India's iconic Taj Mahal is undergoing a major restoration,
in which the structure will be covered in scaffolding over the course of a year. Workers will apply a mud-pack treatment to renew the marble exterior to a brighter shade of white.
The 377-year-old Unesco World Heritage Site is the main draw
for many tourists to India, but the white marble facade has been yellowing over
time. Thus, following the restoration of the outer minarets, which were covered
in scaffolding last year, the main dome and central structure are now being
packed with mud -- a process intended to clean the marble and ultimately make
it whiter.
The Times of India reported that the mud-pack treatment is a
first for the Taj Mahal.
"In all likelihood, the entire dome will be obscured by
iron scaffolding and during the actual cleaning process, portions of the white
marble facade will be covered in mud and sheets for two to three days at a
time. This process will be carried out in sections and the work on the dome is
expected to last a year," Grand Rapids, Mich.-based A&S Signature Journeys
wrote in an email to clients.
In an effort to assist travelers in getting a nice
photograph of the Taj Mahal, A&S Signature Journeys said that while the work
is being done, it will be taking guests to the Mehtab Bagh area, which is
behind the Taj Mahal on the other side of the Yamuna River.
Intrepid Travel is also letting travelers know via its blog
that views of the famous dome will be obscured for a while.
"Obviously, this will put a bit of a crimp in your
plans to snap the ultimate #TajMahal selfie," the tour operator wrote on
its site, adding that "there's a whole lot more to India than a single
building, no matter how good it looks through an Insta filter." Intrepid
Travel then outlined numerous other India attractions.
Intrepid informed travelers that its India trips will still run
and that it will continue to include visits to the Taj Mahal.
However, Intrepid added, "If a pristine Taj is vitally important
to you, it might be best to wait until after April 2018 before visiting Agra."
A&S Signature Journeys provided a probable
timeline for execution of the work:
• Southern Façade, Taj
Mahal: June-August 2017
• South East Minaret,
Taj Mahal: June-August 2017
• South West façade,
Taj Mahal: June-August 2017
• Northern Façade, Taj
Mahal: August-October 2017
• Western Façade, Taj
Mahal: October-December 2017
• Wall of peripheri,
Sheesh Mahal, Taj Mahal: November 2017-January 2018
• Four Chhatri's at
roof of main mausoleum, Taj Mahal: January-April 2018
The Taj Mahal draws some 8 million tourists each year, and
it will remain open during the entire course of the restoration.