Agra: Old sepia-toned images, monochrome photographs and art works on Taj Mahal stocked up in the archives of ASI are being compiled for publication in a large- format folio.
"Yes, we are working on producing a volume or sort of a folio in large-format which will be a collection of old black-and-white photographs, paintings and other visual materials archived at the ASI.
"The idea is to put together the scattered visual works into one comprehensive folio, given the allure Taj exercises on people's consciousness," Superintending Archaeologist of ASI Agra Circle Bhuvan Vikram said.
Archaeological Survey of India was constituted in 1861and Agra Circle (then Northern Circle) is one of the oldest branches of ASI, formed in 1885.
Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as "the teardrop on the cheek of time", the 17th century monument commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan still remains, veritably the most iconic symbol of India and its tourism campaign Incredible India.
The marble marvel draws on an average 25,000 tourists a day, with its peak season falling from October to February. On a holiday, sometimes it reaches 45,000 also, the ASI said.
"We realised that we had a wealth of material on the Taj and they ranged from old photographs to sepia-toned images and beautiful painting and lithographs which hasn't been ever compiled in a comprehensive whole. And, though we have started the work on it, we don't know how long would it take to finish it, as we are occupied with our primary work of excavation and conservation," Vikram said.
According to Uttar Pradesh Tourism data, Taj Mahal attracts from 7 to 8 million visitors annually, with more than 0.8 million from overseas. Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November and February.
In 1983, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage".
The Mughal-era architectural wonder took nearly 20 years in the making and has been celebrated by artists, writers, poets, photographers, filmmakers, and many others through their works.
Google in collaboration with the Centre, while putting up several monuments online with a 360-degree panoramic view, chose the Taj Mahal as the first specimen.
