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The Taj Mahal is wasting away, and it may soon hit the point of no return
The Conversation UK ^ | August 10, 2018 | Carolyn Roberts, Keele University

Posted on 08/13/2018 8:55:29 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

The saying goes that the Taj Mahal is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening, and golden when the moon shines. Though this may once have been true for the famously pristine marble monument, a mixture of pollution and poor management has now burdened the Taj with a 24-hour layer of yellowy-brown. Condemning the "lethargy" of restoration efforts, India's Supreme Court recently told the government to restore the Taj or demolish it.

Located in Agra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal is one of the most iconically beautiful buildings in the world. Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a testament to his grief, following the death of his first wife Mumtaz Mahal, Rabindranath Tagore called it "a tear running down the cheek of time".

The Taj was constructed of translucent white marble, brought to Agra from the north-west Indian region of Rajasthan. It was then inlaid with semiprecious stones, including jasper, jade, turquoise, lapis lazuli, sapphire and carnelian. The whole riverside complex, including the gardens and surrounding sandstone walls, was finished in 1653...

Allegedly, excrement from the many insects that thrive in the contaminated river water has hastened the damage, but the effect is surely negligible compared to that of fossil fuel-derived sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Since 1998, a range of Indian research institutes have explored restoration methods, and millions have been spent trying to reverse the discolouration. One attempt involved smothering the Taj with damp clay poultices similar to face packs. It was hoped they would draw the damaging acids out of the surface layers of marble, but, if anything, they seem to have made the situation worse.

(Excerpt) Read more at theconversation.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: agra; godsgravesglyphs; india; rajasthan; tajmahal; uttarpradesh
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To: lee martell

“The known world is too big to limit the top to only seven.”

#8 Hillary still walks free


21 posted on 08/13/2018 9:32:26 PM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: SunkenCiv

Taj Ma-Hut


22 posted on 08/13/2018 9:37:23 PM PDT by DanielRedfoot (Hate is the new Love... ~ hug a snowflake)
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To: Reno89519
but surrounding it is one of the filthiest places in the world

Never been there, but most all I have read about India sounds like that.

A shame, they have such intelligent people (no help line jokes) but their squalor just seems beyond them.

Of course, San Fagsicko is in the running there, they both have massive public defecation issues.

23 posted on 08/13/2018 9:41:53 PM PDT by doorgunner69 (Give me the liberty to take care of my own security..........)
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To: SunkenCiv
but the effect is surely negligible compared to that of fossil fuel-derived sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Ah yes. This may be the whole idea behind the article. I wonder if the rats will try to use this as grounds for impeachment? 😇

24 posted on 08/13/2018 9:54:20 PM PDT by Mark17 (Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning GOD....And the rest, as they say, is HIS-story)
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To: SunkenCiv

Pantheon has an odd portico that suggests a change during construction.


25 posted on 08/13/2018 10:05:43 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: SunkenCiv

It’s worth right-clicking that image and selecting Open Image in New Tab. In the new tab, click the mouse, so you can pan around at full resolution. Its native size is 3435x2582.


26 posted on 08/13/2018 10:05:56 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: SunkenCiv

I have seen six of the New Seven Wonders, and while Christ the Redeemer is remarkable, it is not as impressive as the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Acropolis.


27 posted on 08/13/2018 10:09:53 PM PDT by Blue House Sue
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To: SunkenCiv

We have an army of so-called “best & brightest” Indians here on guest worker visas. It’s time to ship the “best & brightest” home to work on this difficult problem.

You can ship Kansas Rep. Kevin Yoder out as well, given his concern for these workers over US citizens.


28 posted on 08/13/2018 10:13:42 PM PDT by bobcat62
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To: SunkenCiv

“demolish it.”

I guess we are not the only ones with out of control judges.


29 posted on 08/13/2018 10:27:31 PM PDT by BeauBo
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To: SunkenCiv

It would be dismissed today as “too phallic”...


30 posted on 08/13/2018 11:42:35 PM PDT by OrangeHoof (CNN - the most busted name in news.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Taj Mahal is wasting away,

Hey, give the guy a break, he's 76.

31 posted on 08/14/2018 1:20:43 AM PDT by Hugin ("I fear for Hugin that he will not come back, yet I tremble more for Munin.")
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To: SunkenCiv

>>India’s Supreme Court recently told the government to restore the Taj or demolish it.

tear it down, put up a Starbucks, Panera, and townhomes.

Seems to be the way of things everywhere else


32 posted on 08/14/2018 4:21:02 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
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To: SunkenCiv

Astrodome was called the eighth wonder of the world


33 posted on 08/14/2018 4:22:45 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
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To: SunkenCiv

How about Angor Wat?


34 posted on 08/14/2018 5:14:49 AM PDT by reed13k
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To: SunkenCiv

So does Tijeras.


35 posted on 08/14/2018 5:19:04 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: SunkenCiv

A world tragedy.


36 posted on 08/14/2018 5:56:05 AM PDT by ZULU (MAGA)
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To: ifinnegan

“The Jewell of Muslim Art in India.”

Nah...Designed/built by INDIAN TALENT !

Paid for by a MUZZY tyrant


37 posted on 08/14/2018 6:00:52 AM PDT by litehaus (A memory toooo long.............)
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To: Reno89519
I was there in 1997. The grounds are immaculate, but surrounding it is one of the filthiest places in the world.

I have a friend who took his wife there for their anniversary. He agrees with you. Says he stepped in a pile of camel dung and then realized "My God, these people have nuclear capability!"


38 posted on 08/14/2018 7:19:50 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Buckeye McFrog

We have spent several weeks in India...twice. Like most countries India has “contrasts”. Those who expect USA cleanliness there will be disappointed for the most part. That is true in most countries. However, there is great beauty and wonderful areas in India also. As to stepping into a pile of camel dung...when we came across camel, cow or whatever dung, we stepped aside. When we visited the Taj Mahal a few years ago we found it to be beautiful and not obviously damage by pollution and so forth. The area outside the Taj Mahal compound were India...a land of great contrasts. The article is mostly fake news, playing on people’s’ naivete.


39 posted on 08/14/2018 7:33:31 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: SunkenCiv
Plus, India still has The Plague.

So does the western US.

Thanks, San Fransisco...

40 posted on 08/14/2018 7:52:29 AM PDT by null and void (The only people opposing voter ID are people who benefit from voter fraud.)
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