In the photo, Payang-Gompa is a monastery in Ladakh, near which the first Ice Stupa was opened and successfully operated. (A stupa is such a Buddhist Buddhist sanctuary.) Five years ago, the luminary of Indian science, Sonam Wangchuk, was walking in his native Ladakh and suddenly saw ice that had not melted in May. The ice chilled under the bridge in the shade.
The scientist soon came up with a brilliant idea. In autumn and winter, when there is water in the mountains, it is enough to build a cunning water supply system leading down. The water will gush and freeze on the fly, collecting in ice towers 30-50 meters high. The towers should be located in the shadow of the mountains, then they will withstand the spring and will distribute melt water until June.
It would seem like a tiny reprieve to drought. But it is important for farmers, who will now always keep up with sowing. Sonam raised $ 125,000 online and froze the Ice Stupa outside Payang Gompa Monastery. Everyone loved it so much that orders from all over the world were sent (Wangchuk plans to build another fifty such ice mountains).