know tajmahal

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History of Taj Mahal

The history of the Taj Mahal tells us "why was the Taj Mahal built" and many othermyths and facts associated with this wonderful structure. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahanerected the Taj Mahal in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan(then Prince Khurram) met Mumtaz Mahal (then Arjumand Banu Begum) at the age offourteen and fell in love at the first sight. She was a Muslim Persian princess and Shah

Jahan was the son of the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir. Five years later, in 1612, they gotmarried. As you read further you will come to know more about the history of the TajMahal at Agra

Mumtaz Mahal, an inseparable companion of Shah Jahan, died in 1631, while givingbirth to their 14th child. It is believed that during her last moments, Mumtaz Mahal

obtained a promise from Shah Jahan that he will build world's most beautiful monumentin her memory. But this has not been proven to be true, till date. However, Shah Jahan

did indeed build a magnificent monument as a tribute to her wife, which we today knowas the "Taj Mahal". Shah Jahan, himself also, lies entombed in this mausoleum along

with his wife.

The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631 and it took approximately 22years to build it. An epitome of love, it made use of the services of 22,000 laborers and1,000 elephants. It was built entirely out of white marble, which was brought in from all

over India and central Asia. After an expenditure of approximately 32 million rupees(approx US $68000), Taj Mahal was finally completed in the year 1653. However, thehistory of Taj Mahal of India still has some gaps. For example, there are many theories

regarding the architect of this magnificent monument.

Taj Mahal Story


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Male Protagonist: Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram)Male Protagonist: Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram)Female Protagonist: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Banu Begum)

Shah Jahan met Mumtaz Mahal and fell in love. He married her afterfive years and they were leading a very happy life. While giving birth to

their last child, Mumtaz Mahal died due to some complications. A fewyears later Shah Jahan built the world's most beautiful monument "TajMahal" in the memory of his wife.

One of the wonders of the world "Taj Mahal" has a beautiful love story behind itsconstruction. Taj Mahal love story is about Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan,initially named Prince Khurram, took birth in the year 1592. The son of Jehangir, thefourth Mughal emperor of India, he fell in love in Arjumand Banu Begum at first time. Atthat time he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meetingher, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. Readon to know more about the love story behind Taj Mahal of Agra

The match got solemnized after five years i.e., in the year 1612. Shah Jahan became theEmperor in the year 1628 and entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He alsobestowed her with the tile of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the "Jewel of the Palace". ThoughShah Jahan had other wives also, but, Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and accompaniedhim everywhere, even on military campaigns. In the year 1631, when Mumtaz Mahal wasgiving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some complications.

It is said that Shah Mahal was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the courtinto morning for two years. Some time after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task oferecting the world's most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved. It took 22years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument, which is also said to bethe last wish of Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as "TajMahal" and now counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World.

This is the true story of the Taj Mahal of India, which has mesmerized many people withits bewitching beauty.

Taj Mahal Architecture

A beautifully laid out walled garden encloses the magnificent monument "Taj Mahal".The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely


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Darwaza (The maingateway)

Bageecha (The gardens) Masjid (The mosque)

Naqqar Khana (The resthouse)

Rauza (The mainmausoleum)

Taj Mahal architecture is a kind of fusion of Persian, Central Asian and Islamicarchitecture. The main gateway, with its domed central chamber, is situated at the end ofthe long watercourse. On one side of the Taj Mahal is the Mosque and on the other, the

Naqqar Khana, built mainly to maintain its symmetry. The main building, that of the Tajitself, stands on a raised, square platform with its four abridged corners, forming an

unequal octagon. The architecture of Taj Mahal of Agra has made use of the interlockingarabesque concept.

As per this concept, each element maintains its own identity and yet perfectly mergeswith the main structure. The principles of self-replicating geometry, along with symmetry

of architectural elements are also seen in the design and layout of Taj Mahal. The four162.5 feet minarets have been consciously shortened a bit to emphasize the faintlyspherical dome. The central dome, 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet in height, stand

bordered with four subsidiary domed chambers.

