Have you ever wondered of visiting Taj Mahal? If yes, then probably it’s now or never. Taj Mahal is an iconic monument situated on the south bank of river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra (Delhi). It is “the jewel of Mughal art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”.
Built by Shah Jahan, the Tomb with four minarets was even declared the winner of the New7Wonders of the world in the year 2007. The structure with an estimated cost of around 32 million rupees (1653) attracted millions of tourists every year but now is on the edge of dying.
Over the years pollution level of the city Agra has reached its extreme with a 460 ppm in the air (2017), almost nine times the normal range making the air extremely hazardous to breathe in. The atmosphere of Agra has led to the change in colour of Taj initially from white to Yellowish and now brownish.
The particles in the polluted air are oxidising the ivory-white marble, creating a layer of brown splotches made up of totally different material every day. River Yamuna, also known for adding charm to the mausoleum, has now become a home of a variety of insects which are also attacking Taj Mahal to destroy its beauty.
Another reason for the fading colour of the iconic structure can be “Iron”. Iron, which was earlier used to give support to the structure has now rusted, and a new layer of rusted metal has started depositing on the surface of white marble. Due to the negligence of the Indian government, the walls of one of the most beautiful structures in the world have started cracking. Its minarets are tilting, and the stones and materials are falling.
Is this how the world-famous masterpiece, which stood in its place for 370 years, surviving wars and natural disasters, was destined to end? The government has started taking measures, but if we want our legacy to be preserved, we need to keep the city and Yamuna River clean and pollution-free. The NDA government is moving far ahead with the Swachh Bharat Mission, but what about our monuments. They speak a lot about our history and the evolution of current India. Let us all come forward to protect this beautiful “Crown Of Palaces”.
