Everything that has been created on this earth will decay and die: that is a fundamental law of nature. Creation is followed by a brief span of existence that is followed only by an end. Existence may be as brief as the life of a butterfly, or it may last as long as mountains — but none escapes death. In the conservation of our nation’s heritage — our buildings of historic beauty and objects of cultural significance — we need to recognize that they too fall under the diktat of nature. The five elements of nature cause their own forms of decay and degradation.

The heat of the sun and the changing climate have enormous, often unperceived, effects on the fabric of our buildings and monuments. Stone, wood and metals all are affected by the climatic changes. Extreme changes between night and day temperatures also cause quick contraction and expansion of matter, such as on stone, leading to the formation of cracks and crevices. Once a crack is formed then the other elements soon fill it in with water, dust and living matter that then lead to further decay and deterioration of the fabric of the buildings.

From heat to water

Water is a blessing that has its own manner of facilitating decay. Water, constantly dripping, on even the hardest stone, can make it disappear. In a country like India, where excessive monsoon water can collect in clogged drains, form puddles and pools on the roof of buildings, it becomes an important agent of harm to our monuments. Water slowly seeps through the walls forming wet patches and the deterioration of a fine historic building can begin. Water seeps through cracks and acts as a solvent absorbing the binding materials, making it brittle or ballooning it out in the well-known “papad effect”. When the heat begins after the monsoon, the fabric of the building dries and plaster flakes off. As cracks and crevices get larger the bricks and stones get loose and the building begins to crumble from within.

The rise and fall of ground water can also damage buildings. These days when everyone is illegally making tubewells and extracting water from the earth’s natural reserves, the fall of groundwater levels occurs with greater frequency. When groundwater levels drop considerably they form great cavities in the earth that make the foundation of the building, especially a tall or heavy one, more vulnerable to collapse. With the rise of ground water through capillary action and evaporation and the change of the concentration of the porosity of the soil, the salt from the water leaves scars on the structure, as in the magnificent ruins of Mohenjodaro. Snowfall, though beautiful to watch, can add heavy weight and pressure on the roofs of buildings, causing it to fall or break.

Wrong place to grow

Water also brings with it life and revitalization of dormant nature. This life-bringing water causes plant life to grow in drains and crevices of buildings. If left unchecked the roots of the tree, or weed can spread and severely damage historic ancient monuments. Water flows into narrow cracks and roots search out the water, growing larger everyday and making the fissure bigger and the building more vulnerable.

The pipal tree under which the Buddha attained his enlightenment has a sturdy seed that takes root almost anywhere and seems to have a fondness for historic structures. There are many gardeners in India who are unwilling to uproot a pipal seedling. The idea of killing a sacred tree is considered a sin, and rightly so, except when it is dangling from an ancient structure. A pipal tree growing through a crack of a building can cause enormous harm. The temple of Itonda in West Bengal was completely dwarfed by a giant tree and the ruins of Ankor Wat by a forest that overtook it centuries ago.

We need to know also that one action of nature in one place can have a damaging effect in another. Harnessing water on one side can have damaging results on another. Did the damming of the Narmada cause the earth to quake in Gujarat? Will your water consumption today effect the foundations of beautiful buildings of your city tomorrow?