Not just in 2024, Shah Jahan's Taj Mahal once leaked when monarch sat in Delhi centuries ago

The Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world and the postcard tourist place of India, has been in the headlines for water leakage from its dome and adjacent gardens getting inundated because of heavy rainfall.

But this is not the first time the alluring Taj Mahal has faced water woes because of heavy downpours.

The tomb was in similar conditions centuries ago when Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and his visits to the tomb had somewhat declined.

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The incident has been vividly captured by British author Fergus Nicoll in his book "Shah Jahan: The Rise And Fall Of The Mughal Emperor".

Shah Jahan's gaze shifts from Agra to Delhi

In his book, Nicoll explains that after "Agra was usurped as seat of the caliphate", the emperor made rare visits to the tomb.

Because of this, the tomb did not go through even basic maintenance. The dilapidated condition of the entire tomb complex was discovered by the then Mughal prince Aurangzeb - who was en route to the Deccan states in December 1652.

Also Read:Agra: Water leakage in Taj Mahal's main dome after heavy rain lashes North India

The prince had decided to halt in Agra and pay respect to the cenotaph of his mother but was shocked to see the Taj Mahal in bad condition less than 10 years after it was completed, as narrated by Nicoll in his book.

The prince is said to have noticed water leakage and cracks on the walls of the revered tomb and also inundation of the Mehtab Garden because of the flooding in the Yamuna River.

Aurangzeb's letter to Shah Jahan about the Taj Mahal's adverse conditions

Seeing the condition of the revered Taj Mahal, which once was his father's most cherished monument, the prince wrote a letter to the emperor informing him about the damage.

The buildings of this shrine enclosure of holy foundation are still firm and strong...except that the dome over the fragrant sepulchre leaks during the rainy season in two places on the north side. Likewise the four arched portals, several of the recessed alcoves on the second storey, the four small domes...have become dampened. The marble-covered terrace of the large dome has leaked in two or three places during this past rainy season and has been repaired. Let us see what happens in the coming rainy season...

Long-living protector! An extraordinary evil eye has struck this model of lofty buildings. If the rays of your august attention fall on the remedy to ward it off, it will be proper...

May the world-illuminating Sun of the Caliphate [Shah-Jahan] remain shining upon the heads of the people of the world!

This letter, which is dated December 9, 1652, was recorded in Ruka'at-i-Alamgiri. The last time Shah Jahan visited the tomb was on December 27, 1654, and he was accompanied by his son and heir apparent, Dara Shikoh.

Confirming this event to WION, professor Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, the author of Fathpur Sikri Revisited, said, "In the initial years after the building of the Taj, there were some leakages reported which find mention in the records. The problem was rectified and it never occurred again."