Tabo Monastery (996 CE) A Vernacular Architecture of Lahaul and Spiti Region of Himachal Pradesh, India: A Preliminary Investigation of Deterioration and Conservation of Murals of gSer-Khang Gumpha
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Tabo monastery of 996 CE, an example of vernacular architecture of the Lahaul and Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh, is one of the most significant examples of world cultural heritage, being not only a globally significant Buddhist site but also the oldest earthen building in India. Cultural heritage acts as a mirror of human civilization, culture, history, and development. This monastery has its own identity, which tells the story of its glorious past; the structures of the monastery are the most authentic example of the use of earthen raw materials and indigenous architectural features. The major creative forces for these structures are rooted in the local needs and traditions, which have evolved slowly over time. The mural paintings of the monastery, which are deteriorating due to natural and human induced activities, depict Buddhist Indian History. The main aim of this study is to determine the causes of this deterioration, and identify conservation measures that can be undertaken to protect the mural paintings. In fact, remarkable conservation works are already being conducted by Archaeological Survey of India, which is laudable. However, the investigation of the monastery’s structural features, techniques used in mural execution, and the relevant climatic conditions of the region, with identification of causes of deterioration can be used to develop a more effective and sustainable conservation approach for preservation of these murals in the future.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Bajpai, S. C. (2002). Lahaul–spiti: A forbidden land in the Himalayas (4th ed.). Indus Publishing Company.
Becherini, F., Bernardi, A. & Frassoldati, E. (2010). Microclimate inside a semi-confined environment: Valuation of suitability for the conservation of heritage materials. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 11(4), 471–476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2010.01.005
Bhatti, R., & Bhooshan, V. (2021). Ground water yearbook Himachal Pradesh 2020-2021. Northern Himalayan Region Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh). http://cgwb.gov.in/Regions/NHR/Reports/GWYB%202020-2021.pdf
Bureau of Indian Standard. (2016). Criteria for earthquake resistant design of structures: Part 1 general provisions and buildings (6th revision). Bureau of Indian Standard. https://nitsri.ac.in/Department/Civil%20Engineering/CSE_202_Chapter_4-1893-part-1-2016-1pdf.pdf
Coccato, A., Moens, L., & Vandenabeele, P. (2017). On the stability of mediaeval inorganic pigments: A literature review of the effect of climate, material selection, biological activity, analysis and conservation treatments. Heritage Science, 5, Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-017-0125-6
Danal, P., & Sharma, S. (2017). Mud architecture. International Journal of Advance Research, Ideas and Innovations in Technology, 3(1), 900–904. https://www.ijariit.com
Dandona, B. (2006). Evaluation of repair methods for structural cracks: Early period monastic architecture, Laddakh case: Mangyu Monastery [Master’s thesis, University of Pennsylvania].
Dayaratne, R. (2018). Toward sustainable development: Lessons from vernacular settlements of Sri Lanka. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 7(3), 334–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2018.04.002
District Disaster Management Plan. (2017). District disaster management plan, Lahaul & Spiti. Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority.
Feller, R.L. (1994). Accelerated aging-photochemical & thermal aspects. The Getty Conservation Institute. https://hpsdma.nic.in//admnis/admin/showimg.aspx?ID=3174
Gosain, A.K., & Rao, S. (2018). Climate change impact and vulnerability assessment in Himachal Pradesh. Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Gmbh, India. http://dest.hp.gov.in/sites/default/files/PDF/GIZ01Climate%20Change%20Impacts%20and%20Vulnerability%20Assessment.pdf
Geological Survey of India. (2013). Active fault mapping of Spiti valley fault by micro-earthquake survey. Geological Survey of India, Contributed by Northern Region.
Gupta, S., Bisht, D., & Gupta, P. (2020). Woods used in 10th century trans Himalayan Tabo buddhist monastery of India. Indian Journal of History of Science, 55.4. https://doi.org/10.16943/ijhs/2020/v55i4/158288
Hari, C.V. (1987). Materials for conservation: Organic consolidants, adhesives and coatings (1st ed.). Architectural press (Butterworth Heinemann).
He, X., Xu, M., Zhang, H., Zhang, B., & Su, B. (2014). An exploratory study of the deterioration mechanism of ancient wall-paintings based on thermal and moisture expansion property analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science, 42,194–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2013.10.035
International Council on Monuments and Sites. (1965). Venice Charter- the international charter for the conservation and restoration of monuments and sites, in international documents regarding the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. ICOMOS. https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Charters/venice_e.pdf
India Meteorological Department. (2022). India Metrological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. https://www. mausam.imd.gov.in.
