Year of Construction: 1631-1653
Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Spread Over: 42 acres
Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World
"The epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty" the beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.
Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.
Origin and Inspiration
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during Mughal's period of greatest prosperity, was griefstricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their fourteenth child, Gauhara Begum.The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrates the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal.
The construction of Taj Mahal begun soon after Mumtaz's death with the principal mausoleum completed in 1648. The surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later.Empror Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:
"Should guilty seek asylum here, Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin. Should a sinner make his way to this mansion, All his past sins are to be washed away. The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs; And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this edifice has been made; To display thereby the creator's glory".
The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.
The construction of Taj Mahal begun soon after Mumtaz's death with the principal mausoleum completed in 1648. The surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later.Empror Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:
"Should guilty seek asylum here, Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin. Should a sinner make his way to this mansion, All his past sins are to be washed away. The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs; And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this edifice has been made; To display thereby the creator's glory".
The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.
Architecture
A beautifully laid out walled garden encloses the magnificent monument "Taj Mahal". The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely
A beautifully laid out walled garden encloses the magnificent monument "Taj Mahal". The entire Taj complex consists of five major constituents, namely
* Darwaza (The main gateway)
* Bageecha (The gardens)
* Masjid (The mosque)
* Naqqar Khana (The rest house)
* Rauza (The main mausoleum)
Taj MahalTaj Mahal architecture is a kind of fusion of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. The main gateway, with its domed central chamber, is situated at the end of the 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 Taj itself, 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 interlocking arabesque concept.
As per this concept, each element maintains its own identity and yet perfectly merges with 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 four 162.5 feet minarets have been consciously shortened a bit to emphasize the faintly spherical 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 his wife 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 transmit light into the central chamber. A major irony behind Taj Mahal is that the man who got this magnificent monument built is himself responsible for disturbing its symmetry. His tomb, which lies next to that of Mumtaz Mahal, was never planned and deranges Taj's interior.
Interior and Exterior Decoration
The interior chamber of Taj Mahal steps far beyond traditional decorative elements. Here the inlay work is not pietra dura, but lapidary of precious and semiprecious gemstones. The inner chamber is an octagon with the design allowing for entry from each face, though, only the south garden-facing door is used. The interior walls are about 25 metre high and topped by a "false" interior dome decorated with a sun motif. Eight pishtaq arches define the space at ground level. As with the exterior, each lower pishtaq is crowned by a second pishtaq about midway up the wall. The four central upper arches form balconies or viewing areas and each balcony's exterior window has an intricate screen or jali cut from marble. In addition to the light from the balcony screens, light enters through roof openings covered by chattris at the corners. Each chamber wall has been highly decorated with dado bas relief, intricate lapidary inlay and refined calligraphy panels, reflecting in miniature detail of the design elements seen throughout the exterior of the complex. The octagonal marble screen or jali which borders the cenotaphs is made from eight marble panels. Each panel has been carved through with intricate piercework. The remaining surfaces have been inlaid with semiprecious stones in extremely delicate detail, forming twining vines, fruits and flowers.
Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves and hence Mumtaz and Shah Jahan are laid in a relatively plain crypt beneath the inner chamber with faces turned right and towards Mecca. Mumtaz Mahal's cenotaph is placed at the precise center of the inner chamber with a rectangular marble base of 1.5 metre by 2.5 metre. Both the base and casket are elaborately inlaid with precious and semiprecious ems.
Calligraphic inscriptions on the casket identify and praise Mumtaz. On the lid of the casket is a raised rectangular lozenge meant to suggest a writing tablet. Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side. It is the only visible asymmetric element in the entire complex. His cenotaph is bigger than his wife's, but reflects the same elements: A larger casket on slightly taller base, again decorated with astonishing precision with lapidary and calligraphy that identifies Shah Jahan. On the lid of this casket is a traditional sculpture of a small pen box. The pen box and writing tablet were traditional Mughal funerary icons decorating men's and women's caskets respectively. Ninety Nine Names of God are to be found as calligraphic inscriptions on the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, in the crypt including "O Noble, O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious... ". The tomb of Shah Jahan bears a calligraphic inscription that reads; "He traveled from this world to the banquet-hall of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth of the month of Rajab, in the year 1076 Hijri."
