Final report

Handmade URBAN PATCH DYNAMICS WITHIN VILLAGE LANGZA VILLAGE, SPITI

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

BY ASHISH BHATT CHANDIGARH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE CHANDIGARH, INDIA 2018

Handmade URBAN PATCH DYNAMICS WITHIN VILLAGE LANGZA VILLAGE, SPITI

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

BY ASHISH BHATT CHANDIGARH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE CHANDIGARH, INDIA 2018

Handmade

URBAN PATCH DYNAMICS WITHIN VILLAGE

LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 0.1 (photographed by-Saurav Himral) Fig. 0.2 (photographed by-Ravikanth) Fig. 0.3 (google earth imagery) Fig. 0.4 (clicked at site) FOSSIL Remains Fig. 0.5 (http://gomissing.in/blog/adventure/in-and-out-bir-billingand-beyond/) pottery Fig. 0.6 (https://www.natureinfocus.in/story/the-shen-story-spiti) Women making wool Fig. 0.7 (http://www.darter.in/photography-tours/wildlife/ snow-leopard-photography-tour-winter-spiti/) Snow Leopard Fig. 0.8 (Author’s Image) Collapsed structure of school Fig. 0.9 (https://saurabhsabikhi.blogspot.com/2016/06/in-pursuitof-surprises-bhutan-trip.html) Fig. 1.0 (Google earth imagery) Fig. 1.1 Kaza to Langza, Komik, Kibber (http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549) Fig.1.2 Key monastry (http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549) Fig.1.3 Mud, stone, wood construction Fig.1.4 Wood frame construction Fig.1.5 Wood joints Details Fig.1.6 Branches are densely laid over poplar tree logs (beams) Fig.1.7 A steel I-section girder is used to support the beams.

Fig.1.8 Retrofitting details for the walls.

Fig.1.9 Retrofitting details for the roof.

Fig.2.0 Childrens in school in Spiti (http://leher.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/RKK_1624.jpg) Fig.2.1 Secmol (Author’s Image) Fig.2.2 Secmol Location Fig.2.3 Secmol Plan (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.2.4 Secmol Toilet and residential block (Author’s Image) Fig.2.5 View from Student’s hall (Author’s Image) Fig.2.6 Secmol Kitchen Fig.2.7 Waste management in SECMOL (https://www.tripoto.com/trip/leh-a-learning-journey-to-secmol58f904693bd4d) Fig.2.8 Construction and materials (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.2.9 Construction and materials (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

LIST OF FIGURES Fig.3.0 Climatic Design (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.3.1 Climatic Design (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.3.3 Diagram showing safety elements (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.3.3 Diagram showing safety elements (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.3.4 Ways of energy Generation (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.3.5 Passive solar Latrines (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf) Fig.3.6 hakka indenture museum (https://www.archdaily.com/894812/hakka-indenture-museum-dna/5b010324f197cc16150001f7-hakka-indenture-museum-dna-photo) Fig.3.7 Plan of Museum (https://www.archdaily.com/894812/hakka-indenture-museum-dna/5b010560f197ccd3ab000112-hakka-indenture-museum-dna-plan) Fig.3.8 Circulation in Museum (https://www.archdaily.com/894812/hakka-indenture-museum-dna/5b010543f197ccd3ab000111-hakka-indenture-museum-dna-circulatioon) Fig.3.9 Langza village (Author’s Image) Fig.4.0 Contoured map of site with context Fig.4.1 Selected site (Author’s Image) Fig.4.2 Selected site (Author’s Image)

_DE Thesis Title: HANDMADE Thesis Guide: Asstt. Prof. Priya Gupta Thesis Coordinator: Prof. Sohan Lal Saharan Thesis Period: 15th January 2018 - 22nd June 2018 Date of Submission: 14th June 2018 No. of pages:

CLARATION We hereby certify that the Thesis Report entitled “HANDMADE, Urban Patch Dynamics within Rural Area”, prepared by Ashish Bhatt under our guidance, be accepted as a requirement for the partial fulfilment of the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture

Dated: 14th June 2018

Priya Gupta (Thesis Guide)

Sangeeta M Bagga (Principal)

Sohan Lal Saharan (Thesis Coordinator)

PREFACE

This Bachelors thesis report was compiled in the 10th semester of Bachelors Programme in Architecture at Chandigarh College of Archtecture.

