The descendants of the marble workers who created the Taj Mahal still live in Agra but the numbers are shrinking.  There are only about 600 workers left who can create the inlaid work the exact same way their ancestors did.  They have a secret formula for the glue and the exact way in which they create each masterpiece.  These secrets are only shared with sons as daughters eventually marry into other families so cannot be trusted.

The inlay work is done with extreme attention to detail. The marble is first painted a red color with henna so designs can be seen as they are traced on the marble. Workers then painstakingly scratch out the areas where the inlaid work is to be place. Indian marble is incredibly hard and the work is tedious and time consuming.  One small mistake means starting over completely so there is zero room for error.

The art of marble inlay work begins by careful planning of designs and setting the color patterns. The craftsmen use the tools that are much the same used in the Mughal period. A floral or geometrical motif is cut out on a brass sheet. After placing it on marble, it is drawn and then the marble is carved out. A careful selection of various shades of semiprecious stones is done to give the right gradation and shading to the flowers and other motifs. The selected stones are then shaped with the help of especially made emery wheels. Each part of the design is shaped individually, which requires a lot of patience. After all the stones are shaped a different group of artisans inlay the stone motifs in marble. They cut grooves in marble with a help of an iron chisel. These grooves are of the same size for the stone to fit perfectly. The stones are set in the grooves with adhesive that is a mixture of oil, lead oxide and wax made into white putty. The marble articles are then hand polished with the help of a traditional polishing powder applied on the surface with a soft muslin cloth. The whole process calls for sharp, dexterous hands, patience and high accuracy.