Facts About - The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal

 

The Taj Mahal (/ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl, ˌtɑːʒ-/; meaning "Crown of the Palace") is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658), to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.



The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts 7–8 million visitors a year. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.



The Taj Mahal is an enormous mausoleum complex commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his beloved wife. Constructed over a 20-year period on the southern bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India, the famed complex is one of the most outstanding examples of Mughal architecture, which combined Indian, Persian and Islamic influences. At its center is the Taj Mahal itself, built of shimmering white marble that seems to change color depending on the daylight. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, it remains one of the world’s most celebrated structures and a stunning symbol of India’s rich history.

Shah Jahan

Shah Jahan was a member of the Mughal dynasty that ruled most of northern India from the early 16th to the mid 18th-century. After the death of his father, King Jahangir, in 1627, Shah Jahan emerged the victor of a bitter power struggle with his brothers, and crowned himself emperor at Agra in 1628.

At his side was Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal (“Chosen One of the Palace”), whom he married in 1612 and cherished as the favorite of his three queens.

In 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died after giving birth to the couple’s 14th child. The grieving Shah Jahan, known for commissioning a number of impressive structures throughout his reign, ordered the building of a magnificent mausoleum across the Yamuna River from his own royal palace at Agra.

Construction began around 1632 and would continue for the next two decades. The chief architect was probably Ustad Ahmad Lahouri, an Indian of Persian descent who would later be credited with designing the Red Fort at Delhi.

In all, more than 20,000 workers from India, Persia, Europe and the Ottoman Empire, along with some 1,000 elephants, were brought in to build the mausoleum complex.
Design and Construction of the Taj Mahal

Named the Taj Mahal in honor of Mumtaz Mahal, the mausoleum was constructed of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones (including jade, crystal, lapis lazuli, amethyst and turquoise) forming intricate designs in a technique known as pietra dura.

Its central dome reaches a height of 240 feet (73 meters) and is surrounded by four smaller domes; four slender towers, or minarets, stood at the corners. In accordance with the traditions of Islam, verses from the Quran were inscribed in calligraphy on the arched entrances to the mausoleum, in addition to numerous other sections of the complex.

Inside the mausoleum, an octagonal marble chamber adorned with carvings and semi-precious stones housed the cenotaph, or false tomb, of Mumtaz Mahal. The real sarcophagus containing her actual remains lay below, at garden level.

The rest of the Taj Mahal complex included a main gateway of red sandstone and a square garden divided into quarters by long pools of water, as well as a red sandstone mosque and an identical building called a jawab (or “mirror”) directly across from the mosque. Traditional Mughal building practice would allow no future alterations to be made to the complex.

As the story goes, Shah Jahan intended to build a second grand mausoleum across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal, where his own remains would be buried when he died; the two structures were to have been connected by a bridge.

In fact, Aurangzeb (Shah Jahan’s third son with Mumtaz Mahal) deposed his ailing father in 1658 and took power himself. Shah Jahan lived out the last years of his life under house arrest in a tower of the Red Fort at Agra, with a view of the majestic resting place he had constructed for his wife; when he died in 1666, he was buried next to her.


For the reason that Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world and that it has been enlisted by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, it the most popular Tourist destination in India. It goes beyond imagination as to how such a huge and high structure could have been built over such a difficult spot with bare hands by thousands of workers. Besides it epitomize the love affair between the married couples in feudal male dominated culture which too is a wonder of human sensitivity.

This mighty yet tender monument shrouded with many myths besides love story. Taj Mahal for all these reasons is the major tourist attraction throughout the world. No tourist visiting any part of this vast country misses a visit to this monument of grandeur.

Taj Mahal is a tomb that was built in the 17th century with marble. This is an architectural marvel that portraits pre-Islamic Indian architecture and Persian style. This tomb stands on the bank of Yamuna and is a mausoleum of Queen Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Shah Jahan.

Every script of the holy Quran is etched in the inner walls. The tomb is surrounded by gardens. If you visit Taj Mahal in the early morning, it would look in milky white colour. In the afternoon, it would glitter like a jewel in sun. It will have a bluish shine like a pearl in moonlight.

Mausoleum This is the main part of Taj Mahal. It is present in the northern end of Taj Mahal. It is also called as Rauza-i-Munauwara.The tomb is the large dome shaped structure. It is a Persian styled element. Four pillars support the tomb and you can find dupe sarcophagi of the King and Queen in those pillars. 

Chamber This is a domed hall below which the actual grave of queen is present. Luxurious flower vases and Mumtaz’s favourite flowers can be seen there. There is a room called mirror palace in this chamber. It is not accessible to tourists, but is said to be filled with panes of glass. Lower chamber This is where the real graves are present. The cenotaph of the queen is an undecorated platform with the wording, O King, O Holy, O Peace.