Operation Sindoor: How India Hid Taj Mahal During 1971 War, Secret Wartime Operation Against Pakistani Air Strikes

On May 7, 2025, India introduced precision air moves on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror assault, which claimed 26 lives, together with that of a Nepali citizen. Codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor,’ the moves have been a symbolic and strategic blow towards outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

As India conducts large-scale civil defence drills following the fatal terror assault in Pahalgam, it’s price revisiting an enchanting and lesser-known bankruptcy of India’s army historical past. During the 1971 Indo-Pak battle, fearing air moves on Agra via the Pakistani Air Force, India undertook an peculiar operation: it made the Taj Mahal vanish from the skies.

The aftermath noticed the Indian executive stepping up civil defence preparedness, recalling the country’s full-scale mobilisation in 1971. Back then, India no longer handiest ready its army but additionally educated civilians for air raids and blackouts. Among the ones high-level arrangements was once an creative effort to give protection to the Taj Mahal from Pakistani bombs.

The Night Pakistani Bombers Flew Too Close

The battle formally broke out on December 3, 1971, when Pakistan introduced a wonder assault on Indian army bases. Known as Operation ‘Chengiz Khan,’ the offensive centered over a dozen Indian Air Force (IAF) stations alongside the western entrance.

One of the objectives was once Kheria Airbase in Agra, only some kilometers from the Taj Mahal. Two Pakistani fighter jets bombed the runway, inflicting minor harm however sending shockwaves throughout the defence established order. The proximity of the assault raised critical considerations—no longer only for strategic infrastructure, however for India’s useful cultural landmarks.

The Indian executive temporarily concluded that landmarks just like the Taj Mahal might be used as navigational markers via enemy plane. Worse, they may also be direct objectives geared toward demoralising the Indian public.

The Taj Mahal Under Camouflage During WWII –

Taj Mahal, an immense mausoleum of white marble, in-built Agra between 1631-1648 CE, via order of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658 CE) within the reminiscence of his favorite spouse, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim artwork in India… pic.twitter.com/KTyGa9CUIa
— Archaeo – Histories (@archeohistories) March 4, 2024

Camouflaging the Taj: Making the Monument Disappear

The reaction was once swift and strategic. Within 24 hours of the assault, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) started a project to cover the Taj Mahal from the skies.

Massive jute tarpaulins, dyed in inexperienced to mix with the within sight Yamuna River plants, have been draped over the gleaming white marble dome and minarets. The activity was once labor-intensive: greater than 8,400 kilograms of tarp, just about 600 kg of nails, and 63 particular stitching needles have been used to shroud the monument.

Crews even introduced in tree branches and brushwood to camouflage the minarets, whilst sand was once unfold around the marble flooring to bland its herbal shine. Lights have been became off each and every night time, vacationers have been banned, and heavy safety was once deployed to put in force restrictions.

The concealment lasted over two weeks—lengthy sufficient to thwart any repeat aerial try all the way through the battle.

(Mig21 pair all the way through 1971 India-Pakistan War. Image courtesy: X)

Not the First Time Taj Was Hidden

This wasn’t the primary example of the Taj being hidden from enemies. During World War II, the British constructed bamboo scaffolding across the dome in 1942 to lie to doable German or Japanese bomber plane. The thought was once easy: from above, the Taj must seem like a stockpile of building fabrics, no longer a shining marble mausoleum.

World War II :: Taj Mahal Covered With Bamboo Scaffolding to Protect It From Bombers pic.twitter.com/z6g6cljoXO
— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) February 25, 2022

Without trendy satellite tv for pc surveillance or GPS-guided guns, those low-tech camouflage techniques proved unusually efficient.

Civil Defence for All: Drills, Blackouts, and Training in 1971

While the Taj Mahal was once being hidden, civilians throughout India have been being educated to live on a possible battle state of affairs. Blackout drills changed into regimen. Citizens have been recommended to show off lighting at night time and use paper to hide windowpanes to stop enemy pilots from seeing lit houses.

Schools performed air raid rehearsals. Children have been taught to take quilt underneath benches or run to shelters upon listening to sirens. Offices closed early, and existence floor to a near-halt via sundown in border spaces.

(The iconic symbol of Lt Gen Niazi and Lt Gen Arora that sealed the top of the battle. Image courtesy: Indian Navy)

Veteran journalist Madhurendra Prasad Sinha, then an adolescent in Dumka (now in Jharkhand), remembers practising drills ceaselessly. “There wasn’t panic,” he stated in an interview, “but we were alert. We shut lights and took cover as soon as sirens blared.”

RK Sharma, a retired respectable, shared that electorate have been instructed to lie flat at the floor and canopy their ears if stuck out of doors all the way through a ridicule raid. The laws have been strict, and other folks took them significantly.

Modern Drills: How Things Have Changed

Now, in 2025, India is as soon as once more getting ready civilians—this time for mock drills being held throughout 259 places in 33 states and union territories. These come with evacuation drills, bunker coaching, and air raid simulations, led via groups from NDRF and SDRF.

But as Sinha issues out, “Things are very different today. We have so many communication tools and early-warning systems. Back then, it was just sirens and lanterns.”

(Government officers accomplishing mock drills, Pic Credits: ANI)

Despite the developments, the core lesson stays: in instances of disaster, India’s talent to mobilise—from hiding the Taj Mahal to teaching civilians—has at all times been rooted in swift motion, cultural consciousness, and deep resilience.

In 1971, as battle loomed, India didn’t simply struggle with jets and squaddies—it secure its heritage and ready its other folks. The project to cover the Taj Mahal stands as a exceptional image of wartime foresight and nationwide delight.

(With Agency Inputs)