Mumbai's iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel has obtained a trademark, making it the first ever building in India to be trademarked. This 114-year-old hotel has been an inseparable part of the Mumbai skyline since 1903. And it joins a list of iconic buildings like Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, and the Empire State building to have the trademark.
What does the trademark mean?
When a building is trademarked, you can no longer use an image of the building for any commercial purpose without permission from its owners. So, this effectively means that people who make common memorabilia such as postcards, t-shirts and other merchandise with this iconic building which are sold to tourists who visit the city will run into trouble.
And it also means that filmmakers from Bollywood and photographers will have to find another backdrop for their subjects. It may just mean that you will have to check your permissions before you shoot this iconic building.