The interior chamber of Taj Mahal steps far beyond traditional decorative elements. Here the inlay work is not pietra dura, but lapidary of precious and semiprecious gemstones. The inner chamber is an octagon with the design allowing for entry from each face, though, only the south garden-facing door is used. The interior walls are about 25 metre high and topped by a "false" interior dome decorated with a sun motif. Eight pishtaq arches define the space at ground level. As with the exterior, each lower pishtaq is crowned by a second pishtaq about midway up the wall. The four central upper arches form balconies or viewing areas and each balcony's exterior window has an intricate screen or jali cut from marble. In addition to the light from the balcony screens, light enters through roof openings covered by chattris at the corners. Each chamber wall has been highly decorated with dado bas relief, intricate lapidary inlay and refined calligraphy panels, reflecting in miniature detail of the design elements seen throughout the exterior of the complex. The octagonal marble screen or jali which borders the cenotaphs is made from eight marble panels. Each panel has been carved through with intricate piercework. The remaining surfaces have been inlaid with semiprecious stones in extremely delicate detail, forming twining vines, fruits and flowers.
Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves and hence Mumtaz and Shah Jahan are laid in a relatively plain crypt beneath the inner chamber with faces turned right and towards Mecca. Mumtaz Mahal's cenotaph is placed at the precise center of the inner chamber with a rectangular marble base of 1.5 metre by 2.5 metre. Both the base and casket are elaborately inlaid with precious and semiprecious ems.
Calligraphic inscriptions on the casket identify and praise Mumtaz. On the lid of the casket is a raised rectangular lozenge meant to suggest a writing tablet. Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side. It is the only visible asymmetric element in the entire complex. His cenotaph is bigger than his wife's, but reflects the same elements: A larger casket on slightly taller base, again decorated with astonishing precision with lapidary and calligraphy that identifies Shah Jahan. On the lid of this casket is a traditional sculpture of a small pen box. The pen box and writing tablet were traditional Mughal funerary icons decorating men's and women's caskets respectively. Ninety Nine Names of God are to be found as calligraphic inscriptions on the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, in the crypt including "O Noble, O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious... ". The tomb of Shah Jahan bears a calligraphic inscription that reads; "He traveled from this world to the banquet-hall of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth of the month of Rajab, in the year 1076 Hijri."
Taj Mahal Garden
The garden in Islamic Style of architecture is not just another feature it has a well-defined meaning and it symbolizes the spirituality. According to the holy Koran, a garden is symbolic of paradise. On leaving the entrance gateway, you can view a sprawling garden in front of you going all the way up to the plinth of the Taj. The Taj Garden covers most part of the Taj Complex. Out of a total area of 580 m by 300 m, the Taj Garden alone covers 300 m by 300 m.
Though the garden is now maintained regularly, there is still a patch on the original royal garden. The char bagh, separated by the watercourses originating from the central, raised pool, were divided into 16 flower beds, making a total of 64. There were 400 plants in each bed. All the trees, either cypress (signifying death) and fruit trees (signifying life) were planted to maintain symmetry.
Taj Mahal Garden The garden in Islamic Style of architecture is not just another feature it has a well-defined meaning and it symbolizes the spirituality. According to the holy Koran, a garden is symbolic of paradise.
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 Water Devices
The architect e conduits, designed a clever system to procure water for the Taj through underground pipes. Water was drawn from the river by a series of purs (manual system of drawing water from a water body using a rope and bucket pulled by bullocks) and was brought through a broad water channel into an oblong storage tank of great dimensions. It was again raised by a series of thirteen purs worked by bullocks.
Except for the ramps, the other features of the whole water system have survived. An over-head water-channel supported on massive arches carried water into another storage tank of still greater dimensions. Water was finally raised by means of fourteen purs and passed into a channel which filled three supply tanks, the last of which had pipe mouths in its eastern wall. The pipes descended below and after travelling underground crossed into the Taj enclosure. One pipe line runs directly towards the mosque to supply the fountains in the tanks on the red sandstone plinth below the marble structure. Copper pipes were used for separate series of fountains in the north-south canal, lotus pond and the canal around it.
An ingenious method was devised to ensure uniform and undiminished water pressure in the fountains, irrespective of the distance and the outflow of water. A copper pot was provided under each fountain pipe - which was thus connected to with the water supply only through the pot. Water first fills the pot and then only rises simultaneously in the fountains. The fountains are thus controlled by pressure in the pots and not pressure in the main pipe. As the pressure in the pots is uniformly distributed all the time, it ensures equal supply of water at the same rate in all the fountains.
The main supply of the water was however obtained through earthenware pipes. One such main was discovered under the bed of the western canal. The pipe is 9" in diameter and has been embedded in masonry at a depth of 5 feet below the level of the paved walk. Evidently, the Mughal water expert was a master of his art and successfully worked out the levels in relation to the volume of water to ensure its unobstructed supply for centuries. He anticipated no repair work and therefore made no provision for it; hence the extraordinary depth at which the pipe was sunk.
