How India’s Taj Mahal is under threat
<p>It’s one of the world’s favourite monuments to love, but it seems India’s Taj Mahal could use a little love itself.</p>
<p>For almost 20 years the Indian government has been acutely aware that the Taj Mahal was in danger. When it was completed in 1648, the vast mausoleum had walls of gleaming white marble. In modern times the walls have gradually been turning yellow as a result of air pollution caused by traffic, illegal construction and a wood-burning crematorium nearby. Increasing demand for water in the fast-growing city of Agra has affected the underground watertable, destabilising the foundations.</p>
<p>In 1998 the Indian government launched a multi-million dollar program aimed at cleaning and preserving the country’s most famous monument. At the program’s launch, then President Bill Clinton said pollution had done "what 350 years of wars, invasions and natural disasters have failed to do [and] begun to mar the magnificent walls of the Taj Mahal".</p>
<p>Unfortunately, after a decade the program had been largely unsuccessful and the magnificent walls were still under constant threat. And now, the monument is facing a new threat – insect droppings.</p>
<p>Authorities recently began to notice strange green patches along the back wall of the Taj Mahal that sits on the banks of the heavily polluted Yamuna River. Toxins in the river have spurred a huge growth of algae, which in turn has led to a surge in the number of insects feeding on it. The river is so polluted that it no longer supports the fish that would normally keep these insects in check. All this adds up to swarms of insects crawling across the intricate marble inlay work and leaving behind patches of waste.</p>
<p>Workers clean the walls daily to remove the marks, though this could be part of the problem. Regular scrubbing can damage the shiny marble surface and floral mosaics, leading to permanent disfigurement.</p>
<p>If the Taj Mahal were to be permanently damaged it would be a huge loss both for the world and for India. More than four million visitors each year are drawn to the mausoleum, making it India’s top tourist attraction and an important source of national revenue. Only time will tell if the monument can be saved.</p>
<p>Have you ever visited the Taj Mahal? Or have you taken a journey around the subcontinent? How did you find the experience?</p>
<p>Let us know in the comments.</p>
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