The
ancient Sanskrit texts of Ayurveda; the ancient Indian medical
system, have prescribed many types of packs as cure for skin
ailments as well as for beauty enhancement. One of the important
treatment in this is the mud flap cure, which consists of giving a
coat of a mixture of mud mixed with a few other natural substances on
the body. Ayurveda believes that such a pack can do the
highest level of tissue cleansing and detoxification for the body. It
is said that the mud therapy is the best way for treating all type of
skin related diseases and problems. Wet clay absorbs toxins from the
skin and refreshes the skin. Mud application increase the beauty of
the skin. Mud therapy improves blood circulation, energizes skin
tissue, improves complexion and clear spots and patches on the skin.
It is also believed that the Mud found in different parts of the
world has different properties and to cure a particular skin ailment,
it is preferable to use mud from a specific place.
One
of the important mud packs well known in India is that of “Multani
Mitty” or mud from Multan. It is however nothing but what is known
as Fuller’s earth in the west. It has been in use as a skincare
product in India since centuries, before modern cosmetic products
became a rage. Indian women have used it to treat beauty problems
like acne, blackheads, scars etc for centuries. Actually the term
Fuller's
earth
refers to any clay material that has the capability to decolorize
oil or other liquids without chemical treatment. Wikipedia says:
“ Fuller's
earth consists primarily of hydrous aluminum silicates (clay
minerals) of varying composition.] Common components are
montmorillonite, kaolinite and attapulgite. Small amounts of other
minerals may be present in fuller's earth deposits, including
calcite, dolomite, and quartz. In some localities fuller's earth
refers to calcium bentonite, which is altered volcanic ash composed
mostly of montmorillonite. In 2005, the United States was the largest
producer of fuller's earth with an almost 70% world share followed at
a distance by Japan and Mexico. In the United States fuller's earth
is typically derived from deposits of volcanic ash.”
Ready-made
“Multani Mitty” mud packs are commonly available in India and are
quite popular because they are cheap and can be easily used. We can
therefore wonder that if something is so good for the humans, can it
be used for a monument that is considered as the world's greatest
symbol of love; The Taj Mahal?
Taj
Mahal was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 as a mausoleum for
his third and favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to
their 14th child. This beautiful Mughal era building, consisting of
domes and minarets has been paneled with white marble, inlaid with
semi-precious stones and carvings. It is considered as one of the
finest example of Mughal art in India. It was declared an Unesco
World Heritage site in 1983.
This
fabulous monument is situated on the bank of river Yamuna, near the
city of Agra in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra
happens to be a busy and industrial city and there is an oil refinery
nearby. Because of these reasons, the pollution
levels around the monument remain high. In addition, this wonder of
the world attracts millions of visitors from all over the world.
All of
this takes a heavy toll on Taj Mahal with its white marble panels
yellowing and losing their sheen. The archaeologists responsible for
maintenance of Taj Mahal, now want to give to it a Multani Mitty mud
pack treatment to remove the yellow pollution stains. Archeological
Survey of India says that their chemical department has already
begun the process to make the mud-pack. A 2mm-thick layer of
lime-rich clay will be plastered over the affected areas of the
monument and left overnight to dry. Next day, when it dries, the
flakes would be removed from the surface with soft nylon brushes and
washed with distilled water to remove impurities sticking to the
surface. According to ASI the cleaning treatment is said to be based
on a traditional recipe which is used by Indian women for centuries
to restore a natural glow to their faces.
It
appears that ASI has already given this beauty treatment to Taj Mahal
previously on three occasions in the past: in 1994, 2001 and 2008,
when a team of two dozen experts had carried out the work in small
sections over a period of six months to ensure that the tourist
inflow does not suffer. The cost of last treatment in 2008 was about
US$ 24000 only.
We can
hope that the stunningly beautiful Taj Mahal recovers its pristine beauty once again after
the treatment.
10th
June 2014
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