Mawmluh Cave

Mawmluh Cave is a limestone cave system located at Mawmluh village near Sohra (Cherrapunji) in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. Extending about 7 kilometres, it is one of the longest caves in the Indian subcontinent and is noted for its stalactite and stalagmite formations and an underground stream. The cave is internationally recognized as the Global Stratotype Section and Point for the Meghalayan Age and attracts visitors interested in geology, caving and natural landscapes.

Visitors can expect a natural limestone cave with narrow entrances, low passages, uneven and waterlogged floors, and an active stream flowing inside. The interior features stalactites, stalagmites and other calcite formations. Exploration involves walking, wading through shallow water and bending in low sections. The surrounding area is forested with limestone outcrops near Sohra. A local guide is typically required and torches are needed as there is no internal lighting.

Mawmluh Cave is internationally significant in geology as the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the Meghalayan Age, the youngest geologic age ratified in 2018 by the International Commission on Stratigraphy. The definition is based on a stalagmite sample from the cave that records a climatic event around 4,200 years ago. The cave system has been explored and mapped as one of the longest in the Indian subcontinent.

The cave lies in the Khasi Hills and is part of the natural landscape valued by the local Khasi community. Caves in Meghalaya are traditionally associated with local folklore and are regarded as natural heritage features of the Sohra region.