Taj Mahal Chandelier Crashes, Probe Ordered

Archaeological Survey of India has ordered a probe into the crashing of a 60-kg copper chandelier in Taj Mahal.

There was no official word as to what caused the chandelier to fall. (Photo: iStock)

A British-era chandelier has crashed down in Taj Mahal missing the tourists, visiting the monument by a whisker.

The incident has prompted Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to initiate a probe.

The six-feet high and four-feet wide chandelier, installed at the Royal Gate of Taj Mahal in 1905, was gifted by Lord Curzon.

Though there was no official word as to what caused the chandelier to fall, the sources said the 60-kg copper chandelier probably came down due to “ageing and wear and tear”.

“Luckily, there was no one around or else it would have resulted in a major tragedy,” a tourist guide Ved Gautam said.

On Thursday, Agra ASI chief Bhuvan Vikram Singh had said that the decision to fix the chandelier would be taken only after carefully examining its structure and its present state.

Meanwhile, some tourist guides have accused the ASI officials of “gross negligence” and questioned their expertise in handling the monument’s artefacts.

(With inputs from PTI)