The beginning of Handmade came from my travels into the Himalayas. On experiencing the extreme conditions that locals live in without much contact with the mainland, I was interested in exploring an alternative route to provide them with the same facilities they would have access to elsewhere, such as an alternative school, research facilities, a museum and a vocational training centre, and hence lessen the ‘brain drain’ effect in said places. Handmade aims to use local trades to generate economic stability as well as promote tourism. With these points in mind, Langza village in Spiti Valley was chosen as the site. For a deeper insight during the research phase, SECMOL (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh), Auroville Earth Institute and the Himachali village Andretta were studied in detail.

These functional case studies, along with the study of valid construction techniques formed the foundation of the thesis, from which the design was then developed.

CONTENTS

01

Page 14-15

Structuring the Thesis This part basically explains Thesis Research methodology. All the phases, from start to end.

04 Synopsis - Program - Site validity - Objectives - Methodology - Scope

07 Site analysis

Page 26-31

02

Page 16-19

03

Page 20-25

Introduction

Site

- What is Rural India?

-Difference between Rural and Urban.

-Why Rural Growth is important?

- Site and approach - Main features of site - Problems and Objective

05

06

Page 32-53

Page 54-71

Literature study

Case studies

- Approach to site/Site Demographics - Thesis objectives/vernacular study - Structure system and its working - Analysis of spaces related to design scope - Alternate school - Workshops - Museum and gallery spaces - Research center

- SECMOL, Leh - Hakka Indenture Museum, China

.

Bibliography

Introduction of the topic Understanding the Problem at different scales Defining the further steps to proceed.

Selection of the site

Introduction

Methods

PHASE 1 Collection of data and information relevant to the project

Results

Final DESIGN based on all the inferences from above process.

14

PHASE 3 Visit proposed site Site Analysis Site parameters Identifying the exact patch for design intervention Geographical and topographical study for the region to understand the terrain.

Climatic analysis Assessment of locally available construction materials.

Planning and design parameter deals with planning code.

Structuring the Thesis

PHASE 2 Comparing existing scenarios Case studies related to our topic(Tourism, Education, Workshops).

Net studies of architectural interventions for such prototypes in remote areas.

Introduction Fig. 0.1 Child in Spiti (photographed by-Saurav Himral)

Rural areas are also known as the

‘countryside’ or a ‘village’ in India. It has a very low population density. In rural areas, agriculture is the chief source of livelihood along with fishing, cottage industries, pottery etc.

The quest to discover the real rural India still continues in great earnest.

It is generally said that the rural areas house up to 70% of India’s population.

Rural India contributes a large chunk to India’s GDP by way of agriculture, self-employment, services, construction etc.

About 80 per cent of the Indian population live in villages. When travelling through the length and breadth of this subcontinent, one can really visualise the difference between rural and urban India.

There is a big difference between urban and rural India. One of the major differences that can be seen between rural India and urban India, is their standards of living.

People living in urban India have better living conditions than those living in the rural parts of India. There is a wide economic gap between rural and urban India. Rural India is very poor when compared to Urban India.

Another difference that can be seen between urban and rural India, is their education. In rural India, the parents seldom educate their children, and instead, make their children work in the fields. Poverty, and lack of sufficient infrastructure, can be attributed to the lack of education in rural India.

When considering homes, about three-quarters of the households in urban India live in pucca homes. On the other hand, only a quarter of the people in rural India live in pucca homes. While groundwater is the main source of drinking water in rural India, the urban people rely more on tap-water.

Urban India is almost electrified when compared to rural India. One can even come across villages where electric power is not yet available.

When comparng the sanitary facilities, it is limited in rural india. About 90 per cent of the households in rural India do not have latrines, but this is not the case in urban India.

Most of the developments have not yet reached the rural parts of India. With regards to health care as well, rural India lacks good hospitals when compared to urban India. Some of the rural areas even lack a dispensery.

Difference between Rural and Urban

17

Why Rural Growth is important??

For India’s economy to be strong, the rural economy needs to grow. Rural areas are still plagued by problems of malnourishment, illiteracy, unemployment and lack of basic infrastructure like schools, colleges, hospitals, sanitation, etc. This has led to youth moving out of villages to work in cities. This could be compared to the brain drain from India to US. Our villages need to grow in tandem with cities and standard of life has to improve there for inclusive growth to happen. If rural India is poor, India is poor.

