According to an adage, the Taj Mahal looks pink in the morning, white at night, and golden under the moon. In 2010, when I first saw this magnificent building, it was clear that this was no longer the case.
In Agra day tour packages, you will find Rising pollution levels and rubbish fires have rapidly accelerated the Taj Mahal's darkening during the past 10–20 years. It hasn't helped that the government hasn't fixed up the marble statue.
A petition was created in 2018 by Indian citizens requesting that their government either repair the Taj Mahal or order its destruction. The historical and cultural value of the Taj Mahal lies at the heart of the advocacy and support for its restoration.
A Forever Icon of Romance
Agra day tour is the best option to cherish the beauty of the Taj Mahal. After his wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal, died in childbirth in 1631 A.D., Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan dedicated the Taj Mahal as a memorial to her. Both her and Shah Jahan's tombs can be found within the building.
The years 1628-1658 fall within Shah Jahan's reign. Between the years 1632 and 1647, this is when historians believe the monument was constructed. It took more than 15 years and the labour of up to 20,000 people, including stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, and dome builders, to complete the work of devotion and love.
Craftspeople travelled to India from countries like Europe, Persia, and the Ottoman territories in Asia. The monument is significant because of the many architectural advances during Shah Jahan's reign.
Optical trickery played a role in the creation of the Taj Mahal. The memorial seems both close and massive as you approach its entrance. However, its size decreases as you approach it. There is a stunning contrast between the arches and domes of the Taj and the surrounding greenery, blue skies, and scarlet paths that lead up to the monument.
The ever-altering hues of its walls give the building an ethereal, magical quality, while the near-perfect symmetry throughout gives off an aura of tranquillity and harmony. Beautiful calligraphy depicting Islamic concepts of judgment and rewards adorns the interior of the Taj.
The garden and the reflecting pool of the Taj Mahal are essential parts of the site, with their symbolic connotations complementing the monument itself. It is stated that the garden is a miniature version of heaven on Earth, with all of its splendour and perfection preserved. Those who dip their heads into the pool should emerge with clearer eyes.
Only Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan's graves remain inside the grand edifice today. Many people consider it the finest piece of Indo-Islamic architecture ever built. One of the best depictions of India's culture and history. Ex-Indian Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam reportedly called the Taj Mahal "India's pride." As such, it is a sorrow for the people of India that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating.
Destruction of a Work of Art
Professor of environmental engineering at Duke University Mike Bergin says, "The Taj is known for its amazing white marble, but that has changed." Bergin claims the Taj Mahal's brownish hue has become increasingly noticeable over the previous two decades. Why, therefore, is this once-glorious structure deteriorating before our very eyes?
Pollutants and dust combine to cover its surface. Black carbon accounts for only 3% of all surface contaminants, brown carbon makes up 30%, and dust makes up the remainder, according to a 2015 study.
According to Bergin, the different combustion sources in and around Agra are to blame for this particle pollution. Debris, manure, crop waste, and fossil fuels are all fair game for incineration. Most brown carbon comes from biomass burning and trash incineration, while most black carbon comes from cars and trucks.
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