A Glimpse of the Wonders of India - Taj Mahal Agra

Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world. The Taj Mahal is a complex of buildings built between 1631 and 1654 in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, India, on the banks of Yamuna River by Muslim Emperor Shah Jahan the Mughal dynasty. The impressive set was erected in honor of his favorite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum – better known as Mumtaz Mahal ­ who died giving birth to her 14th child.

The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Islamic architecture, Persian and Indian and Turkish. The monument has achieved particular notoriety for his romantic character inspiration. Although covered by the mausoleum of white marble dome is the most famous, the Taj Mahal is an integrated set of buildings. It is estimated that the effort demanded the construction of some 20,000 workers.

It is now a major tourist destination in India. In 1983, he was recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage. The Taj Mahal was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

The most beautiful building (mausoleum) in the world. In 1631 the emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz, who died in childbirth. The white marble mausoleum at Agra has become the monument of a man's love for a woman.

The Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience the Taj as if suspended when viewed from across the Jamuna river.

The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words.Take a trip to this monument of love on your India Tour

Taj Mahal, the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658), grandson of Akbar the great, in the memory of his queen Arjumand Bano Begum, entitled ‘Mumtaz Mahal’. Mumtaz Mahal was a niece of empress Nur Jahan and granddaughter of Mirza Ghias Beg I’timad-ud-Daula, wazir of emperor Jehangir. She was born in 1593 and died in 1631, during the birth of her fourteenth child at Burhanpur. Her mortal remains were temporarily buried in the Zainabad garden. Six months later, her body was transferred to Agra to be finally enshrined in the crypt of the main tomb of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is the mausoleum of both Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan.

The mausoleum is located on the right bank of the river Yamuna at a point where it takes a sharp turn and flows eastwards. Originally, the land where the Taj Mahal presently stands belonged to the Kachhwahas of Ajmer (Rajasthan). The land was acquired from them in lieu of four havelis as is testified by a court historian, Abdul Hamid Lahauri, in his work titled the Badshah-Namah and the firmans (royal decrees). For construction, a network of wells was laid along the river line to support the huge mausoleum buildings. Masons, stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome-builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from Central Asia and Iran. While bricks for internal constructions were locally prepared, white marble for external use in veneering work was obtained from Makrana in Rajasthan. Semi-precious stones for inlay ornamentation were brought from distant regions of India, Ceylon and Afghanistan. Red sandstone of different tints was requisitioned from the neighbouring quarries of Sikri, Dholpur, etc. It took 17 years for the monument complex to be completed in 1648.

1.   About Taj Mahal
2.   History Of Taj Mahal
3.   About Shahjahan
4.   When To Visit Taj Mahal
5.   About Mumtaj