Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

The paper considers the impact of Climate Change on the Tabo Monastery. The Tabo Monastery is located in the Spiti Valley, in the town of Tabo in Himachal Pradesh, India. The Tabo Monastery has been in existence since 996 AD, and is home to several ancient relics. During a visit to Tabo town, I witnessed a torrential downpour, and wondered as to how such weather was occurring in an area that was essentially a cold desert. Similar incidents were reported in other areas such as Ladakh, which is also located in a cold desert. In addition, I had witnessed the impacts of climate change on treks to Gaumukh and Sandakphu. The common thread across all of them was climate change, and this got me thinking of the need to research the topic. The materials of construction of the Tabo Monastery reflect its ancient culture and the local climatic conditions prevalent during the time of its construction, nearly 1000 years ago. The Monastery is in a deteriorating condition, and this research proposes to look into the aspects of climate change and its impact on the Monastery.