Climate author and entrepreneur Mridula Ramesh has warned that rising temperatures are melting Himalayan permafrost, weakening mountain slopes and increasing the risks of landslides and floods. Comparing the changes to Lord Shiva's loosening locks, she also explained how earlier snowmelt could leave less water for summer.
Himalayan mountains are losing one of their natural systems of support as rising temperatures melt permafrost that holds soil and rocks together, climate author Mridula Ramesh has warned. Comparing the changes to Lord Shiva's loosening locks that once restrained the force of the Ganga, she cautioned that the weakening mountain ecosystem could increase the risks of landslides, floods and water shortages.
Ramesh also warned that changing rainfall patterns and earlier snowmelt could create a difficult combination for communities dependent on Himalayan rivers. While heavier rainfall could increase flooding, the loss of snow as natural water storage could leave less water available during the summer months. She said warming and more intense rainfall were conditions people would have to plan for.
Speaking at the 11th edition of the Himalayan Echoes literature and arts festival in Nainital, Ramesh used the mythology of the Ganga's descent to explain the changes taking place in the Himalayas.
According to the legend, Lord Shiva contained the force of the Ganga in his matted locks before gradually allowing the river to flow through smaller streams.
Ramesh used this imagery to describe how the Himalayas' natural systems were losing their ability to regulate environmental changes.
"Think of the Ganga. She is headstrong. The one thing she doesn't like is restraint. But the permafrost is melting, the analogy is, Shiva's locks are loosened," she said.
The comparison was meant to explain the consequences of losing a natural structure that helps maintain stability in the high mountains.
Permafrost is soil, rock or sediment that remains frozen for at least two consecutive years. In the Himalayas, it acts like cement, holding together the material that makes up mountain slopes.
When temperatures rise and this frozen material thaws, the ground can become unstable. This increases the possibility of landslides and other glacier-related disasters.
The concern, therefore, is not limited to the disappearance of ice. The thawing of frozen ground can also weaken the physical structures that help keep mountain slopes intact.
Ramesh also highlighted how rising temperatures could change the way rainfall occurs in the Himalayan region.
Warmer air can hold more moisture. This can result in fewer rainy days, with heavier rainfall concentrated into shorter periods.
Such changes can create difficult conditions for mountain regions, where intense rainfall can increase the risk of floods and landslides.
The problem is that water availability does not depend only on how much rain a region receives. The timing and intensity of rainfall also matter.
Fewer rainy days followed by episodes of intense precipitation can create a situation in which large quantities of water arrive within a short period, increasing flood risks.
Ramesh said warming and the intensification of rainfall were challenges people would have to prepare for.
"Unfortunately, warming and intensification of rainfall is something we have to live with. And something we have to hope and plan for," she said.
Her warning also highlighted the need to prepare for changing weather patterns rather than treating floods and water shortages as separate concerns.
Another concern raised by Ramesh was the changing role of Himalayan snow in maintaining water availability throughout the year.
Snow acts as a natural storage system for water. Instead of immediately flowing into rivers, it remains frozen and melts gradually as temperatures rise.
This helps regulate the flow of water across different seasons.
However, warmer conditions can cause snow to melt earlier than usual. As a result, more water enters rivers during the earlier part of the year, potentially leaving less available during the summer months.
This creates a seasonal imbalance. Even when rivers receive more water earlier in the year, that does not necessarily mean water will remain equally available later.
The issue is particularly important for communities and regions that depend on Himalayan rivers for their water requirements.
Together with more intense rainfall, these changes could make water management and disaster preparedness increasingly difficult.
Beyond describing the risks facing the Himalayas, Ramesh also spoke about how countries could accelerate the transition to cleaner energy.
She argued that capitalism, competition and market-driven innovation were essential to making renewable energy affordable and expanding its adoption.
"Without capitalism, you've lost the plot. If you don't swap capitalism, you've lost the battle," she said.
She pointed to India's solar energy and LED lighting revolutions as examples of how competition and technological innovation could bring down costs.
Ramesh also cited electric vehicles as an example of how technologies that once appeared commercially unrealistic could become increasingly affordable over a relatively short period.
"Look at solar. It's become affordable," she said.
Her argument was that clean energy solutions needed to become economically attractive to businesses and consumers if they were to be adopted at scale.
Ramesh, who is an entrepreneur and angel investor in several cleantech startups, also shared an example from her own business.
She said her factory now operates on more than 90% renewable power, adding that the economics of renewable energy made it a practical choice.
"That's the only reason it makes sense. It doesn't make sense for me to go and buy coal, thermal power today," she said.
Ramesh is a climate author, entrepreneur and investor based in Madurai. She is the founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute and has invested in multiple cleantech startups.
She received this year's Himalayan Echoes Nature Prize for her work and contribution to climate-related discussions.
Her comments came during the 11th edition of Himalayan Echoes, a two-day literature and arts festival held in Nainital, which focuses on literature and nature.
The festival featured several speakers, including best-selling author Amish, Bhutanese novelist Chador Wangmo, Swiss author Benjamin Viatte and mythologist Sunita Pant Bansal.
The event concluded on Saturday, with discussions spanning literature, culture, mythology and environmental concerns.
