A monastery’s fading colours

“As part of their restoration drive,the ASI had to scrape off the top layer of wet mud on the roof of the main Lug-Lha-Khang Monastery (temple of enlightened Gods),Z’al-ma (Chamber of Picture Treasures) and Brom-ston Lha Khang (large temple of Dromton). These structures house precious wall paintings and rare clay statues of five Bodhisattvas,” says Ven Teseten Zangpo,administrator of Tabo Monastery,upset with the ASI’s handling of the conservation work. “Later,ASI placed a tarpaulin sheet on the roof,and topped it with mud plaster. This further aggravated the problem as this air-tight roofing prevents the dampness from escaping out,further damaging the paintings,” says Zangpo.

But the ASI believes it acted fast. “We have accelerated research studies for the scientific conservation of the monastery and its rare religious paintings and clay sculptors,” says T.R. Sharma,Superintending Archeologist of the Shimla Circle of ASI.

The nine monastery structures and the stupas in the main monastery complex are made of pure clay,mixed with hay and cow (or yak) dung for binding. “To protect the monument’s outer walls,we have coated it with lime mixed with mud paste. This is a traditional practice and we have managed to control the dampness,” says Sharma.

Sharma says the chemistry department of ASI,Chandigarh circle,is studying the chemical composition of the original colours used in the wall paintings.

“Over the last decade,rainfall has been increasing by 2 to 4 per cent,but this year has seen a big shift,” says Manmohan Singh,Director of the Metrological Department in Himachal Pradesh. Lahaul and Spiti got 614 per cent excess rainfall in June this year.

But people at the Tabo monastery are worried. “The damage to the structures and the frescos in the last two decades has exceeded a thousand years of degeneration,” says Zangpo.

The ASI has said that the lights inside the main assembly hall shouldn’t be turned on frequently as it will further affect the frescos. “Visitors have to see whatever little they can in the light that trickles in from a small central sun window,” says Nebu,a village girl who guides tourists at the monastery.