Basically, what we need is to empower the rural people by providing them education and proper health care. They need to have infrastructure like electricity and water so that they are free from the cycle of droughts and floods. We need to give them self-employment so that they want to stay in villages instead of migrating in cities. There is a need to empower the villagers, and not just supporting them by food subsidies, loan waivers which end up crippling them. India will grow only when rural India marches hand in hand with cities in the twenty first century.

18 14

14

Fig. 0.2 School in Spiti (photographed by-Ravikanth)

Site

LANGZA

20 20

Altitude- 4200-4400 m Coordinates- 32.2738° N, 78.0816° E A 50 minute uphill winding drive covering 13.5 km from the town of Kaza in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh and one will reach the fossil village of Langza, which is situated in a bowl shaped duct. At a towering altitude of around 14,550 above sea-level (4435 metres), the mighty snow-capped Trans-Hima-3 layan mountains are all around the village.

Fig. 0.3 (google earth imagery)

LANGZA KAZA RECKONG PEO

CHANDIGARH

SHIMLA

21

Main Characterist Fossil village

22

Fig. 0.4 Fossil at site (clicked at site)

Fig. 0.5 Pottery (http://gomissing.in/blog/adventure/in-and-out-bir-billing-and-beyond/)

The main attraction at Langza is to collect fossils. Fossils of marine creatures and plants are found in plenty under the sedimentary rocks. These fossils are around millions of years old.

Although possession and collection of fossils are illegal in India, the locals in the village sell these collectibles to the travellers visiting their village. The local name of fossil here is ‘chaudua’ and can be easily found in and around the 4 village. The fossils are Cephalopoda.

Mud craft is one major feature of this village.Mud craft is also known as ‘Zama’. Before the advent of plastic and stainless steel in the Spiti valley, all the utensils and other daily items were made from mud. Langza, one of the highland villages of Spiti was the hub of this industry and the entire economy of this village was based around the mud craft industry. However, in recent times the entire industry has completely collapsed with only very few craftsmen 5 left who are skilled in the mud craft.

ics of

Fig. 0.6 Women weaving in her house (https://www.natureinfocus.in/story/the-shen-story-spiti)

Fig. 0.7 Snow Leopard, sighted in Langza

Weaving is an integral part of the cultural tradition of Spitian villages, specially during the long freezing winters as in different parts of the Himalayas.

The local wool is obtained iiom Sheep breed in LAHAUL AND SPITI. These are available in natural white, black, grey and brorvn. Owing to its rough texture and coarse quality, local wool is nomrally used for floor covering and blankets: for pattus and dohrus in some cases. In Langza Yak wool is also 6 used.

The endangered and reclusive snow leopard has found a safe habitat for breeding in the cold desert of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh going by the spurt in its sightings here in recent years.

But a resident of Langza village and some tourists got the biggest surprise when they sighted and photographed three snow leopards together near Komic village. Many tourists are visiting Spiti only to get aglimpse of this animal and most of them get a sighting,� said Tashi Palzor of Langza village. The valley has now become 7 popular for snow leopard expeditions.

(http://www.darter.in/photography-tours/wildlife/snow-leopard-photography-tour-winter-spiti/)

23

24

Problems Because of the mesmerizing beauty of the place, art, culture, and remains of the past, this place could be the biggest source of income generation. But due to lack of facilities like healthcare, education and other structural needs, the scope of development is very less.

Objective - Designing a urban patch while incorporating the social, economic and cultural dynamics and considerations that are necessary for a successful and resilient rural community.

The most important objective is to involve socity in making a place, solution for their every problem, which is combined with the scenic values and recreational opportunities of the countryside that attracts people from urban areas.

25

PROGRAM

Promote Tourism Educational Facilities ECONOMIC BETTERMENT It is a big business with a lot of potential and some see this as being the result of micro-business activity – individual entrepreneurs tapping into the spirit of the area rather than big urban developers and chains increased local income10 and prospects significantly SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION Transformation is a process of going through life in order to enjoy a better quality of life compared to the previous life. Tourism, does play a significant role in residents quality of life and their en8 hancement of livelihoods.

Basic program is derived from the inferences from above introduction of topic and site.

