biodiversity of such caves to keep safe its Archaeological means are also going on.