Taj Mahal

TAJ MAHAL
Taj Mahal - Wonder of the World:
To people the world over, the Taj Mahal, mausoleum of Mughal Emperor shah
Jana's chief wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is synonymous with India. Its curving,
gently swelling dome and the square base upon which its rests so lightly is a
familiar image from hundreds of brochures and travel books. The Taj is
undoubtedly one of the most spectacular buildings of the world. Renowned
for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, it counts among
man's proudest creations and is invariably included in the list of the world's
foremost wonders. As a tomb, it has no match upon earth, for mortal
remains have never been housed in greater grandeur.
The Origin of Tajmahal:
The origin of the name the "Taj Mahal" is not clear. Court histories from Shah
Jehan's reign only call it the rauza (tomb) of Mumtaz Mahal. It is generally
believed that "Taj Mahal" (usually translated as either "Crown Palace" or
"Crown of the Palace") is an abbreviated version of her name, Mumtaz Mahal
(Exalted One of the Palace).
The Taj Mahal is a deserving resting palace for an Emperor's Empress. It

stands on the banks of the river Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide
moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal
emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by the
fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife,
Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her
husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to
their 14th child.
Beginning of a Love Story:
The story goes back in 1607, when a prince of the royal Mughal household
strolled down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning
courtiers, he caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. Five
years and a wife later (in those days princes did not marry for love alone) the
regal 20-yr-old went to wed his 19-yr-old bride. It was a fairy tale union from
the start, one that withstood court intrigues, battles for succession and
finally, the grand coronation. And when she died on the 19th year of their
marriage, he etched her story in stone. The Taj Mahal is the living symbol of
the monumental passion of Shah Jahan and Arjumand Banu. Which other
love story has so grand a memorial?
Mumtaj Mahal - "Build me a Taj"
As Mumtaz Mahal lay dying, she asked four promises from the emperor: first,
that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be
kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death
anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction began in
1631 and was completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed
to work on it. The principal architect was the Iranian architect Istad Usa; it is
possible that the pietra dura work was coordinated by an Italian artist.
Architecture of the TajMahal:
Construction began in 1631, and over 20,000 workmen and master

craftsmen worked laboriously for 22 years to give shape to the emperor's
passionate dream! The material was brought in from all over India and
central Asia and it took a fleet of 1,000 elephants to transport it to the site.
The complex was finally completed in 1653 at a cost of 32 Million Rupees
(approx USD 68000) on the banks of river Yamuna in Agra, the capital of the
Mughal monarchs.
But the beauty of Taj Mahal is also tainted by the gory fact that the hands of
some of the master craftsmen were amputated, to ensure that the perfection
of the Taj could never be repeated ever again!
History of Taj MahaL:
A green carpet of garden, a Persian garden, runs from the main gateway to
the foot of the Taj Mahal. Such gardens were introduced to India by Babur,
the first Mughal emperor, who also brought with him the Persian infatuation
with flowers and fruit, birds and leaves, symmetry and delicacy.
Unlike other Oriental gardens - especially those of the Japanese, who learned
to accentuate existing resources rather than formalise them - the Persian
garden was artificially contrived, unbashedly man-made, based on geometric
arrangements of nature without any attempt at a "natural" look.
The mausoleum, instead of occupying the central point (like most mughal
mausoleums), stands majestically at the north end just above the river. Each
of the four quarters of the garden has been sub-divided into 16 flower beds
by stone-paved raised pathways. At the centre of the garden, halfway
between the tomb and the gateway, stands a raised marble lotus-tank with a
cusped border. The tank has been arranged to perfectly reflect the Taj in its
waters.
A clear, unobstructed view of the mausoleum is available from any spot in

the garden. Fountains and solemn rows of cypress trees only adorn the
north-south water canal, lest the attention of the viewer would be diverted to
the sides !! This shows how carefully the aesthetic effect of the water devices
and the garden were calculated. The deep green cypress trees with their
slender rising shapes and curving topmost crests are mirrored in the water
while between their dark reflections shines the beauty of the immortal Taj
Mahal.
What leading travel books say about the Taj Mahal:

1:The Taj Mahal is a dream in marble.
India
Insight Guides
2:The greatest love story ever told in stone is epitomized in the Taj Mahal.
India
Spectrum Guides

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Taj Mahal - Wonder of the World:

The Origin of Tajmahal:

The Taj Mahal is a deserving resting palace for an Emperor's Empress. It

Beginning of a Love Story:

Mumtaj Mahal - "Build me a Taj"

Architecture of the TajMahal:

Construction began in 1631, and over 20,000 workmen and master

History of Taj MahaL:

A clear, unobstructed view of the mausoleum is available from any spot in

What leading travel books say about the Taj Mahal:

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