Comparing the melting of Himalayan permafrost to the loosening of Lord Shiva's locks that once held the Ganga in check, climate author Mridula Ramesh has warned that rising temperatures are destabilising the mountains' natural systems, increasing the risks of floods and water shortages.

Speaking at the just-concluded 11th edition of the "Himalayan Echoes", a literature and arts festival, on Saturday, the award-winning author said the mythology of the Ganga's descent offered a powerful analogy for the changes unfolding in the Himalayas.