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Taj Mahal is tilting and may sink
The Taj Mahal , India’s biggest tourist draw, might already be tilting and may even crumble or sink if the government does not restore its original ecological settings.
Two noted historians have warned that the bed of the river Yamuna must be re-filled with water if the world’s most famous monument, built on its banks, is to be saved. The Taj Mahal is celebrating its 350th anniversary this year. Built with high quality white marble, it came up in the 17th century and is known as the monument of love.
“Dangerous tilts in its minarets, first noticed as early as 1942 and mentioned in various reports, have continued to increase over the years. They are caused by the dry river bed,” Ram Nath, a former head of Rajasthan University’s history department, told IANS.
“The river forms an integral part of the monument’s design. All available historical records indicate that the Yamuna was always full of water and extensively used for transport. Even Shahjahan’s body was brought to the Taj from the Agra Fort in a boat,” he said.
“There was also a sprawling water body between the fort and the Taj, formed by the confluence of the Yamuna and a smaller river from Rajasthan. It ensured that there was always some 30-40 feet of water around the monument. Today this body has been reduced to the Mantola Nullah (a small drain),” he added.
If remedial measures were not taken soon, the monument would start sinking, he warned. Agam Prasad Mathur, a former vice chancellor of Agra University, agreed.“Yamuna used to be full of water to maintain the monument’s balance and absorb tectonic shocks. Now that the river bed is dry, the Taj is exposed to the elements,” he said.
Both historians said the government must focus on preserving the monument instead of just exploiting its tremendous tourist appeal.
“And if the Taj is to be preserved for posterity, the Yamuna must be rescued first,” they added.
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