The Taj Mahal is a massive mausoleum made of marble built by Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife in 1631 to 1648 in Agra, India. Throughout the years, the white to yellowish color of the mausoleum was preserved in its pristine glory, but recent photographs show that the Taj Mahal is turning green, alarming officials and tourists alike.
Experts say that fecal matter from insects originating from the neighboring Yamuna river is causing the desecration of the monument.
The Taj Mahal is considered as one of the world's Unesco heritage sites. It is also one of the most visited tourist landmarks in India due to its size and overwhelmingly beautiful façade. Thousands of tourists visit the site yearly, including famous personalities like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who were recently photographed in front of the Taj Mahal. But authorities are afraid that the insect poop, which turns Taj Mahal into green, will result to lesser tourists and lesser income as well.
Experts found out that the insect, called Chironomus Calligraphus (Geoldichironomus), is causing the problem. The mosquito-like flies found breeding on the polluted Yamuna River excrete their poop on the nooks and crannies of the building turning the surface into green.
"Fifty-two drains are pouring waste directly into the river and just behind the monument, Yamuna has become so stagnant that fish that earlier kept insect populations in check are dying. This allows pests to proliferate in the river," said DK Joshi, an environmental activist in an interview with BBC.
Joshi filed a formal petition in the National Green Tribunal in India to combat the breeding of pests in the Yamuna River. He said one possible solution to the problem is to clean up the river.
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) said that poop and stain can be washed off from the marble.
"A series of marble panels depicting plant motifs on the walls or reflective tiles used in this part of the monument are becoming disfigured," said Bhuvan Vikram of ASI, in an interview with The Guardian. But environmental activists like Joshi, prefer long-term solutions saying that it is better than scrubbing every inch on the monument to get rid of insect excretions which would eventually manifest again.
The Indian government is already looking at ways to solve this problem. But cleaning the river entails a lot of work on their part. Algae proliferate on the river due to the ash of crematoriums dumped into the river. These algae are food for the insects, said the Department of Entomology at St. John's College in Northern Agra.
To solve this problem, not only should the polluted river be cleaned, but the way of life for business surrounding the river should change as well. It may sound difficult but if the determination is there to preserve the national monument, then it can, and should be accomplished at all cost.