Heavy Rains Threatening New Delhi May Actually Be Helping the Taj Mahal

Additional water may raise the moisture content of the Taj Mahal’s wooden foundation, increasing its life span, according to India’s Archaelogical Survey.

Extreme weather is a threat to cultural sites all over the world, but northern India’s latest monsoon may turn out to be positive for the Taj Mahal.

Rising floodwater from the Yamuna river, a major tributary of the Ganges, reached the compound walls of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 18, following a period of heavy rain that left thousands displaced in the neighboring state of New Delhi and caused devastating floods around the region. It was the closest Yamuna waters had come to the Taj Mahal in 45 years, flooding the visitor viewing area, according to local media reports.