2 main aims are to promote tourism and education.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Providing education in such remote areas can actually lead to a better future for the people residing there. They can equally stand with the people from urban areas.

26

ELIMINATE IGNORANCE Education acts as a catalyst for people in these areas to live a better quality life, by providing them with information they can adapt and utilise to their context. It also bridges the geographical gap in a sense, by keeping them up to date on surrounding.

Synopsis

change

“In order to make a […], we need to follow a transformation path. We need to transform ourselves-our values, life priorities, lifestyle, and the way we use resources and spend time […] We must move towards a world in which we learn about the purpose and meaning of our life, a world that gives way to new values of […] empathy for others, non-violence, human rights and equality.”

Dan Reisinger Israeli designer

27

Site Validity

28

Validity of site is a important part. Spiti valley is untouched

from any kind of urbanism. But the area can be easily converted into peri urban patches because of the presence of a different religion and large clear spaces. Effect of peri-urbanism in such areas will be known later, but there is a need of growth in such areas to stop local brain drain situation. Important points related to validity of site are:

PRIVATE WORLD Rudyard Kipling had described Spiti valley as ‘a world within a world’ in his celebrated novel Kim. Over a century has passed, but not much has changed in this world, as it continues to remain relatively unknown, hidden between multiple folds of valleys and mountains, a world within another world. The name ‘Spiti’ means ‘The Middle Land’, i.e. the land between Tibet and India. Bordered by Ladakh in the north,11 Tibet to the east, Kinnaur to the south east, and the Kullu Valley to the south, this peculiar cold desert spans an area of almost 8000 sq km.

RARE CHARACTER Spiti consists of alpine land, scattered with small villages and Buddhist monasteries, and surrounded by mountainous peaks capped with gleaming snow. Spiti valley is one of the least populated regions in India, unlike other parts. Spiti is a high altitude desert. The mountains are barren and largely devoid of a veg12 etative cover. These all points combine to give Spiti a character that is different from most of the places in India and world.

OPPORTUNITIES Because of the unique character of this place, many people every year move to this place for short travel/stay. The people of Spiti are very much skilled in their art and construction techniques. Buddhism is followed in this region on a very large scale.

Because of the above mentioned points, a lot of people come here. The incoming tourists are great oppurtunity for them.

SCALE Scale of the project matters very much. The village i’ve chosen has a population of 200 people . For initial growth of anything, scale is very much important because a lot is on stake.Mixing of two totally different contexts is like mixing salt in food. Amout of salt will decide the taste. Similarly, putting a small urban context in rural setup is experimental and hence needed to be done on smaller scale(at initial stages).

Fig. 0.9 Old women from key (https://www.tourism-review.com/travel-tourism-magazine-the-economic-and-social-benefits-of-rural-tour-

29

30

31

Literature Study Fig. 1.0 (Google earth imagery)

32

Fig. 1.1 Kaza to Langza, Komik, Kibber

(http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549)

33

34

35

Fig.1.2 Key monastry (http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549)

36

Fig.1.3 Mud, stone, wood construction

(http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549)

37

39

40

Fig.1.5 Wood joints Details (http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549)

Fig.1.4 Wood frame construction (http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-kaza-to-komik-hikkim-langza/#jp-carousel-7549)

41

Fig.1.6 Branches are densely laid over poplar tree logs (beams)

Fig.1.7 A steel I-section girder is used to support the beams.

Fig.1.8 Retrofitting details for the walls.

Fig.1.9 Retrofitting details for the roof.

43

44

45

46

Fig.2.0 Childrens in school in Spiti (http://leher.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/RKK_1624.jpg)

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

Case Studies

SECMOL

A place where children learn for life Fig.2.1 Secmol (Author’s Image)

55

SECMOL Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh

56

A

fully sustainable school located in a village called Phey, 20 kms away from the main city of Leh. Sonam Wangchuk and a group of Ladakhis founded it in the year 1988 with the aim of achieving educational reform in Ladakh. It is a residential school that can accommodate approximately 30 students and as many volunteers.

Started with the idea of leading educational reform in Ladakh, SECMOL has diverse and ingenious ways of ensuring that its students learn. These kids come from varied socio-economic backgrounds and from all over Ladakh. The curriculum is designed in such a way that most of their learning is ‘self-learning’. The school also tries to follow a 100% sustainable model and how they have implemented it is marvellous.

