I have witnessed the Ice Stupa, in the winter of Ladakh.
“High in the Himalaya, a desert is turning green.” – This was the beginning of the article, A WATERY SHRINE, by Nina Strochlic drew my attention again in the month of March 2017. I was just back home in down south after leading a few group of the Chadar trek. I recollect 2 words again from the far away land of Ladakh, the cold desert of the Himalayas, The Ice Stupa and the engineer man Mr.Sonam Wangchuk; which I heard for the 1st time early 2016. I was biting my nails for missing to be an eyewitness of such a milestone in the history of human civilization. On that very moment, I decided to visit it next year of winter of Ladakh. My friends, I kept my promise to myself in the winter of 2018, and writing back to you with the eagerness of the cheerful emotion of a social animal, the human, – the happiness should be shared.
I witnessed the history. I was very much there when an Indian national flag was hosted to celebrate the 69th Republic day of the nation on top of an ice stupa, a creation truly – of the people, by the people, for the people. I am proud to be an Indian.
In the winter of Ladakh, near the Phyang Village, these 2 ice shrines become an amusement park for locals. With no offense, people are celebrating a true achievement of human and national history with their family. They may not even know the simplest details of the engineering of the Ice Stupa, but their future is secure.


What is an Ice Stupa?
- Using a high mountain stream, or a higher altitude lake/ reservoir connect a pipe to release water at a lower altitude.
- Now, this piped away water due to altitude difference develop a great pressure to leave the vertical pipe as a water fountain. Something similar you may observe in your garden water pipe.
- Now at a winter night of -20C to -30C degree in Ladakh, exposed water drops freeze to ice and create this conical shrine of fantasy, the Ice Stupa. Collected twigs firms the base of the stupa and help it grow bigger.

ice Stupa near Phyang
Why is Ice stupa so important?
Now finally the key to the magnificent invention of Wangchuk. He is a savior for the future when climate change is very much present in the land of Himalayas. Glacial meltwater is reducing in the high mountain. The window of agriculture for a mountain farmer is becoming smaller with unpredictable water supply. Many plants of apple, barley, apricot died in the desert. Now an Ice Shrine beyond winter, with the rising temperature of spring, releases slow melting water for their farmland. Wangchuk brings the glacier to them. Protected their children to be a climate refugee.
Even in winter, it generates income as a tourist attraction for a farmer.

inside of an ice stupa
This winter for 1st time an Ice stupa village has been planned beyond Ladakh at Morteratsch Valley of the Swiss Alps.
While rivers are disappearing, Glacial lakes are growing in size. Many of them are on the brink of causing floods that will wash away many cities downstream. One solution is not enough. We need more Wangchuk to step in. In 2015, its all started with a 125000 USD crowdfunding fund. Support conservation action.
You can read more about his effort or get involve at Ladakh SECMOL campus.