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Sunday, June 8, 2014

India to use mudpack to tackle Taj Mahal grime - Telegraph.co.uk


It is the fourth time since 1994 that the Taj Mahal, designated by the UN as a World Monument, will have undergone the treatment, according to Indian officials.




"Due to increasing pollution in the city, the white marble is yellowing and is losing its sheen. To restore the natural look of the monument the chemical wing of the Archaeological Survey has started preparations for a mud-pack treatment," said B M Bhatnagar, a senior official in India's Archaeological Survey.




The 2mm-thick layer of lime-rich clay is modelled on a traditional beauty cleansing treatment used by Indian women who apply 'Multani mitti' (Fuller's earth) on their faces to retain the skin's glow, said Mr Bhatnagar.


"When it dries the flakes are removed from the surface with soft nylon brushes and washed with distilled water to remove impurities sticking to the surface," he said.


While the maiden mud-pack treatment of Taj took place in 1994, the second one was given in 2001. The last such treatment was in 2008.


India's Supreme Court ordered new measures to protect the Taj Mahal from pollution in 1998 and more than £90 million has been spent on restoring the shrine.


Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz who died in childbirth. Its white marble minarets, dome, jewel-inlaid mosaics and classical Persian garden took thousands of craftsmen 21 years to complete.



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