The garden in Islamic Style of architecture is not just another feature it has a well-defined meaning and it symbolizes the spirituality. According to the holy Koran, a garden is symbolic of paradise. On leaving the entrance gateway, you can view a sprawling garden in front of you going all the way up to the plinth of the Taj. The Taj Garden covers most part of the Taj Complex. Out of a total area of 580 m by 300 m, the Taj Garden alone covers 300 m by 300 m.
Though the garden is now maintained regularly, there is still a patch on the original royal garden. The char bagh, separated by the watercourses originating from the central, raised pool, were divided into 16 flower beds, making a total of 64. There were 400 plants in each bed. All the trees, either cypress (signifying death) and fruit trees (signifying life) were planted to maintain symmetry.
Taj Mahal Garden The garden in Islamic Style of architecture is not just another feature it has a well-defined meaning and it symbolizes the spirituality. According to the holy Koran, a garden is symbolic of paradise.
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 Water Devices
The architect e conduits, designed a clever system to procure water for the Taj through underground pipes. Water was drawn from the river by a series of purs (manual system of drawing water from a water body using a rope and bucket pulled by bullocks) and was brought through a broad water channel into an oblong storage tank of great dimensions. It was again raised by a series of thirteen purs worked by bullocks.
Except for the ramps, the other features of the whole water system have survived. An over-head water-channel supported on massive arches carried water into another storage tank of still greater dimensions. Water was finally raised by means of fourteen purs and passed into a channel which filled three supply tanks, the last of which had pipe mouths in its eastern wall. The pipes descended below and after travelling underground crossed into the Taj enclosure. One pipe line runs directly towards the mosque to supply the fountains in the tanks on the red sandstone plinth below the marble structure. Copper pipes were used for separate series of fountains in the north-south canal, lotus pond and the canal around it.
An ingenious method was devised to ensure uniform and undiminished water pressure in the fountains, irrespective of the distance and the outflow of water. A copper pot was provided under each fountain pipe - which was thus connected to with the water supply only through the pot. Water first fills the pot and then only rises simultaneously in the fountains. The fountains are thus controlled by pressure in the pots and not pressure in the main pipe. As the pressure in the pots is uniformly distributed all the time, it ensures equal supply of water at the same rate in all the fountains.
The main supply of the water was however obtained through earthenware pipes. One such main was discovered under the bed of the western canal. The pipe is 9" in diameter and has been embedded in masonry at a depth of 5 feet below the level of the paved walk. Evidently, the Mughal water expert was a master of his art and successfully worked out the levels in relation to the volume of water to ensure its unobstructed supply for centuries. He anticipated no repair work and therefore made no provision for it; hence the extraordinary depth at which the pipe was sunk.
Outlying buildings
In 1632, the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, commenced the construction of one of the greatest monuments of all time, the Taj Mahal built atop a 22 feet high and 313 feet square platform with corner minarets 137 feet tall and 81 feet high & 58 feet in diameter central inner dome surmounted by an outer shell nearly 200 feet in height. Now a "UNESCO World Heritage Site", the mausoleum built to fulfill a promise he made to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal as she laid on her deathbed, “To erect a monument to match her beauty”.
In 1632, the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, commenced the construction of one of the greatest monuments of all time, the Taj Mahal built atop a 22 feet high and 313 feet square platform with corner minarets 137 feet tall and 81 feet high & 58 feet in diameter central inner dome surmounted by an outer shell nearly 200 feet in height. Now a "UNESCO World Heritage Site", the mausoleum built to fulfill a promise he made to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal as she laid on her deathbed, “To erect a monument to match her beauty”.
The Mosque
The mausoleum is flanked by almost identical two buildings on either side of the platform. The mosque on the west (left, when seen from the garden) and the Mihman Khana or assembly hall on the east are the complementary elements of the riverfront ensemble. The mausoleum is the dominant and unique feature in the centre of the tripartite composition of the qarina scheme, and the lateral buildings, exact alike, are the mirror-symmetrical components. Still, the mosque sets the tone, and as a religious building gives the riverfront group additional gravity. It is distinguished by a few elements related to the prayer ritual and the sermon. The mosque floor was laid out with the outlines of 569 prayer rugs in black marble. Mughal mosques of the time divide the sanctuary hall into three areas. At the Taj Mahal, each one opens onto vaulting dome.
Mihman Khana or The Assembly Hall
The Mihman Khana was created as its replica solely to balance the group, to provide a jawab, an answer, for the mosque balances the bilateral symmetry of the composition. Its original function was to accommodate visitors for observing the death anniversaries of Mumtaz, which were held
in the first few years in tents, took place in this building once it was completed. The platform here has two 'working drawings' of the finial of the mausoleum dome silhouette scratched into stone slabs. These are often found in buildings of Shah Jahan.
