“As captain, I am .... Page 4 SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/sunday-magazine SRI RAM: Symbol ......Page 3 ICE-STUPAS An Innovative design in water management in Ladakh Sonam Wangchuk organisations with expertise and knowledge in this area, NGOs and the Government. The "roof of the world", the metaphorical description The idea and the 1st prototype Ice Stupa was made at for the physio-geographic region encompassing the SECMOL school in the winters of 2013. Taking inspira- Indian Himalayas, is the site of vast freshwater glaciers tion from ancestral practices and Mr.Chewang Norphel's and the primary source of the major Asian rivers that work on artificial glaciers, Ice Stupas have been have sustained life since early human civilisations have designed at various locations across Ladakh. With the inhabited the area. In modern times, these freshwater combined efforts of MoTA and SECMOL, the project and glaciers are still the primary source of water, and thus art of glacier grafting has come a long way. While there the welfare, for over a billion Asian people, especially for was an Ice Stupa in 1 village in 2013-14; the knowledge, the tribal communities of Ladakh who have been perpet- awareness and the art of building the structures was ually dependent on glacial meltwater in the high-altitude expanded to 26 locations across Ladakh in 2019-20. desert. Gathering support, ideas, and technological support- Lying on the northerly fringes of the Himalayan from like-minded individuals and organisations has watershed, Ladakh is characterised by distinct geo- made immense improvement in the process of building graphical and climatic features. Known as a cold desert, Ice Stupas in India and abroad.In 2019-20 winters, the Ladakh covers area of 96701 km2 and with an average project was able to train 250 village level stakeholders in elevation of 3000 m, having annual annual precipita- the process and raised awareness on the issue by con- tion100 mm, and extreme temperatures ranges (-30 to ducting various workshops, training sessions, and plan- 30 Co). Much of the province remains in a cold spell tation drives across Ladakh. This year the project and from October-March, with only a third of the year left for participating villagers were able to conserve about 75 agrarian purposes. The villages in the region are settled million litres of water during winters and eco-tourism in small oases in the barren desert, on the banks of a activities like "1st Ladakh Ice Climbing Festival" gave stream, or amongst springs utilising the summertime opportunity to the local youth to be indulged in eco- meltwater.Regardless of its ecosystem services and his- entrepreneurial ventures. torical context, reckless human interventions and global This year, the project started from the village of climate change have impacted the region immeasurably, Kulum. It is situated 50 km south-east of Leh, divided Ice Stupas of Ladakh in particular due to the escalated rate of warming at into 2 hamlets, upper and lower Kulum, consisting of7 higher altitudes. and 4 families each respectively. Triggered by glacial called Kulumpa's). This provided the villagers hands-on * Upper Valley Plantation to act as a carbon sink and Currently, Himalayan glaciers are receding at an reduction in the higher valley, the upper Kulum was experience of the process, thus inducing active partici- a protection from flooding events alarming rate, from a few to tens of meters annually. abandonedcompletely in 2012 with the families moving pation at all stakeholder levels. During the course of next * Modern plantation and irrigational practices which With reducing precipitation, increasing average temper- into the nearby town centre of Upshi. The residents have few months until mid-February, a 45-foot-tallIce Stupa are not as water-intensive like drip irrigation and hydro- atures, and reduced glaciers to water the villages any- left their traditional agrarian practices and are working was made by the upper hamlet of Kulum. A multitude of ponic systems more, some Himalayan villages are now slowly turning as daily wage labourers or are running utility shops to challenges arose, including freezing pipes, breaking * Alternative technologies for daily use, such as wind, into ghost towns with abandoned but habitable houses make ends meet.The project was implemented over a equipment,bursting pipes, reduced flow at head-work solar, biogas,etc. and wasted agricultural land. This gives rise to three period of 4 months starting November 2019 to February emerged due to the extreme temperatures of Ladakhi This structure at Kulum melted away in April end, but major modern issues of Ladakh relating to water scarci- 2020. Prior toimplementation, field survey and meas- winters, but each time a new solution was indigenously provided much needed water for the fields of Kulum. ty, low indoor temperatures in buildings,and a shift from urements were done, and a plan was formulated. This devised. The learnings for this year will