As tensions between India and Pakistan run high after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the mood across the country is one of heightened alert. Military movements have intensified, border towns are being watched closely, and security drills are being planned across multiple states. This isn’t uncharted territory for India. Back in 1971, as war with Pakistan became almost inevitable, the country swung into action, preparing not just soldiers but millions of everyday citizens, schoolchildren, and entire city systems for the possibility of full-scale conflict.
Buried in this frantic period is a little-known chapter from India’s wartime history. At the heart of it is the Taj Mahal. Yes, during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, India quite literally tried to make one of the world’s most famous monuments ‘disappear’. As the two nations find themselves dangerously close to military confrontation, we take a look back at the interesting episode of how India protected its most iconic mausoleum during the war.
On December 3, 1971, war came knocking as Pakistan launched a surprise aerial attack on Indian military installations. Dubbed Operation Chengiz Khan, the offensive struck several Indian Air Force (IAF) bases across the Western front—Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Among the targets was the Kheria Airbase in Agra, dangerously close to the Taj Mahal. Two Pakistani jets bombed the airbase, leaving only minor damage, including a large crater on the runway. But the incident raised alarm bells.
It triggered fears that Pakistan’s air force might not only target cultural landmarks in India, including the Taj Mahal, to shake public morale during the war, but also because the towering structure could help enemy pilots visually locate the Kheria Airbase for another attack. The government wasn’t going to take chances. The very next day, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) undertook a mission to camouflage the monument.
The gleaming white marble of the mausoleum, visible for miles and even more so from the air, was concealed under massive jute tarps dyed green to blend in with the nearby jungles. “It took two days to wrap the Taj with the tarpaulin that weighed over 18,700 lbs (8,482 kg),” said Nathi Lal, a monument worker who was part of the effort, in an interview with The Irish Times. More than 598 kilograms of nails and 63 thick sewing needles were used to hold the cover in place, he added. Crews also brought in foliage—branches and brush—to cover the minarets. Sand was spread over the marble floor to dull its reflective surface.
In the evenings, the lights surrounding the Taj were switched off, security was beefed up, and tourists were kept away. The cover stayed in place for over two weeks. This wasn’t a one-off strategy either. Similar protections were reportedly installed at other heritage sites like the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and the Jaisalmer Fort.
Interestingly, India wasn’t the first to try this. Back in 1942, during World War II, the British feared German and Japanese bombers might target the Taj Mahal. So they built bamboo scaffolding around the dome, making it look like a bamboo stockpile from above. Without modern satellite imaging or GPS-guided weaponry, these old-school techniques worked. And in 1971, they played a small but vital role in protecting the iconic monument.
Covering up the Taj Mahal was just one part of India’s war preparations in 1971. The country also ran massive civil defence drills to get everyday people ready for the worst. These drills included blackout exercises, where cities would turn off lights to make targeting difficult for enemy aircraft. Madhurendra Prasad Sinha, now a journalist, was a teenager back then. He lived in Dumka, then part of Bihar (now in Jharkhand), and remembers the atmosphere vividly. “There was never a situation of panic,” he told Times Now. “We were asked to put off lights and run underneath any table or chowki whenever the sound of sirens reverberated.”
By 6:30 pm, most people were indoors. The drills had already started a few days before Pakistan’s air raids on December 3 and continued until the end of the war on December 16, when Pakistani troops surrendered in Dhaka. Sinha also recalled similar drills during the 1965 war in Kishanganj, near the border of then East Pakistan. “The city was taken over by the army for a long duration,” he said. “There were not many cars with sirens. So whenever we heard one, we knew it was time for drills. When lights went off, we used lanterns.”
The drills weren’t just about blackouts. RK Sharma, a retired government official, recalled the very specific rules taught to citizens. “You had to cover the glasses with paper, and if you were outside and heard the siren, you were supposed to lie down on the floor and shut your ears,” he told Times Now. Offices would shut early to allow people to get home before sunset. Schools usually stayed open, but students were also trained on how to respond during an air raid.
Fast forward to today, and India is once again preparing for civil defence drills—this time, the biggest since 1971. Scheduled for Wednesday, the country will carry out mock drills across 259 locations in 33 states and union territories. These will include evacuation exercises, bunker safety protocols, and air raid simulations, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) on the ground to guide people.
But Sinha says things are different now. “There are so many servers, so many ways of communication now,” he said. “The most we will do for mock drills is to use stairs or get out of a big building, like a mall.”
