Taj Mahal becomes first Indian UNESCO site to get breastfeeding room

The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and a UNECSO heritage site is now the first Indian built monument to get a breastfeeding room. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in c. 1632-1648 for wife, Mumtaz Mahal woman who died in childbirth, the monument and tomb of the two Mughals interestingly will be the first of its kind to break free the stigma surrounding breast feeding by getting its own facility.

Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, a top official at the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in Agra city said the baby feeding room would be set up by July to help the "millions of mothers who visit with their babies." 

Kumar who frequents the 17th century monument told Reuters that he got the idea to implement the idea when he spotted a mother struggling to feed her young one under a staircase, an action which so normal should be looked upon as so abnormal and shameful.  

“I could see it was so difficult for her (to feed her child) which is a basic motherhood right. So I thought we have to do something,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The Taj Mahal which attracts up to 8 million visitors annually will be the first that is provided with such a facility at any of India’s 3,600 plus monuments.