Cave Story - Phlangwanbroi Village: Rajballav Sharma 3rd trip 2025-03-22 (Drone)
Director: Pynhunlang Wanniang, Manisha Halai; Cinematographer: Rajballav Sharma
Duration: 01:02:21; Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1; Hue: 216.623; Saturation: 0.154; Lightness: 0.001; Cuts per Minute: 0.946
Summary: GreenHub Fellows: Pynhunlang Wanniang & Manisha Halai
Fellowship Film: JALABIT - The Cave of Spirits
For Pynhunlang, the caves beneath his village are more than stone and water—they are sacred guardians, resonating with memory, mystery, and meaning. This film follows his personal journey as a young man from a village in Meghalaya, situated above the Jalabit cave, where five to six caves lie hidden among forested hills. Unlike most villagers, who see these caves as dark voids or convenient dumping grounds, Pynhun has always felt a profound spiritual connection to them—shaped by childhood adventures, quiet awe, and a sense of responsibility.
Though he has no formal training in geology or cave science, Pynhun has been learning from fellow batchmates and cave conservationists. He is optimistic about a future where Phlangwanbroi embraces responsible tourism and local stewardship. Despite resistance from parents and villagers—who fear divine punishment from residing goddesses or dismiss the caves’ value—Pynhun envisions a path that protects these natural wonders for future generations.
The film captures not only the physical beauty of Meghalaya’s caves but also the emotional and cultural tensions surrounding conservation, tradition, and change. Pynhunlang’s Cave Story is a tale of quiet rebellion, spiritual resilience, and the possibility of reimagining home—not as something to be used, but as something to be honored and preserved.
DJI_20250322055249_0135_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
Aerial shot
Drone footage
Mountain Forest
Rural Landscape
Village Landscape
Phlangwanbroi Village, East Khasi, Meghalaya
DJI_20250322055421_0136_D.MP4
DJI_20250322055539_0137_D.MP4
DJI_20250322055654_0138_D.MP4
DJI_20250322055913_0139_D.MP4
DJI_20250322060134_0140_D.MP4
A drone-captured shot of the mountain forest.
DJI_20250322060518_0141_D.MP4
DJI_20250322060631_0142_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
DJI_20250322060914_0143_D.MP4
DJI_20250322061143_0144_D.MP4
DJI_20250322061531_0145_D.MP4
DJI_20250322094025_0146_D.MP4
A case study of the cave folktale storyteller.
Community People
Folktale
Storyteller
DJI_20250322094531_0150_D.MP4
DJI_20250322094600_0151_D.MP4
DJI_20250322094625_0152_D.MP4
DJI_20250322094849_0153_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095144_0154_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
Mountain Forest
Aerial shot
Drone footage
DJI_20250322095324_0155_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095436_0156_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of elderly man goes to the Jalabit Cave.
Bat Cave
Cave Exploration
Community People
Jalabit Cave
Sandstone Cave
Village
DJI_20250322095503_0157_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095636_0158_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095711_0159_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095840_0160_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095906_0161_D.MP4
DJI_20250322095942_0162_D.MP4
DJI_20250322100005_0163_D.MP4
DJI_20250322100141_0164_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
Mountain Forest
Rural Landscape
Village Landscape
DJI_20250322100501_0165_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Pynhunlang and his friends are going to Jalabit Cave.
Bat Cave
Cave Exploration
Community People
Jalabit Cave
Sandstone Cave
Village
DJI_20250322100631_0166_D.MP4
DJI_20250322165303_0167_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
Mountain Forest
Rural Landscape
Village Landscape
DJI_20250322165704_0168_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village forest.
DJI_20250322165913_0169_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
DJI_20250322165955_0170_D.MP4
DJI_20250322170032_0171_D.MP4
DJI_20250322170211_0172_D.MP4
DJI_20250322170428_0173_D.MP4
DJI_20250322170955_0174_D.MP4
DJI_20250322171330_0175_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of mountains and dense forest.
DJI_20250322171432_0176_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
DJI_20250322171440_0177_D.MP4
DJI_20250322171745_0178_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of a river flows through the mountain valley.
River
DJI_20250322171850_0179_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
DJI_20250322172042_0180_D.MP4
DJI_20250322172114_0181_D.MP4
DJI_20250322173246_0182_D.MP4
DJI_20250322173402_0183_D.MP4
DJI_20250322173523_0184_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of mountains and dense forest.
DJI_20250322173704_0185_D.MP4
DJI_20250322173743_0186_D.MP4
DJI_20250322173817_0187_D.MP4
DJI_20250322173857_0188_D.MP4
DJI_20250322174007_0189_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of mountains and dense forest during the sunset.
Sunset
DJI_20250322174143_0190_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of mountains and dense forest.
DJI_20250322174452_0191_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of mountains and dense forest during the sunset.
Sunset
DJI_20250322174836_0192_D.MP4
A drone-captured aerial shot of Phlanwanbroi village.
DJI_20250322175144_0193_D.MP4
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