A shadowy burial crypt inside the Taj Mahal houses the tombs of Shah Jahan and hiswife Mumtaz Mahal. Above these tombs is the main chamber that has the false tombs,

typical of mausoleums of the Mughals. Perforated marble screens were used to transmitlight into the central chamber. A major irony behind Taj Mahal is that the man who gotthis magnificent monument built is himself responsible for disturbing its symmetry. Histomb, which lies next to that of Mumtaz Mahal, was never planned and deranges Taj's

interior.

Taj Mahal Impressions

Taj Mahal impressions consist of the things that people have said after experiencing themagnificence of this outstanding monument. From awe to delight to sheer ecstasy,

impressions of Taj Mahal depict each and every conceivable feeling. Some of the famoussayings about Taj Mahal are as follows:


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"The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs and makessun and moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this

edifice has been made to display, thereby, the Creator's glory."Shah Jahan (Badshah Nama)

"It appears like a perfect pearl on an azure ground. The effect issuch I have never experienced from any work of art."

British painter Hodges

"I cannot tell what I think. I do not know how to criticize such a building but I cantell what I feel. I would die tomorrow to have such another over me."

British officer, Colonel Sleeman's wife

"Did you ever build a castle in the Air? Here is one, brought down to earth andfixed for the wonder of ages".

American novelist, Bayard Taylor

"If I had never done anything else in India, I have written my name here, and theletters are a living joy."

Lord Curzon, the British Governor-General

"You know Shah Jahan, life and youth, wealth and glory, they all drift away in thecurrent of time. You strove therefore, to perpetuate only the sorrow of your heart?

Let the splendor of diamond, pearl and ruby vanish? Only let this one teardrop,this Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time, forever and ever."

Rabindranath Tagore

Taj Mahal Main Gateway

Height: 93 Ft HighPeriod of Construction: 1632-1638

The main gateway of the Taj Mahal is one of the five main elements of this magnificentmonument. Adorned with Hindu motifs, the Taj gateway is a tall niche doorway in the


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shape of an ogival arch that rises till the mid-height of the structure.With a vertical symmetry, the main gateway of Taj Mahal stands

bordered with Arabic calligraphy of verses from the Quran, made up ofblack stone. Entwined flowers, mainly red lotus ones, leaves and vinesornament the sloping sides of the niche. These motifs were formed by

semi-precious stones inlaid in the marble.

Further beautifying the gateway to the Taj is an image of a whiteteardrop with a red trident, located above the pointed tip of the niche. When the gatewaywas under construction, this frontal gateway served as the main entrance. All these motifsof the gateway reflect a Hindu touch. The flowers, vines, and leaves that are sinuous andidealized rather than geometric, the red lotus flowers that represent Lord Brahma, etc all

point towards a Hindu influence in the construction of Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal Mosque

On the western side of the Taj Mahal is a mosque, made up of red sandstone. Used forprayer purposes, the mosque faces the direction of the holy city of Mecca. The boundary

near the well of the Taj Mahal mosque has a small stone enclosure, which housed theremains of Mumtaz Mahal before they were interned in the mausoleum. Adorned with

pietra dura on the outside, the mosque in Taj Mahal of Agra, boasts of 4 octagonal towers

and 3 elegant domes.

The sparkling floor is made up of a material that appears to be velvet red in shade and iscovered with 539 prayer carpets. The interiors of the mosque are inscribed with delicatecalligraphy citing the name Allah and quotations from scriptures. There is also a replicaof the Masjid of the Taj Mahal of India, standing opposite to it. However, it was never

used for prayer purposes.

