Taj Mahal's dome leak due to cracks in metal set due to rust: ASI

AGRA: News of the Taj Mahal in Agra being afflicted by water seepage and dampness within its main tombs of emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, as reported by TOI on Friday, quickly spread in India and beyond, with lovers of the monument expressing shock. The development followed a prolonged period of rainfall in Agra, after which experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) led a comprehensive inspection of the tombs' roof and dome.
A senior ASI official told TOI on Saturday: "Survey of the main dome was conducted using a drone. Rust was observed on the base of the finial. This rust formation could have led to the development of cracks in the stone, causing water seepage. Repair work of this crack will now be undertaken to prevent future water leakage. Moisture was observed inside the main tombs, indicating the possibility of a fine crack on the stones of the dome."
Superintending archaeologist Rajkumar Patel added, "Metal swelling due to rusting developed the possibility of a hairline crack. An investigation is in progress. As the surface of the dome gets dry, the process of grouting and packing will be initiated. It will take some time for dampness to subside from the walls of the mail mausoleum."
Interestingly, Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, purportedly had its first recorded instance of seepage way back in 1652. Then, Prince Aurangzeb wrote a long and agonising letter reporting that water was dripping from two places on the northern side of the dome. During the British era, in 1872, repair was carried out under supervision of engineer JW Alexander. And in 1924, the wall of nearby Bagh Khan-i-Alam collapsed, and repairs were done there too. Later, in 1928, the royal mosque of the Taj saw some leakage, and was rectified by making it waterproof. Some years later, in 1941, work was done again to prevent leakage on the main dome, while during the massive floods of 1978, underground chambers of the Taj suffered damage, leading to restoration of both the dome and the subterranean rooms.
The main tomb is adorned with a double dome structure. The upper dome is crowned with a finial made of copper and coated with a layer of gold. Historian Raj Kishore Raje, author of ‘Tavarikh- A-Agra', a book based on the history of Agra, said, "The original finial was 30-feet-high. It was made of gold. It weighed about 466kg. In 1810, British officer Joseph Taylor got it replaced with a gold-plated copper structure. The finial was again replaced in 1876 and 1940."
Agra Fort, another historical monument, has also been impacted by "water infiltration". On Friday, senior conservation assistant at ASI, Kalandar Bind, conducted inspection of the various structures inside the fort, including the Musamman Burj, Diwan-e-Aam, Moti Masjid and Khas Mahal. During the examination, seepage was noticed in Khas Mahal, necessitating immediate attention to preserve the architectural integrity of the key structure.