become an asset Confronting the issue of water scarcity and devising the original agrarian-based economy resulting into was followed by village and community level meetings to for the next. By the end of the building season, the Ice solutions has had a drastic impact on Kulumpa's invest- youth migration. identify the needs and incorporate their ideas in the Stupa structure was able to conserve 3,00,000 litres of ment in the project. To address the emerging issues, Ministry of Tribal project. The plan was run by the villagers and their roles water. This structure melted away in April end, but pro- These stupas are a source of tourist attraction and will Affairs, Government of India (MoTA) in association were defined so that this project can involve stakehold- vided much needed water for the fields of Kulum. go a long way in preserving the environment.The Ice with Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh ers and build competency in the former residents of Confronting the issue of water scarcity and devising Stupas hold the promise to not only quench the thirst of (HIAL) initiated a project for Research, Documentation Kulum. solutions has had a drastic impact on Kulumpa's invest- Ladakh tribal villages but also pave the way to make the and Development of Tribal communities of Ladakh in In the first step of project implementation the activi- ment in the project. tribal villagers AtmaNirbharby facilitating their eco- November 2019.One of the components of the project of ties of equipment installation, head-work making, In the coming years, the project envisions to expand rehabilitation to pursue any or new traditional liveli- critical importance is "Rehabilitation of Abandoned pipeline laying, and dome structures for Ice Stupas were its reach from water management strategies to a holistic hoods in their native villages only. Villages through Ice Stupas". This project has become a completed with the help of residents of Kulum (locally village rehabilitation model. This model includes the fol- (The author is a famous Indian engineer, innovator and education reformist model of collaborative effort between the local people, lowing aspects; and founder member of HIAL). A lookback at DANCE in Indian Cinema The demise of choreographer Saroj Khan in early The dancing stars of '50s and '60s The success of a Bollywood performer, especially of a July sets the ground for a look-back at the heroine, is always intertwined with her dancing prowess. One evolution of dance in Indian cinema in general and of the most prominent examples is perhaps of the legendary Vyjayanthimala. Bollywood in particular. She brought respect to No history of Bollywood dance and choreography is ever complete without mentioning this powerhouse of a dancer the vocation of choreography in cinema and turned and actress whose number Mon dole mera tan dole in dance into a cultural statement, says Nandlal Jaswantlalji’s 1954 film Nagin catapulted her to instant stardom. Shoma A. Chatterji While she became a screen goddess who never looked back since, capping the fag end of her Bollywood career with The song and dance numbers began as fillers in cinema for films like Jewel Thief (the ensemble Hothon Mein Aisi Baat an added boost to the entertainment quotient of the film. But sequence), her dance moves in Lekh Tandon’s 1966 film slowly, dance evolved into a cultural statement, taking on an Amrapali- where she played the iconic royal courtesan of important character and sometimes, as a strategic move to Vaishali in India around 500 BC- is a milestone. create a turning point in the story, or even, to emphasize a The lavishly mounted film was a flop back then but in quality in a given character. Bhanu Athaiya's costume inspired by the Ajanta caves, THE EARLY INFLUENCE Vyjanthimala showed how classical Indian dance can be Fulbright Fellow and academician Anugyan Nag whose blended with the commercial demands of a Bollywood period fellowship was on Dance in Bombay Cinema: Dance films, drama. Dancing bodies, Choreography and Choreographers writes: While Vyjanthimala can be the best Indian cinema ever “Early Indian cinema showcased gestural and facial expres- witnessed, her contemporary Waheed Rehman also was sive movements and gradually evolved into a very sophisti- known for her dance. Well, who can forget the unconvention- cated form with the introduction of the playback technology ally bold and beautiful Rosie essayed by her in Guide and her and the advancement of formal aesthetics of filmmaking. passion for dance as she rose as a star in the film with a sto- "Dance in Hindi film demonstrates a strong lineage from ryline ahead of its time in Hindi cinema. earlier performative forms of India, primarily the Parsi the- The most outstanding dance that added meaning and atre, the classical and folk forms of performances, Hollywood drama to the film was the snake charmer dance performed musicals, and the western stage that incorporated song, only on music by Waheeda Rehman in this Vijay Anand film.