Shah Jahan

Born In: 1628Died In: 1658


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Achievements: Founder of themagnificent monument "Taj Mahal"

Shah Jahan was the son of MughalEmpe allyror Jehangir and was origin

known as Prince Khurram. Afterbeing declared as the Emperorofficially, he assumed the title of

Abul Muzaffar Shahbuddin Muhammad Sahib-i Kiran-i Sani. However, he was known asShah Jahan. The first aggression he faced after ascending the throne was from JujharSingh, son of Bir Singh Deo, the Bundela chief. After an initial surrender, he rebelledagain and was finally killed by the Gonds. A major revolt for Shah Jahan came in the

y .ear 1628 by Khan Jahan Lodi, who united with the ruler of Ahmednagar and revolted

By the year 1630, Khan Jahan gave up the revolt and died near the fort of Kalanjar.Another thing that changed with Shah Jahan's accession was the Deccan policy of the

Mughals, which resulted in a suspicion of their alliance with the Shia rulers of Persia.The problem solved with the death of Malik Ambar. In 1631, Mughal army laid a failedsiege on Bijapur and in 1633, won the fort of Daulatabad. Read on this Shah Jahan

biography further to know more about this great emperor

The most significant part of Shah Jahan life history is building of the one of the world'smost beautiful monument "The Taj Mahal". Shah Jahan fell in love with Arjumand BanuBegum at first sight, when he was in his teens only. Five years later he married her and

gave her the name of "Mumtaz Mahal". From that time onwards, she became hisin dseparable companion, accompanying him even on military ventures. After she diewhile giving birth to their 14th child, Shah Jahan undertook the work of constructingworld's most beautiful monument in her memory. This monument, which entombs

Mumtaz Mahal as well as Shah Jahan, came to be known as "Taj Mahal".

Shah Jahan fell ill in September 1657 and taking advantage of this opportunity, one of hisson's, Aurangzeb, took over the throne and imprisoned him. Shah Jahan died in 1666 in

captivity only and was entombed, along with his favorite wife, inside the Taj Mahal.

Mumtaz Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal was the third wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It was in hermemory that he built the magnificent monument of love and romance, known as the "TajMahal". Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian Princess, was originally known as ArjumandBanu Begum. So enthralling was her beauty that Shah Jahan (then Prince Khurram) fell


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in love with her at the first sight. Their marriage was solemnized fiveyears later and from then on, started one of the most popular love storiesof the world. Although she was the third wife of Shah Jahan, but at the

same time, she was also his favorite. He even bestowed her with thename Mumtaz Mahal and the highest honor of the land - the royal seal,

Mehr Uzaz.

Mumtaz Mahal became an inseparable companion of her husband tillher death. She even accompanied him on his military endeavors and provided him with

her counsel. Infact, she was a pillar of support, love and comfort to the emperor. MumtazMahal gave birth to fourteen children of Shah Jahan. It was during the birth of their 14th

child only that she left for the holy abode. It is said that she obtained a promise fromShah Jahan that he will build world's most beautiful monument in her memory. Whetherthis was true or not, but, Shah Jahan did build a magnificent monument as a tribute to herli jfe. Today, it counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World and is known as "The Ta

Mahal".

Taj Mahal Night Tour

Many poetic illustrations have often been made around the Taj Mahal at moonlit nights.However, the thought of spending a night at Taj Mahal is merely a dream. This is because

the monument is closed for public viewing at night and Taj Mahal night tour is not

allowed. Some time back, Supreme Court of India did allow the opening of Taj Mahal atnight, at full moon nights in specific months. However, this practice has now beendiscontinued. But, even though you cannot visit the monument at night, we can tell you

"how to spend a night at Taj"

The beauty of the Taj comes up as outstanding whenever you visit, whether its earlymorning or afternoon or evening. But, its splendor during nighttime, especially at moonlitnights, is beyond the scope of words. The rays of the moon light up the entire monumentand lend it a faint silvery glow. Taj Mahal looks so mesmerizing on a full moon night that

you will not even notice how the night passed and the sun came to bathe it in shades ofpink.

Inside the Taj Mahal


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The real Taj Mahal consists of the

mausoleum that is situatedapproximately 900 feet (275 m)away from the main entrance.

Standing at the opposite end of themagnificent Taj gardens, it rises to aheight of almost 200 feet (76m). At

the lowest level of the Taj is a red sandstone platform that was built to level the land.Above that is the marble podium that serves as the base of the mausoleum. On the

corners of the marble platform are four minarets that are almost 138 ft high and cappedwith eight windowed cupolas.