Jaswal, A.K., Bhan, S.C., Karandikar, A.S., & Gujar, M.K. (2015). Seasonal and annual rainfall trend in Himachal Pradesh during 1951-2015. Mausam, 66(2), 247–264. https://mausamjournal.imd.gov.in/index.php/MAUSAM/article/view/534
Klimburg-Salter, D. E. (1996). 1000 years of Tabo monastery, project on ‘early monastic art in the western Himalayas- 10th -13th Century. Institute of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, University of Vienna.
Kumar, P., Husain, Md. A., Singh, R., & Kumar, M. (2018). Impact of land cover change on land surface temperature: A case study of Spiti Valley. Journal of Mountain Science,15(8), 1658–1670. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11629-018-4902-9
Lathiya, J. B. (2017). Learning from past: Vernacular architecture in context of sustainability. International Journal of Novel Research and Development, 2(4), 132–137. https://www.ijnrd.org/papers/IJNRD1704033.pdf
Menon, A., & Murty, C.V.R. (2013). Seismic damage and strengthening of Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim. International Journal of 3R’s: Repair, Restoration and Renewal of Built Environment, 4, 543–549. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280571499_Seismic_damage_and_strengthening_of_Buddhist_monasteries_in_Sikkim
Misra, K. G., Singh, V., Yadava, A. K., Misra, S., Maurya, R. S., & Vishwakarma, S. (2021). Himalayan blue pine deduced precipitation record from cold arid Lahaul–Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India. Frontliner in Earth Sciences, 9, Article 645959. https:// doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.645959
Mora, P. (1974). Causes of deterioration of mural paintings (H.J. Plenderleith, Trans.). International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property.
Mora, P., Mora, L., & Philippot, P. (1984). Conservation of wall paintings. Butterworths.
Morimotto K., & Suzuki S. (1972). Ultraviolet irradiation of poly (alkyl acrelates) and poly (alkyl methacrylates). Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 16, 2947–2961.
Mydin, Md. A.O., Ramli, M., &Awang, H. (2012). Factors of deterioration in building and the principles of repair. Analele Universităţii Eftimie Murgu Reşiţa, Fascicula de Inginerie, 19(1), 345–352.
National Disaster Management Authority. (2019). Design of national seismic risk mitigation programme (NSRMP) (Inception Report Contact No. IN-NDMA-59365-CS-QCBS, Report # NDMA 01-001). National Disaster Management Authority.
National Disaster Risk Reduction Portal. (2010). Earthquake disaster risk index report. National Disaster Risk Reduction Portal (NIDM), Himachal Pradesh. www.nidm.gov.in
Pradhan, T., Singhal, V., Mondal, G., Parool, N., & Rai, D. (2012, September 24-28). Seismic vulnerability of buddhist monasteries: Evidence from the 2011 Sikkim earthquake and dynamic analyses. 15th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Lisbon, Portugal.
Ruiz-Agudo, E., Mees, F., Jacobs, P., & Rodriguez-Navarro, C. (2007). The role of saline solution properties on porous limestone salt weathering by magnesium and sodium sulfates. Environmental Geology, 52, 269–281.
Economic & Statistics Department. (2020). Statistical abstract of Himachal Pradesh. Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla. https://himachalservices.nic.in/economics/en-IN/publications.html
Saunders, D., & Kirby, J. O. (2004). The effect of relative humidity on artists' pigments. National Gallery Technical Bulletin, 25, 62–72. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42616177
Sharma, N.C., Sharma, S.D., Verma, S., & Sharma, C, L. (2013). Impact of changing climate on apple production in Kotkhai area of Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh. International Journal of Farm Sciences, 3(1), 81–90. https://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijfs&volume=3&issue=1&article=012
Thakur, L.S. (2003). Narrative modes in Buddhist art at Tabo: Some rare scenes from the life of Buddha in the g-Tsug-lag-khang (eastern wall). Oriental Art, 49(3), 32–38.
Wallert, A., Hermens, E., & Peek, M. (1995). Historical painting techniques, materials, and studio practice: Preprints of a symposium. University of Leiden, Netherlands.
Wong, D. (2007). The Huayan/Kegon/Hwaŏm paintings in east asia. In I. Hamar. (Ed.), Reflecting mirrors perspectives on Huayan Buddhism (pp. 337–384), Harrassowitz Verlag-Wiesbaden.
Yadav, R. R. (2011). Tree ring evidence of a 20th-century precipitation surge in the monsoon shadow zone of the western Himalaya, India. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmosphere, 116(D2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010jd014647
Yang, X., Ji, X., Cao, Y., & Yu, T. (2019). Studies on wall painting materials and techniques at two historic buildings in Gyantse. Tibet. Heritage Science, 7(40), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-019-0282-x