Mawsmai Cave-Nature's Bounty
Meghalaya is blessed with numerous natural caves that offer special attraction for tourists. Though they looked scary, dark inside, but when lighted the caves enlivens the internal environs and radiates a million crystal colours off` its walls. One of such cave is situated in Mawsmai village, a few miles further away from Sohra. the cave is for cavers to freak out. It is the only one of its kind that is lighted with artificial lights to give visitors a clear view of the impressive formations of the larger passages and chambers.
Large amphitheatre-like halls with endless galleys connected to similar halls of varying shapes and sizes are the attractions of the cave, which one has to walk a distance of l½km to reach its entrance.. Though the cave is large enough inside to facilitate easy movement within them, the exit is so small that a full-grown person has to kneel down for coming out into the open.
Myriads of stalagmites and stalactites can be seen all over the cave made of limestone. Constant dripping of water from the cave roof and the formation of stalactites and stalagmites adds to the beauty of the place. It is perhaps this beauty that attracts tourists to flock to the caves in huge numbers even though this cave has come into existence naturally, the history of this cave amidst its green surrounding is yet unknown.
Today, Mawsmai cave is well maintained and managed by the village community who formed a group to improve the facilities in and around the cave.
In the process of encouragement to this village group from the government the Border Area Development provided the generator for lighting the cave, while the Tourism Department constructed the cemented approaches to the cave entrance and the PWD black-topped the approach road to the cave.
To further the maintenance of the cave, the village community has leased out the sale of the entry tickets to the cave and the leaser looks after maintenance of cleanliness of the area as well as providing security to the tourists.
Talking to The Meghalaya Guardian, the leaser Paul said that the number of visitors in a day is not less than 600 to 700 approximately and sometimes the number goes up to 1000. On questions of maintaining the security and cleanliness level in the cave, Paul said “it is our duty to look after the tourists as well as the cave.” “Once it becomes a duty, it is a must” Paul said, adding, “Though it is not easy.”
The leaser pays a substantial amount of nearly Rs.3,00,000 to the village authority per month and employs 5 to 6 people from the village for the different activities.
With the increase in the number of tourists visiting this tourist spot, due to better management, the tea and food stalls run by the local people of the village have benefited financially, which one can see the marked improvement of the stalls around the parking area.
Kong Eucharist one of the tea and food stall owner in the spot who have been catering to the needs of the tourists for 25 years in the area said that with the outpouring of tourists she has been able to expand her business and it is paying dividend. During the summer season a large group of tourists, mostly from the Southern part of the country visits the cave, Kong Eucharist said, while in winter local people of the area as well as people of the state visits the cave she said. Mawsmai cave is fast emerging as an exotic tourist destination which offers tourists as well as cavers an opportunity to explore the beauty of what nature has created.
Large amphitheatre-like halls with endless galleys connected to similar halls of varying shapes and sizes are the attractions of the cave, which one has to walk a distance of l½km to reach its entrance.. Though the cave is large enough inside to facilitate easy movement within them, the exit is so small that a full-grown person has to kneel down for coming out into the open.
Myriads of stalagmites and stalactites can be seen all over the cave made of limestone. Constant dripping of water from the cave roof and the formation of stalactites and stalagmites adds to the beauty of the place. It is perhaps this beauty that attracts tourists to flock to the caves in huge numbers even though this cave has come into existence naturally, the history of this cave amidst its green surrounding is yet unknown.
Today, Mawsmai cave is well maintained and managed by the village community who formed a group to improve the facilities in and around the cave.
In the process of encouragement to this village group from the government the Border Area Development provided the generator for lighting the cave, while the Tourism Department constructed the cemented approaches to the cave entrance and the PWD black-topped the approach road to the cave.
To further the maintenance of the cave, the village community has leased out the sale of the entry tickets to the cave and the leaser looks after maintenance of cleanliness of the area as well as providing security to the tourists.
Talking to The Meghalaya Guardian, the leaser Paul said that the number of visitors in a day is not less than 600 to 700 approximately and sometimes the number goes up to 1000. On questions of maintaining the security and cleanliness level in the cave, Paul said “it is our duty to look after the tourists as well as the cave.” “Once it becomes a duty, it is a must” Paul said, adding, “Though it is not easy.”
The leaser pays a substantial amount of nearly Rs.3,00,000 to the village authority per month and employs 5 to 6 people from the village for the different activities.
With the increase in the number of tourists visiting this tourist spot, due to better management, the tea and food stalls run by the local people of the village have benefited financially, which one can see the marked improvement of the stalls around the parking area.
Kong Eucharist one of the tea and food stall owner in the spot who have been catering to the needs of the tourists for 25 years in the area said that with the outpouring of tourists she has been able to expand her business and it is paying dividend. During the summer season a large group of tourists, mostly from the Southern part of the country visits the cave, Kong Eucharist said, while in winter local people of the area as well as people of the state visits the cave she said. Mawsmai cave is fast emerging as an exotic tourist destination which offers tourists as well as cavers an opportunity to explore the beauty of what nature has created.
posted by Reegyen Wayne at 1:45 AM
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