Indian specialists are whitening the Taj Mahal, wrapping it in mud

Delhi - Indian specialists are trying to restore the famous Taj Mahal, one of the seven new wonders of the world, to the same condition it was in at the time of its construction in the 17th century. The temporary mud covering is intended to restore the shine to the outer marble walls of the mausoleum, Reuters reported today.
    "The first phase of mud coating will last about five months. Then we will wash the surface (of the mausoleum) with distilled water, which will give the Taj Mahal a new look," described the procedure that began on Wednesday, a representative of the Indian archaeological society. According to him, the mud on individual parts of the building will remain only for two or three days at a time.
    The surface of the Taj Mahal was originally white, but due to air pollution, it has started to yellow. The mud coating is supposed to absorb the small impurities, which the water will later wash away. The building underwent a similar procedure once before in 2002.
    The Taj Mahal was commissioned by the Indian Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal after her death in childbirth of their fourteenth child. The construction took 22 years and involved around 20,000 workers. The mausoleum, whose color changes with the position of the sun, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, it was voted by participants in an online poll as one of the modern wonders of the world.