Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It was built by Mughal king Shah Jahan in the memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. This monument has become one of the Seven Wonders of the World and also one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
Brief History:
King Shah Jahan planned to build a black-and-silver marble tomb for his wife in 1631, after she died during childbirth. The project took about 22 years to complete and at that time it cost about 1 million rupees which is equivalent to US$80 million today. It is said that 20,000 workers were involved in the construction process.
The Taj Mahal is notable for its architecture, monumental size, richness inlay, symmetry, delicate workmanship and fine detail. It is an excellent example of Mughal architecture. The tomb was constructed under the supervision of Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan in 1632 AD. The mausoleum stands on a square base clad in chiseled white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. Its four minarets are each fluted with nine spirals forming an incomplete circle about the shaft in typical Mughal architecture style with white marble decoration at the base and red sandstone at the top. Mumtaz Mahal was buried in the right side of the central dome, while her husband's remains were placed at the left. Her grave is completely enclosed by a wall made of red sandstone inscribed with verses from The Quran.
Monument of love:
The Taj Mahal is one of the marvels of the world, but no one really knows why it was built or who built it. The Taj Mahal was created by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in his memory for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child. He spared no expense in creating this stunning structure that stands unchanged to this day. Even though the Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, there are many secrets about it that have never been revealed to the outside world.
Taj mahal, a monument of love and affection in India, Taj Mahal is a monument that has been built by the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan for his beloved wife- Mumtaz Mahal. The exquisite beauty of the building as well as its beautiful decorations have made it one of the most popular monuments not only in India but all over the world. There are many stories behind this building and here we present you some of those stories with pictorials related to them.
Design of Taj Mahal:
Taj Mahal was built during the Mughal era, and it's an authentic masterpiece of Islamic architecture, one that has been admired all around the world for centuries. It was constructed in Agra by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 AD to honor his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal, who he considered to be an angel or heavenly creature. The original construction took 22 years before it could be completed due to various conflicts faced by the emperor himself.
Built in red sandstone, the Taj Mahal is a very large white marble mausoleum that has a length of 459 meters and a height of 76 meters. On its main gateway it features beautiful calligraphy by Muhammad Taqi Moin, which reads: "Light is placed in the heart when the whole universe exists in the heart".
Taj Mahal is a symbol of love and affection. Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal over a period of 17 years and the life time of its workers. The monument was constructed out of white marble and set on a square marble platform that is about two stories high and is surrounded by reflecting pools that were built to catch rain water for flushing the toilet system, which still works to this day. The dome of the mausoleum is the most recognized architectural feature of Taj Mahal, it is white marble with a diameter of about 20 meters that rises to a height of 54 meters.
The Taj Mahal is set in expansive grounds laid out in the traditional charbagh style with four subsidiary tombs built at the corners. A major part of this complex was completed within two years, but its completion took another ten years. The cost overruns were due mainly to changes made by successive rulers, especially Shah Jahan. Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World with its timeless beauty and craftsmanship still intact after 400 years.