Since heritage monuments are the most prized possessions of a country, they naturally become most vulnerable to destruction during wars. And hence, safeguarding them becomes one of the primary concerns of a government when the country’s plunged into war. Have you ever imagined how The Taj Mahal, India’s most prized monument and the 7th wonder of the world, was protected during the wars India fought? Well, this is how!

© Facebook

In 1942, during the 2nd World War, the British thought that the Taj Mahal was vulnerable to bombing by the German Luftwaffe bombers (and also the Japanese) and placed bamboo scaffolding over the Taj Mahal. While the images here only show the dome of Taj Mahal covered with a thick layering of bamboo scaffolds, it is widely believed that the whole Taj Mahal was layered. The same thing was done when India was fighting a war against Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.

© Facebook

© Facebook

The purpose of the scaffolding was to make Taj Mahal look like nothing but a bamboo stockpile from inside of a bomber plane flying miles above. Keep in mind that back then there was no high precision GPS, and satellite imagery.

© Facebook

Since this was to be kept as secretive as possible, the images are very, very scarce. Another thing that is hardly known is that Taj Mahal was covered with cloth after the 9/11 attacks on the world trade towers as a precautionary measure by the Archeological Survey of India.

© Facebook

Photo: © Facebook (Main Image)

Shop The Story