LUCKNOW: Concerns have been raised over potential damage to the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, India, as the Yamuna river, which runs through the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, has risen to lap the compound walls of the 17th-century white marble monument.
The increased water level in the Yamuna is a result of unusually heavy rain in northern India, including Uttar Pradesh.
The state has experienced 108 percent of its normal rainfall since the beginning of the four-month monsoon season on June 1. The Central Water Commission (CWC) of India reported that the portion of the river flowing alongside the Taj Mahal reached a level of 152 meters on Tuesday evening, surpassing the warning level of 151.4 meters. The dangerous level is considered to be 152.4 meters.
Flood Water Surrounds Taj Mahal
According to local media, the last time the river reached the walls of the Taj Mahal was 45 years ago in 1978. CWC data also shows that in that year, the river’s highest flood level near the monument was recorded at 154.76 meters.
Visuals from the area on Tuesday revealed the red sandstone boundary wall of the Taj Mahal surrounded by muddy water, while the mausoleum itself remained untouched by the rising river.
Officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), responsible for the Taj Mahal’s preservation, stated that there is currently “no serious concern” about the monument. However, they mentioned that if the water level remains high or if there is more rainfall, the situation will need to be reassessed. Other nearby monuments and gardens, closer to the banks of the Yamuna, have already been submerged and damaged. These include the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, known as the “baby Taj,” and Mehtab Bagh, both dating back to the same period, which has suffered structural damage and complete destruction of its garden area due to being underwater.
