KANJI – Tsuglag-khang
Roof Repair Works
by John Harrison (JH)
During the painting conservators’ work in Kanji in July, a drip mark down the paintings had been noted at the east side of the temple. This had presumably occurred during the previous winter.
Mauro Bertagnin and John Harrison visited Kanji with Edoardo Zentner in August, and inspection of the roof revealed a 1cm gap between the roof covering and the parapet wall, where the earth and markalak roof had shrunk on drying out. The leak had not occurred where I expected, below the water spout, but further north, halfway between the centre beam and the north wall.
The markalak was cut out adjacent to the parapet along the east side, and filled with a 2-1-1 markalak-earth-straw mix. A coving was then formed with small flat stones and a kalak-straw mix cover.
JH returned to Kanji at the end of September, and continued this treatment around the north and west sides of the roof. The top kalak roof covering was cut out to expose the markalak waterproofing layer and the shrinkage crack. The wall plaster on the north wall, affected by shrinkage cracks, was cut back at the bottom. The roof edge crack was filled with 1-1-1 markalak-earth-straw mix, small stones laid to form a coping, and then covered with a kalak-straw mix, trowelled up to the wall plaster.
The main roof covering was relaid to improve the fall to the water spout, 20mm at the east rising to 70mm at the west, with kalak carefully shaped into the wooden water spout. The mix was: earth from broken pagbu on site: black river sand with very small pebbles; markalak; straw; approximately 2-2-1-1.
The south edge of the entrance wall top was reduced in height and sloped to the south. The markalak edge shrinkage crack to the porch roof was opened up and filled as above.
Mistrys and village or migrant labour were not available when I was in Kanji, as everyone was busy with the harvest. I left money with Kunchok Tinlas for rough plastering of the inner walls of the parapet when the Mistry was available, in order to provide an additional protective layer and to cover the top of the new coving. I decided to retain the projecting taloo ends in the north and west parapet walls to create a weather drip with yamang (slate) and kalak: this work to be done next year.
Future Maintenance
This problem at Kanji has underlined the need for Achi to consider the future maintenance, and the constant vulnerability, of traditional flat earth roofs in Ladakh. Social conditions are changing, and with the arrival of perceived quick-fix solutions such as cement and tin sheets, we cannot rely on the continuation of regular maintenance.
At Kanji, should we consider the reinstatement of the upper roof? Perhaps with the incorporation of a plastic membrane as there would be no internal climate factors to consider? It is noteworthy that wall-paintings have survived in good condition where there is double roof protection: at Photoksar, and at Lalung in Spiti.