Solitary Illumination: Mawmluh Cave's Singular Sunbeam

Sunlight piercing through the roof of Mawmluh Cave, Meghalaya, India, illuminating the intricate formations within. This limestone maze, spanning 7.2 kilometers and nestled at an altitude of 4,503 meters, boasts stalagmites, calcite formations, and the elusive 'moon milk.' Captured after a long journey through darkness, this image showcases the ethereal beauty hidden within one of the Indian subcontinent's longest caves. The Mawmluh cave is distinguished as one of UNESCO's 'First 100 IUGS Geological Sites' and heralded as the first Indian Geoheritage Site. Additionally, a stalagmite within this cave marks the onset of the Meghalayan age, documenting a 200-year period of drought and cooling, further enriching its scientific importance.