Did you know that the famous Taj Mahal monument in India has been undergoing restoration work? The Archaeological Survey of India has been hard at work utilizing modern technology and traditional cleaning and restoration methods to remove decades of dirt and repair damages. So far, the process has been a great success, efficiently bringing the beautiful monument back to glory.
Visitors will notice differences in color between the polished portion in the front of the monument and the Dome, which has not yet been cleaned. The major cleaning work on the last (4th) Minaret and the front portion of the Taj Mahal has been completed and the scaffolding has been removed. Guests are now able to take uninterrupted pictures of the complete monument.
The remaining cleaning will take place in phases as listed below. The final step is the cleaning of the decades of grime through a series of mud baths using Fullers Earth – a mud paste that absorbs dirt and impurities – leaving the monument shimmering in its original, pristine white glory. The final phase is to be completed by the end of November 2018.
| Area of the work | Probable timeline for execution of the work | Completions of work |
| Southern Façade, Taj Mahal | June to August’2017 | completed |
| South East Minaret, Taj Mahal | June to August’2017 | completed |
| South West façade, Taj Mahal | June to August’2017 | completed |
| Northern Façade, Taj Mahal | August to October’2017 | completed |
| Western Façade, Taj Mahal | October to December’2017 | completed |
| Wall of peripheri, Sheesh Mahal, Taj Mahal | November’2017 to January’2018 | completed |
| Four Chhatri’s at roof of main mausoleum, Taj Mahal | January 2018 to April’2018 | completed |
| Pinnacle and Dome, Taj Mahal | May to November’2018
UPDATE Dome restoration and cleaning has been postponed to 2019 with no official start or end date announced. |
TBA |
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Is the cleaning now complete (as at 7 May 2019)
The final step is the cleaning of the dome. This was to take place in November 2018 but has been put off until further notice. The previous scaffolding has come down but, unfortunately, there has been no official announcement as to when the dome will undergo its restoration.
I’m planning to visit Taj Mahal mid-June 2019. Is there any update on current or future scaffolding?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Mary!
Unfortunately, there has been no official update on the final step of the restoration project. The cleaning of the dome was to take place in November 2018 but has been put off until further notice. As of this comment, the scaffolding has come down but there is a chance the cleaning of the dome will commence at any time.