With its gleaming dome and graceful spires, the Taj Mahal is one of the world's most recognizable buildings. So when its iconic dome started being damaged, Indian officials took action. On Monday India’s Supreme Court ordered a state government to make changes in order to protect the national treasure.
Resting on the banks of the Yamuna River in the city of Agra, 17th-century Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal to house the tomb of his favorite wife. Both are buried there.
More than 3 million tourists visit the famous marble burial vault every year. But the once pearly white Taj is turning an unsightly shade of yellow. Experts say air pollution from acid rain, burning cow dung, and funeral fires is to blame.
Earlier this year, the government banned the burning of cow dung fuel cakes by city residents.
Supreme Court judges told the government of India’s Uttar Pradesh state to either move a wood-burning crematorium away from the Taj Mahal or install an electric one in its place. The judges hope the move will protect the iconic monument from further damage.
