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Lake-fill deposits spanning the last 15,000 years provide the first dated record of changes in vegetation, human inhabitation and monsoon variability during the latest Pleistocene-Holocene in the Ganga Plain. The lake vegetation, pollen of plants cultured by man, carbon isotopes and lithology exhibit marked changes with changing monsoon rainfall. A relatively dry spell for 15,000-13,000 C-14 yrs BP humid conditions from 13,000 to 5800 14C yrs BP and again dry conditions from 5000 to 2000 14C yrs BP are identified. From -1700 C-14 yr BP, there is evidence of climatic amelioration. A prominent dry spell corresponding to the Younger Dryas event is identified around an estimated age of 11,500-10,500 C-14 yrs BP and is accompanied by evidences of decreased human activity during this phase.