A vast marble waste disposal site in Kishangarh, Rajasthan has emerged as an unexpected tourist attraction, drawing visitors, photographers, filmmakers and social media enthusiasts with its snow like white landscape.
Spread across around 82 acres, the site is covered with white slurry and discarded stone produced during the cutting and polishing of marble and granite. More than 5,500 tonnes of slurry are reportedly dumped there every day from over 1,200 processing units, making it one of Asia’s largest marble waste disposal sites.
The unusual landscape has become popular for pre-wedding photoshoots, music videos and film shoots. Visitors also ride horses across the white mounds, while pools of blue water that form after rainfall add to the site’s striking appearance.
However, environmental authorities have raised concerns about the impact of uncontrolled marble waste disposal. Studies have found increased salinity, hardness and some heavy metals in water around the area, while dust and possible groundwater contamination remain major concerns.
India’s top environmental court ordered corrective measures earlier this year, including steps to promote the reuse of marble slurry and improve waste management.
Despite the environmental risks, the Kishangarh marble dump continues to attract crowds fascinated by its unusual, otherworldly scenery.