HISTORY OF TAJ MAHAL - AGRA

Taj Mahal - an ultimate monument of love!. Tour Taj Mahal and unfold the saga of love shared by Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The intricate design and the profound ambiance of the monument will make your Taj Mahal tour special. Accounted in Seven Wonders , Taj Mahal tour is one of the most popular travel package amongst tourists. Plan your Taj Mahal Tour to glimpse into the world of ancient age.

The most extravagant monument ever built for love, it was constructed by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his queen Mumtaz Mahal, made out of white marble took 22 years to complete (1630-1652 AD). Ustad Ahamad Lahori, a Persian Architect, is said to be the main designer and planner for this magnificent memorial. On full moon nights, the glory of the Taj is at its best. Legend has it that once the construction was completed, Shah Jehan had Lahori's hands cut off and his eyes gouged out, so he would never be able to duplicate the structure.

History of Taj Mahal is the history of eternal love between Shah Jahan and Arjumand Banu Begum famous as Mumtaz Mahal who fell in love at first sight when they were at 15 and married at 20. After becoming emperor in 1628, Shah Jahan entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He called her Mumtaz Mahal, "jewel of the palace." They were together on a military expedition south of Agra when she had their 14th child, a girl. Tragically she died soon after this birth when she was only 39. It was this event which inspired him to create this wonderful monument, the Taj Mahal, as a mausoleum in her memory. The focus of Taj Mahal is the white domed marble mausoleum which stands on a square plinth consisting of a symmetrical building with an iwan,an arch-shaped doorway. The white tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is in this background that the colors change at different hours of the day and during different seasons – pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. The entire Taj Mahal complex consists of a number of buildings comprising of a mosque which stands to the west of the Taj Mahal is made from red sandstone, a guesthouse and the mausoleum, a long and beautiful walkway leads to the main mausoleum, four waterways divide the gardens that stand in front of the Taj into four parts and then, meet in a pool at the center.

In 1612, Arjumand Banu Begam, a Muslim Persian princess better known by her other name, Mumtaz Mahal was married to Shah Jahan (then Prince Khurram), the fifth Mughal emperor. Mumtaz, the emperor's second wife, was her husband's comrade and counselor. An inseparable companion on all his journeys and military expeditions, she inspired the emperor to do acts of charity and benevolence towards the weak and the needy.

Mumtaz bore 14 children, and when she died during childbirth in 1631, Shah Jahan was so heartbroken that all his hair and beard were said to have turned snow-white in a few months! Overpowered by grief, Shah Jahan decided to immortalize the memory of his beloved wife by building the finest sepulcher ever - a monument of eternal love. Herein lies the genesis of the Taj Mahal.

The construction documents show that its master architect was Ustad Ahmed Lahori, the renowned Islamic architect of his time. The much-celebrated saga of royal love was brought to life by dexterous and skilled artisans from places as far away as Delhi, Kannauj, Lahore, Multan, Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara.

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!

Being crowned as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Taj Mahal, which means 'the crown palace', is truly an illustrious piece of architecture and craftsmanship. It is one of the most visited Man Made Travel Wonders of the World and can be considered best World Heritage Sites of India.

LOCATION

Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra, situated in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India, at a distance of 204 km from Delhi. The border of Agra touches Rajasthan to its west and south, the district of Firozabad to its east and districts of Mathura and Etah to its North.

HISTORY

Taj Mahal, a master piece constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 A.D. in the memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal to fulfil her dying wish for a tomb in her memory.

It is the result of around 20,000 workmen working day and night for around 22 years. The material used was mainly white marble brought from the quarries of Rajasthan. Apart from that red sandstone was brought in from Fatehpur Sikri and 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones that were embedded in the interiors of the monument, like Jade, Crystal, Sapphire, Diamonds were brought in from other parts of Asia.

ARCHITECTURE

The Taj Mahal is the finest piece of Architecture by the Mughals. Its design has more Persian styles and elements. The Taj complex can be divided into four distinctive parts to understand its architectural finesse.

The Taj Gateway:

Facing the Taj Mahal is the massive red sandstone Gateway. Its symbolic of the divide between the material and the spiritual. It is decorated with verses from the holy Koran. It stands 30mts high and has small cupolas or chhatris on top. From a distance the Taj seems to hide behind the giant Gateway, but as you approach, it appears to grow! The Magnificent Gateway was mainly designed to prevent people from getting a glimpse of the tomb until they are inside the Gateway itself. The stunning view of dwarfing images of people as you stroll around the tomb are really unique.

The Taj Garden:

On entering the Gateway, one is welcomed by the breath-taking view of lush-green flora going all the way up to the plinth of the Taj. The Taj Garden illustrates the Islamic style of architecture and symbolizes spirituality. According to the holy Koran, a garden symbolizes paradise. The guiding principle in creating this garden is the sculpted symmetry which can be experienced everywhere.

In Islam it is believed, that there are four rivers in paradise made of water,milk,wine and honey. This formed the root of char bagh style of planning the garden.

Taj Mahal, a mausoleum in Agra, India

The mighty structure of the Taj is placed on a 6.7m high plinth that presents the best view of of the surroundings and an unmatched feeling of closeness to the epitome of love. Four minarets, each of 41.6m height flank the four corners of the plinth to balance the tomb, so spectacularly designed that in case of any mishap, the pillars would not fall on the tomb. Each minaret has an Arabic letter written on it which when put together means ar-rahman that is one of the names of Allah.

Mumtaz's Tomb - Inside Taj Mahal

From outside the tomb is square-shaped having beveled-corners. Smaller domes rise at corners while the main Dome erects at the center. The main dome follows the double dome style of The Mughals' another brilliant architectural master-piece-The Humayun's Tomb. The double dome style is Central Asian in origin and its purpose is to raise the height of the tomb. The tomb is equally panoramic from inside consisting of a huge hall-like chamber in the center, a crypt or maqbara below it and on the corners are four octangular rooms that were erected to bear the graves of the royal mughal family members. In the center lies the gravestones of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz mahal, Shah Jahan's grave is kept a little higher to that of his wife bearing the year 1660 AD. Above the two cenotaphs is a lamp made in Cairo, the flame of which is always blazing which again is a symbol of being eternal. The steles have an inlay of many precious and semi-precious stones and the ceilings are strategically constructed to echo voices and melodies.