The campus is about 10 km from Leh, southward off the Leh-Kargil highway, down a lonely, winding 3 km road. Travelling down this nowhere-road, the first view of SECMOL comes as a pleasing surprise.

KEY POINTS FOR DOING THIS CASE STUDY: Green construction Efficient energy solutions to local problems Turning from water woes to water wise Learning what matters

Fig.2.2 Secmol Location

57

The overall design of the building has 4 main concepts for solar passive design. The first is the concept of air locks for the entrance doors to make sure that opening and closing of doors doesn’t lead cool air inside the building. The second concept is to align the building 15 degrees south to maximize heat gain and to zone all habitable areas towards this side. The northern side of the building will have no fenestrations.

Fig.2.3 Secmol Plan (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf

58

f)

59

Fig.2.4 Secmol Toilet and residential block (Author’s Image)

Fig.2.6 Secmol Kitchen

60

Fig.2.5 View from Student’s hall (Author’s Image)

Fig.2.7 Waste management in SECMOL (https://www.tripoto.com/trip/leh-a-learning-journey-to-secmol-58f904693bd4d)

61

Construction and Materials Traditional Vernacular

Fig.2.8 Construction and materials (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

Contemporary Adaptations

Fig.2.9 Construction and materials (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

62

Climatic Design Traditional Vernacular

Fig.3.0 Climatic Design (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

Contemporary Adaptations

Fig.3.1 Climatic Design (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

63

S a f e t y Traditional Vernacular

Fig.3.2 Diagram showing safety elements (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

Contemporary Adaptations

Fig.3.3 Diagram showing safety elements (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

64

G r e e n Te c h n o l o g y Energy generation

Fig.3.4 Ways of energy Generation (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

Sanitation and waste In the desert environment of Ladakh, where water is scarce and there is no waterbourne sewage system, dry composting toilets provide a more appropriate solution than flushing latrines.

The traditional dry composting latrine design can be improved by adding a passive solar flue. The sun heats the dark metal surface of the flue causing hot air to rise inside the flue drawing up flies, smells, and moisture from the pit to the outside.

Fig.3.5 Passive solar Latrines (http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf)

65

Hakka Indenture Museum Six Village, Dadongba, Songyang County, Lishui, Zhejiang, China

Fig.3.6 hakka indenture museum (https://www.archdaily.com/894812/hakka-indenture-museum-dna/5b010324f197c c16150001f7-hakka-indenture-museum-dna-photo)

The village of Shicang, whose residents belong to a Hakka ethnic group, is located in a narrow valley in the south of Songyang Country. The Hakka are also referred to as ‘guests’, since they migrated here as refugees from northern regions in the past centuries. They have retained their special status until today, which is characterized by the strong internal cohesion of the group.

The name of the village of Shicang can be translated as stone storage, which in turn refers to a legend, according to which there were able to supply themselves. Greedy inhabitants allegedly broke open the cave, which consequently lost its ability to produce grain. In place of the grain, it was afterwards only possible to find stones.

To commemorate this story, which gave the village its name, Xu Tiantian developed a building that takes up the local construction of bridges and residential buildings. Coarsely hewn stones are layered in a wild lattice to create massive walls that continue the slope on the edge of the village out into the landscape. The architecture is connected with the landscape by means of various sequences of spaces both inside and out.

An existing irrigation channel was guided over the roof and provides water, which, on particular days, is sprayed by nozzles to create a water curtain on the inside. By means of a linear opening in the roof, sunlight falls on the water curtain, where a rainbow forms. This temporary phenomenon attracts visitors, who then enliven neighboring villages as well.

The museum itself has no controlled access and only exhibits copies of, in part, several-hundred-year-old Hakka indentures. The inspiration from the local legend situates the museum, with which both craftsmanship and material culture have been revitalized.

68

Plan

1.Entrance 2.Exhibition Room 3.Exterior Activity space 4.Exit Fig.3.7 Plan of Museum (https://www.archdaily.com/894812/hakka-indenture-museum-dna/5b010560f197ccd3ab000112-hakka-indenture-museum-dna-plan)

69

Fig.3.8 Circulation in Museum (https://www.archdaily.com/894812/hakka-indenture-museum-dna/5b010543f197ccd3ab000111-hakka-indenture-museum-dna-circulatioon)

70

71

Site Analysis Fig.3.9 Langza village (Author’s Image)

Altitude- 4200-4400 m Coordinates- 32.2738° N, 78.0816° E A 50 minute uphill winding drive covering 13.5 km from the town of Kaza in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh and one will reach the fossil village of Langza, which is situated in a bowl shaped duct. At a towering altitude of around 14,550 above sea-level (4435 metres), the mighty snow-capped Trans-Himalayan mountains are all around the village.