As far as the view inside the Taj Mahal is concerned, it is as magnificent as its exterior.All the porticos of the tomb consist of huge iwans (a sort of arched gateways) that areadorned with exquisite calligraphy. The angles of the tomb consist of semi-octagonal

arched alcoves of equal size. Attached pilasters rising from the base of the tomb demarkeach of the porticos, on both the sides. These pilasters rise above the fresco and aretopped with beautiful pinnacles with lotus buds and finials.

As we move further to get Taj Mahal inside look, we will come across an elevated centralchamber, a crypt immediately below this and four octagonal corner rooms. These roomswere initially meant to house the graves of the other members of the royal family. In thecentral chamber is placed the cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal and that of Shah Jahan, to theleft and a little higher than hers. Both the cenotaphs are inscribed in Persian and that of

Mumtaz Mahal even has texts from the Koran.

Interiors of the Taj Mahal of Agra also boast of a Cairene lamp above the tombs. Theflame that burns in that lamp is supposed to never burn out. The, there are perforated

marble screens surrounding the tombs that are inlaid with semiprecious stones. One thingis for sure that if you visit Taj Mahal once, its memories will remain etched in your

memory forever.

Taj Mahal Rest House

Just opposite to the mosque in Taj Mahal i.e., on the eastern side of the Taj is amonument that is known to be a twin of the mosque. This red sandstone monument iscalled Taj Mahal Naqqar Khana or the Rest house or Jawab (Answer) and is faced awayfrom the Mecca. It is built exactly like the mosque of Taj Mahal. However, it was never


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used for prayer purposes. Infact, till today the purpose of building therest house in Taj Mahal, of Agra, is not known.

However, some people believe that it was constructed to conserve thesymmetry of Taj Mahal. Beautiful flower designs and other decoration,

in white marble, adorn the Taj Mahal Naqqar Khana. The floor betweenthis monument and the mosque also reflects a full size reproduction ofthe pinnacle embellishing the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal Gardens

Style: PersianDivided Into: Four PartsCanals: Two (crossing in the center)

Flowerbeds: SixteenTrees: Cyprus and Fruit-bearing Trees

Taj Mahal Gardens are set up in a Persian style, running from the main gateway to thebase of the Taj Mahal. The Persian style of gardens, with emphasis on flowers, fruit,

birds, leaves, symmetry and delicacy, was introduced in India by Babur. These gardenswere based on geometric arrangements of nature and no attempt was made to give them a

"natural" look. Another architectural attribute that has been followed in the case of the

entire monument, especially the gardens of the Taj Mahal of Agra, is the usage of numberfour and its multiples.

Since four is considered the holiest number in Islam, all the arrangements of CharbaghGarden of Taj Mahal are based on four or its multiples. The entire garden is divided intofour parts, with two marble canals studded with fountains crossing in the center. In each

quarter portion, there are 16 flowerbeds that have been divided by stone-paved raisedpathways. It is said that even each of the flowerbed was planted with 400 plants.

The trees of the Taj garden are either that of Cyprus (signifying death) or of the fruitbearing type (signifying life) and even they are arranged in a symmetrical pattern. Taj

Mahal occupies the north end corner of the garden, instead of being in the center. Infact,at the center of the garden, between the Taj and its gateway, is a raised marble lotus-tank

with a cusped border, which reflects the Taj in its waters.


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Taj Mahotsav Agra

Location: Shilpgram, Near Taj Mahal, AgraTime: FebruaryDuration: 10 days

Organized by: Uttar Pradesh TourismSignificance: Celebrated to promote rich arts, crafts, culture, cuisine, dance and music of

the stateHighlights: A procession taken out in the typical Mughal era style, food festival,

performances by folk musicians and dancers, etc

Taj Mahotsav is celebrated at Agra in the month of February for ten days. Organized bythe Uttar Pradesh Tourism, the Taj Mahotsav is mainly dedicated to the promotion of

Uttar Pradesh's rich arts, crafts, culture, cuisine, dance and music. Infact, it serves as anacknowledgment to the craftsmen as well as the exponents of art, music and cuisine. Thevenue of the festival of Taj Mahostav is Shilpgram, which is stone's throw away from Taj

Mahal. The festival starts with a procession including bejeweled elephants and camels,drum beaters, folk artists and master craftsmen.

