From July, Taj Mahal To Become India’s First Monument To Have A Breastfeeding Room

Majestic and magnificent, the Taj Mahal is sheer poetry in marble. It’s a monumental labour of love of a great ruler for his beloved queen, a woman who died in childbirth.

And standing true to its history,  now this Wonder of the World is set to get a baby feeding room from July onwards. This initiative by Archeological Survey of India is a first of its kind for India- a country where openly breastfeeding mothers are often shamed and told to cover up.

Vasant Kumar Swarnakar, a top official at the Archeological Survey of India told a leading news agency (Reuters) that he was inspired to bring about the initiative after he saw a mother struggling to feed her baby at the monument. The nursing room will reportedly have fans, lights, chairs and will be constructed keeping the comfort of the mother and baby in mind.

Besides the Taj Mahal, there are also talks of a few more monuments in Agra getting a baby feeding room, however there’s no confirmation yet. This is great news for the country, especially when public breastfeeding still carries a social stigma. Even as attitudes indeed need as much of an update as old construction, at least some countrymen are keeping abreast with wanting to make places safer for women.