https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ice_stupaIce stupa - Revision history2026-09-07T01:09:15ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ice_stupa&diff=503628&oldid=prevFionaLaflamme: Starting a details - done2025-09-25T16:49:00Z<p>Starting a details - done</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Artificial glacier mound for storing water}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox project<br />
| name = The Ice Stupa project<br />
| logo = <br />
| image =Ice stupas near Phyang monastery DSCN7587 1.jpg<br />
| caption = Ice stupas near [[Phyang Monastery]] in February 2018<br />
| mission_statement = <br />
| commercial = No<br />
| type = [[Water conservation]]<br />
| products = <br />
| location = [[Ladakh]], [[India]]<br />
| country = India<br />
| owner = [[Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh]] (SECMOL) <br />
| founder = [[Sonam Wangchuk (Engineer)|Sonam Wangchuk]]<br />
| key_people = Sonam Wangchuk<br />
| established = {{Start date and age|2013|10|df=y}}<br />
| disestablished = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} --><br />
| funding = [[Crowdfunding]]<br />
| budget = {{INRConvert|7500000}}<br />
| current_status = Operational<br />
}}<br />
An '''ice stupa''' is a [[Glacier growing|glacier grafting]] technique that creates artificial [[glacier]]s, used for storing winter water (which otherwise would go unused) in the form of conical-shaped ice heaps. During summer, when water is scarce, the ice melts to increase the water supply for crops.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2019-01-13 |title=In Kashmir, An Ancient Solution Solves a New Problem |url=https://globalpressjournal.com/asia/indian-administered_kashmir/kashmir-ancient-solution-solves-modern-problem/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=Global Press Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> Channelling and freezing water for irrigation has existed for hundreds of years. It was re-invented, popularised and scaled up by [[Sonam Wangchuk (Engineer)|Sonam Wangchuk]] in [[Ladakh]], [[India]]. The project is undertaken by the [[Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh]] [[Non-governmental organisation|NGO]]. Launched in October 2013, the test project started in January 2014 under the project name ''The Ice Stupa Project''. On 15 November 2016, Sonam Wangchuk was awarded the [[Rolex Awards for Enterprise]] for his work on ice stupas. Since Wangchuk's first ice stupa project, over a dozen ice stupas have been built in the region, providing over 25 million liters of water.<ref name=":0" /><br />
[[File:Aerial view of Ice stupa and Phyang monastery from flight IMG 2411 1.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Ice stupa and Phyang monastery]]<br />
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Ladakh is a [[cold desert]] where [[agriculture]] is not practised during the winter due to frozen soil and low air temperatures. During [[Spring (season)|spring]], the water requirement for [[sowing]] increases, while at the same time, [[stream]]s dry up. With annual rainfall of less than {{convert|50|mm|in}}, agriculture in Ladakh is solely dependent on snow and glacier [[meltwater]]. Due to [[climate change]], the region experiences hotter summers with an increase in ice melt, together with a shift in the timing and precipitation of the melts. Subsequently, during the spring season, water is more scarce, which in turn impacts agriculture and food supplies.<ref name="Ice Stupas: Conserving water the 3 Idiots way">{{cite news|title=Ice Stupas: Conserving water the 3 Idiots way|work=[[Forbes India]]|accessdate=21 November 2016|url=http://www.forbesindia.com/article/checkin/ice-stupas-conserving-water-the-3-idiots-way/39265/1}}</ref><ref name="Sonam Wangchuk Wins the Rolex Award ">{{cite news|title=Sonam Wangchuk Wins the Rolex Award |publisher=thewire.in/|accessdate=21 November 2016|url=http://thewire.in/81327/wangchuk-rolex-stupa-secmol/}}</ref><ref name="Ice Stupas: Water conservation in the land of the Buddha">{{cite news|title=Ice Stupas: Water conservation in the land of the Buddha|publisher=indiawaterportal.org|accessdate=21 November 2016|url=http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/ice-stupas-water-conservation-land-buddha}}</ref><br />
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In the month of May, Sonam Wangchuk noticed ice under a bridge. Despite summer temperatures and being at the lowest elevation in Ladakh, the ice had not melted because it was not in direct sunlight. Wangchuk realised ice could last longer in Ladakh if it could be shaded from the sun. Since providing shade to larger bodies of water was not possible, Wangchuk thought of freezing and storing water in the shape of a cone, which offers minimum surface area to the sun while containing a high volume of water.<ref name="Sonam Wangchuk Wins the Rolex Award"/><br />
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In October 2013, Sonam Wangchuk created a [[prototype]] {{convert|6|m|ft|0}} high ice stupa by freezing {{cvt|150000|L|gal}} in [[Leh]] without any shade from the sun. Water was piped from upstream by gravity, without using electricity or machinery. The ice stupa did not completely melt until 18 May 2014, even when the temperature was above {{convert|20|C}}.<ref name="Ice Stupas: Conserving water the 3 Idiots way"/><ref name="Sonam Wangchuk Wins the Rolex Award "/><ref name="Ice Stupas: Water conservation in the land of the Buddha"/><ref name=IceStu>{{cite news|title=Ice Stupa - A Form of Artificial Glacier|publisher=Official website|accessdate=21 November 2016|url=http://icestupa.org/}}</ref><br />
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The Ladakh region experiences [[water scarcity|water shortage]] for the needs of agriculture during [[Spring (season)|spring]], which restricts even further the cultivation period in a [[subarctic climate]] area.<ref name=IceStu/> By harnessing a fraction of the abundant wind, hydro and solar power potential of the Ladakh region without the need for [[energy storage]], ice stupas can be made using [[snow cannon]]s to irrigate all the cultivable land for crops, arcades, plantations, etc.<ref>{{cite web|title=Artificial snow is nothing like the real stuff|date=10 February 2022 |accessdate=14 February 2022|url=https://www.vox.com/2022/2/10/22926270/artificial-snow-beijing-2022-olympics-climate-change}}</ref><br />
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With the aim of promoting artificial glaciers and saving water for irrigation, an Ice Stupa Competition has been held since 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/villages-in-ladakh-compete-for-building-artificial-glaciers-738334|title=Villages in Ladakh compete for building artificial glaciers}}</ref> In 2019, 12 ice stupas were built, and in 2020, around 25.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdVijr10DZ0&index=2&list=FLIZ1T26GQyqCYeilnxljykQ Video about Ice stupa]<br />
* [https://www.pbs.org/video/ice-stupas-of-ladakh-mpvxhx/ Adaptation: Ice stupas of Ladakh] PBS series hosted by climate researcher [[Alizé Carrère]]<br />
* [https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/27/ice-stupas-of-the-ladakh-desert-an-ingenious-solution-to-water-scarcity-a-picture-essay] Ice stupas of the Ladakh desert: an ingenious solution to water scarcity – a picture essay [[The Guardian]]<br />
{{Sustainability}}<br />
{{Natural resources}}<br />
{{Portal bar|Mountains|Environment|India}}<br />
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[[Category:Water conservation]]<br />
[[Category:Glaciers]]<br />
[[Category:Irrigation]]<br />
[[Category:Science and technology in Ladakh]]</div>FionaLaflamme