Lucknow, Oct. 21 (Reuters): Officials are investigating reports that say the minarets of the Taj Mahal are tilting and may eventually crumble or sink if urgent steps are not taken.

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched the inquiry after some historians said the slender minarets gracing the corners of the marble mausoleum had begun to tilt because of the drying of the riverbed next to it.

?Originally, the pressure of the river water flowing by the Taj kept the building erect. But over the years, the Yamuna has dried up and the building has no support,? Ram Nath, a former head of history at Rajasthan University, said.

?As a result, all the minarets are tilting and the tilt has only increased over time. One of the minarets is leaning by about five inches.

?The minarets could even fall over time if archaeologists don?t pay attention to conserving the structure,? Nath said.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav said a seven-member team of technical experts would work with the Archaeological Survey of India and submit its report in a week.

?This is perhaps the only monument in the world resting on stilts made of ebony wood, which require constant moisture to maintain its strength,? the state tourism minister said.

The probe comes as the Taj begins six months of celebrations to mark its 350th birthday.

Most experts say the minarets provide the perfect balance to the building. American author Aldous Huxley was an exception and once wrote: ?Architecturally, the worst features of the Taj are its minarets.?