KISHANGARH, India: In India’s western state of Rajasthan, a vast white expanse draws thousands of visitors each day. At first glance, the 350-acre site resembles a wintry, snow-covered landscape complete with gleaming ridges. But this winter wonderland is far from natural. It is, in fact, a dumping ground for marble slurry waste produced by the Kishangarh region’s marble processing facilities.In recent years, the site has become an unlikely tourist attraction, with mostly domestic visitors travelling from across India to capture unique photographs. Some have likened it to Switzerland, while others say it reminds them of Santorini in Greece.“My son has visited this place a couple of times. He said it’s very beautiful and insisted I must come,” said Jameel Ahmad Abdul Hameed Moomin, who travelled from Maharashtra with his family to experience the unusual scenery at the Kishangarh marble dumping yard.
The area even has its own Google Maps listing as a tourist attraction, called “Dumping Yard Kishangarh”, boasting a 4.4-star rating from more than 6,800 reviews.
The viral tourist attraction first became popular after comedian Kapil Sharma used it as a backdrop in his 2015 comedy film. Since then, its striking white expanse has featured in several Bollywood films and music videos. The area even has its own Google Maps listing as a tourist attraction, called “Dumping Yard Kishangarh”, boasting a 4.4-star rating from more than 6,800 reviews. Reviewers praised its surreal landscape and shared tips on the best times to visit. The site has also become a social media sensation, with influencers and photographers helping propel it to viral fame.Several local businesses are cashing in on the hype, promoting the site as a unique destination for pre-wedding photo and video shoots. Some packages even include horse rides as part of the experience. GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNSBut beneath the dazzling spectacle – and in the air around it – the same site is facing scrutiny over pollution, groundwater quality and its impact on nearby villages.Every day, nearly 2 million liters of marble slurry waste, carried in by hundreds of trucks, is dumped at the yard. Yet visitors, seemingly unaware of – or unbothered by – the potential health risks, continue posing for photographs as trucks unload fresh waste in full view. Some even lie directly on the marble slurry deposits for pictures.Researchers say the fine marble dust can cause respiratory diseases and other health issues, and turn the surrounding area into an unlivable wasteland.“There is a significant increase in calcium carbonate levels … Over time, the land has turned barren and lost fertility, and the water has developed high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), making it unfit for drinking,” said Subroto Dutta, head of the department of environmental science at Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University.
