There have been many rumors of late of the sinking
Taj Mahal myth. Many people seem to believe that the seventh wonder of
the world, Taj Mahal is actually sinking into the earth. Many tests and
surveys have taken place to confirm this alarming belief. Different
surveys have produced different results. Some confirm the rumor while
others totally rubbish it. The massive Taj Mahal was constructed in such
a way that the weight of the monument was evenly distributed on the
base. Read on to know more about the legend of the sinking Taj Mahal.
Much precaution and care was taken while Taj Mahal was being built.
Yet, the substructure of the monument developed cracks and leakages
barely four years after the monument was constructed. There is proof
that the cracks developed then itself as they are mentioned in one of
the letters that Aurangzeb wrote to Shah Jahan. They were taken care of
then, but today the cracks have broadened again and have assumed
dangerous proportions. There were some defects in the dome also that
were somehow restored.
A survey was conducted that produced some alarming facts. The northern
base of the monument is lower than the base on the southern side by 3.5
centimeters. The northern side base is the one that faces the river.
Though the cracks were not visible on the exterior walls, they were
present on the burial chamber of the second storey. The underground
series of cracks in the vaults could be due to excessive weight and
crushing of lime with the passage of time. This means that the whole of
Taj Mahal and not just a part of it, could actually be tilting towards
the riverside.
   |