This procession is an effort to reconstruct the ones that were taken out during the time ofthe Mughals. The crafts that are showcased in the festival have immense variety and

include:

Woodcarvings of Saharanpur

Brass and other metal ware of Moradabad Handmade carpets of Badohi

Blue pottery of Khurja Chikan work of Lucknow

Silk of Banares, etcOne of the major attractions of the Taj Mahal Utsav of Agra is the Food Festival, whereyou can get some of the oldest and the most typical delicacies from the interiors of UttarPradesh. Folk music and folk dances of Bundelkhand, 'Nautanki' (Drama), 'Sapera' dance

of Rajasthan will further entertain you in this amazing festival.

Water Devices at Taj Mahal


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The esarchitects planned water devic

at the Taj Mahal in a verysystematical manner. The water forTaj Mahal was drawn from the river

and came from a number ofunderground pipes. Purs (a rope andbucket pulled by bullocks) were

used for drawing water from the river and from there the water was transferred to a hugestorage tank. Again thirteen purs were used to pump the water from the tank. From thistank, the water was taken into another huge storage tank through an over-head water-

channel.

From this tank, water was again pumped through fourteen purs and finally filled intothree supply tanks through another channel. The last one of the supply tanks had pipe

mouths in its eastern wall. These pipes entered the Taj Mahal enclosure from

underground, with one of them moving towards the mosque to supply the fountains there.For the fountains in the north-south canal and the lotus pond and its canal, copper pipeswere used.

To ensure uniform and undiminished water pressure in the fountains, a copper pot wasprovided under each fountain pipe. The water supply came first into the pot only and

from there rose simultaneously in the fountains. However, the main supply of the water inthese pots came through earthenware pipes. Most of the water devices at Taj Mahal have

stood the test of time and are still present there.

A Day at Taj Mahal

When you think about visiting Taj, a question may come up in your mind about "how tospend a day at Taj". Even though Taj Mahal seems to be a single building, but there are

so many structures inside it that you will feel that a day at the Taj Mahal is justinsufficient to explore this amazing monument. If you want to appreciate the beauty ofthis splendid monument fully, we suggest that you should visit it atleast twice. In the

morning, Taj Mahal, veiled with mist and immersed in a soft red glow, looks straight outof a fairy tale. The reflection of the sunlight falling on its white marble facade changescolor from soft gray and yellow to pearly cream and dazzling white, as the day passes.

The time of dawn presents Taj in delicate shades of pink, while the setting sun washes itwith orange color. However, the beauty of the Taj reaches its peak during the moon litnights, especially on a full moon night. Bathed in silver light of the moon, it seems just


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like a dream that has just come true. A day at Taj Mahal will keep youbusy only with the task of taking in its mesmerizing beauty. There is nolimit on the time you may spend at the Taj on a single visit. You may

re .main here the entire day and let your eyes soak the splendor of the Taj

Taj Mahal Location

City: Agra, On the Banks of River YamunaState: Uttar Pradeshm Delhi: 204 km (appDistance fro roximately)

The location of the Taj Mahal is such that the monument is easily accessible from almostall parts of India. The Taj is situated in the city of Agra in the northern state of UttarPr radesh. This is the basic answer to the question of "Where is Taj Mahal, India". In orde

to know about the location of Taj Mahal in Agra, read on the following lines:

In the city of Agra, Taj Mahal is sited inside a formal garden on the embankment of theRiver Yamuna. The entire Taj Mahal complex consists of a number of buildings

co fmprising of a mosque, a guesthouse and the mausoleum, housing both the tombs oMumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. A long and beautiful walkway leads to the main

mau atsoleum, which is built of pure white marble. Four waterways divide the gardens thstand in front of the Taj into four parts and then, meet in a pool at the center. It is said

that half of the beauty of Taj Mahal comes from the strategic location where it stands.

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