Main Road Buddha Statue School

Anganwadi

Fig.4.0 Contoured map of site with context

73

Soil and vegetation study

The soil is silty clay loam, slightly alkaline (pH 7.2-8.1), with soil organic matter of 0.08-2.98%.

Nutrient contents decreased in the order Ca > K > Na > P. Growth of trees, shrubs and grasses was poor because of the short growing period (5-6 months or less); Hippophae rhamnoides was an important shrub present, and used for fuelwood and as protective hedges.

Farming season The villagers in langza have to contend with paucity of arable land and a short growing season. While there are two farming seasons in breadbasket states like Punjab and Haryana, Langza has only one. There is tremendous pressure on farmers, then, in the event of the crop failure. Moreover, these are people with average landholding of 0.25 hectares. Rather than risk losses, many choose to leave a largepart of their fields barren.

74

Climatic Analysis Since the valley is situated in rain shadow area, north of the Pir Panjal ranges the weather remains pleasant and quite comfortable during summers i.e. from May to mid Oct. There is little or no rain in monsoons. The climate remains dry & invigorating. The days are hot and night are extremely cold.

During winter, i.e. from Nov. last to April because of western disturbances it snows heavily and the temp. goes down below minus. There is an average annual snow fall of about 7 feet.

Source of Water “Water isn’t an issue so long as we receive snowfall in peak winter. But that is not happening and our glaciers, too, are melting faster than before,�

Snowfall during the peak winter from December to February is most crucial, as the ice stays for longer at its source, releasing water slowly to the fields through kuhls (navigation channels) over time. Snowfall during MarchApril, on the other hand, is mostly water-laden. The water from it flows down quickly, damaging roads and fields.

Fig.4.1 Selected site (Author’s Image)

Fig.4.2 Langza village (Author’s Image)

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1-http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-urban-and-rural-india/ 2-http://www.sumit4all.com/life/why-india%E2%80%99s-rural-development-is-important-for-the-nation#sthash.DIqP8WmD.dpbs 3-https://www.tourmyindia.com/states/himachal/langza-village.html 4-http://thelandoutthere.com/the-fossil-village-langza-himachal-pradesh/ 5-http://www.spitiecosphere.com/eco_travel_responsible_travel_minimising_impacts_culture_conservation.htm 6-http://ipindiaservices.gov.in/GI_DOC/416/416%20-%20Statement%20 of%20Case%20-%2016-05-2013.pdf 7-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/in-a-first-3-snow-leopardsspotted-together-in-spiti/articleshow/57968339.cms 8-https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322298921_Social_transformations_of_rural_communities_through_ecotourism_A_systematic_review 9-https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322298921_Social_transformations_of_rural_communities_through_ecotourism_A_systematic_review 10-https://www.tourism-review.com/travel-tourism-magazine-the-economic-and-social-benefits-of-rural-tourism-article2508 11-http://www.sankalpindia.net/ki/spiti-valley-world-within-world 12-http://www.sankalpindia.net/ki/spiti-valley-world-within-world PAGE 35-42 1. Indian Standard, Improving Earthquake Resistance of Earthen Buildings - Guidelines. IS 13827 : 1993. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), New Delhi, October 1993 (reaffirmed 1998), 20 pp.

2. Dhajji Dewari. Hicyilmaz, K., Bothara, J., and Stephenson, M. (2012).

Report no. 146, World Housing Encyclopedia, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, United States.

3. Timber-reinforced Stone Masonry (Koti Banal Architecture) of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Northern India. Rautela, P., Girish, J., Singh, Y., and Lang, D.H. (2009). Report no. 150, World Housing Encyclopedia, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, United States. 4. Indian Standard, Repair and Strengthening of Masonry Building - Guidelines. IS 13935 : 2009. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), New Delhi.

78

CASE STUDY(SECMOL) http://www.asf-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ASF20Leh20Report20Full_final.pdf

79