The Taj Mahal in Agra has been in the news this week for all the wrong reasons. From temporarily passing an order to restrict visitor entry into the main crypt of the Taj Mahal to proposing daily limits on Indian visitors to the monument to 40,000, there has been much news ink spilled over the fate of one of the world's most recognised and visited tourist spot.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, cited as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage” has now made it to Fodor's Travel list of ‘No Visit Sites of 2018'. The reason? The facelift work commenced by the ASI to spruce up the ageing surface of the Taj Mahal. Air pollution has turned the ivory-white surface of the monument yellow and the authorities are using “mud pack” (fuller's earth, any clay material that has the capability to decolorize oil or other liquids without chemical treatment) for this purpose.
The work is not yet completed. As reported by The Guardian, “The clay forms a thick paste that absorbs dirt, grease and animal droppings, and is washed off with distilled water, leaving the surface relatively pristine. The process is time-consuming, however.”
While many of us have visited the monument at least once, there are millions more who haven't experienced the wonder of the ode to love. Here are stunning photographs of the Taj Mahal, from dawn to dusk.
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