Where others see flawless textures and clean lines, his keen eye finds blemishes and cracks. And while most people are amazed by the delicate embellishments, they find themselves constantly worried that a stone will slip here and there. Then there are beehives and rogue plants to remove, and many other unwanted elements to protect against. The attention should not be excessive because after all, this is a timeless beauty and a wonder of the world that needs to be kept as amazing as ever. engaged in the maintenance of Taj Mahal Say this is all a labor of love.
Long before the first tourist buses reach the Taj, Dilip Sharma is already on his tour. At around 4 a.m., he begins walking the perimeter of the monument that was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. He examines the stonework, scans the lawn, and looks for anything that shouldn’t be there. Sharma is one of about 80 employees of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) – which looks after the Taj – for whom the day begins before dawn and the vigil never ends.