Devastating thunderstorm damaged some parts of Taj Mahal
A devastating storm of 135 km per hour damaged the pillars of the royal and southern gates of the Taj Mahal.
A north-west pillar on top of the royal gate and a flower vase in stone and a brass filial were brought down in the thunderstorm, said conservation assistant of the Archaeological Survey of India at Taj Mahal.
Similar, at the southern gate too, a portion of the wall of Rewti Ka Bada got damaged when a tree fell on it. A red sand stone flower vase at Sahindi Begum Makbara also broke and fell.
The good news is that no damage has been assessed on the main monument made of white marble and no tourists were injured at the Taj Mahal.
The city too faced similar consequences as many trees and electricity poles were uprooted.
Tomorrow, 363rd annual ‘Urs’ or death anniversary of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal to immortalize his love for his queen Mumtaz Mahal, will be observed at Taj Mahal in Agra from 13th April to 15th April 2018.
The original graves of the royal couple, located deep down in the monument, will be thrown open for public viewing and entry to the monument shall be free for all. It is only during the annual Urs that tourists can get to see the original graves. For the rest of the year, the replicas of the graves are open for public viewing. On April 13 and 14, tourists’ entry will be free from 2 pm onward and on the last day of the Urs, April 15, entry will be free from morning till evening.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World which is considered as the most photogenic destinations of India. It is one of the most exquisite structures ever built by any emperor. It was constructed by the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the fond memory of his favorite wife Mumtaj Mahal. The Taj Mahal in terms of architecture, is one of the most symmetrical structures in the world, constructed using pure white marble and adorned with precious and semi precious stones. The construction started in 1631 and got completed in 1653 AD; 20,000 workers worked day and night together for 22 years.
Devastating thunderstorm damaged some parts of Taj Mahal