Both mosque and Mihman Khana are preceded by a large platform 25 inches above the level of the terrace. On each side, the area between these platforms and the mausoleum is articulated as a shallow sunken rectangular 'court'. The tank is a ritual requirement of the mosque for the ablutions before prayer. The tank of the Mihman Khana is a counter-image without any function.
The Jilaukhana (FORECOURT) Zone
The Taj complex is now entered through one of three gates leading into the Jilaukhana, or forecourt. The east and west gates are those commonly used by tourists. The arcaded ranges along the south side of the Jilaukhana, and the bazaar streets leading to it were restored between 1905 AD and 1922 AD. The approach road to the west gate is flanked by two somewhat inter buildings, the 'Fatehpuri Masjid' and an anonymous tomb, which is probably that of Satti-un- Nisa Khanum, the Chief Lady-in-waiting of Mumtaz Mahal.
The two bazaar streets lead into the great ceremonial forecourt, referred to as “jilaukhana” (literally, 'in front of the house'). An inevident element of the Shahjahani architecture for court etiquette and proper ceremonial behaviour had become increasingly important and required an adequate architectural framing. Here visitors to the tomb would get down from their elephants and horses and assemble in style before entering through the great gate. The Jilaukhana is flanked by two pairs of courtyard enclosures. On the north, adjoining the garden wall, are the two Khawasspuras, the quarters of the tomb attendants. On the south are two tomb complexes, traditionally known as 'Saheli Burj' or the tower of the female friend.
The Bazzar Streets
Two identical bazaar streets lead from the east and west gates to the Jilaukhana. The streets are lined with rows of small unconnected rectangular cells without windows, fronted by an arcaded verandah with multi-cusped arches supported by columns of distinctive Shahjahani type, which appear here in their most basic form.
Above the arcades sloping sandstone slabs supported by voluted brackets project from the wall as a protection from rain or sun; this feature, known as chhajja, is the Mughal version of a form that had been popular in Indian architecture for centuries.
The East Gate (Fatehabadi Darwaza) and West Gate (Fatehpuri Darwaza)
The east and west gates are identical. Their outer facades have a broad centre with a pishtaq, here taking the form of a pointed Archway in a rectangular frame, set between engaged polygonal shafts topped by ornamental pinnacles extending above roof level, which mark the centre off from flanking angled sections of wall. At the top is a parapet carved in relief with a characteristic Mughal pattern of multi-cusped crenellations. Here we first encounter the triadic composition that determines most facades in the Taj complex, including that of the mausoleum.
The South Gate (Sidhi Daewaza)
The design of the south gate is a vertically elongated version of that of the outer facades of the east and west gates. Both its faces have a simple pishtaq, flanked by engaged shafts terminating in guldastas. Because of the overall slope of the site, it stands 7 feet 10 inches above the level of the Jilaukhana and is reached up a short flight of stairs. Outside, a further short flight leads up to the bazaar and caravanserai complex, the Taj Ganj, which lies at a level 3 feet 3 inches higher.
The Great Gate (Darwaza-i-Rauza)
The Jilaukhana complex is dominated by the great entrance gate set in the centre of the southern wall of the funerary garden. Lahauri calls it darwaza-i rauza, 'gate of the mausoleum', it is indeed a worthy counterpart to the mausoleum. The monumental structure sets a formal accent and
mediates the transition between the area of the Jilaukhana and the funerary garden. It prepares the visitor for the grandeur of the mausoleum that awaits within. The great gate is preceded on the south and north by platforms paved with geometrical patterns.
The south front of the great gate faces the Jilaukhana as a splendid introduction to the imperial architecture of the domain of the mausoleum. It is a monumental version of a Mughal elevational formula that also appears in the mausoleum, that of a large pishtaq flanked by two tiers of niches.
The triadic design had been announced within the Jilaukhana area in a more modest form on the inner faces of the east and west gates. The design has its roots in the Sultanate architecture of Delhi, beginning with the Ala'i Darwaza of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque. It brings to mind Roman triumphal arches, but no obvious connection can be established.
The Construction
Shahjahan purchased a plot of land from Raja Jai Singh on the banks of Yamuna River for building the Taj Mahal. Raja Jai Singh was also instructed by Shahjahan to provide a regular supply of special, hard and non-porous marble from the quarries of Makrana. A 2½-mile (4.02 km) road ramp was built to haul huge pieces of marble to the site of the construction. Strangely the scaffolding of this magnificent building was made, not of wood or bamboo, but with bricks. It is probable that the lack of wood made the architects to make brick scaffoldings.
Shahjahan purchased a plot of land from Raja Jai Singh on the banks of Yamuna River for building the Taj Mahal. Raja Jai Singh was also instructed by Shahjahan to provide a regular supply of special, hard and non-porous marble from the quarries of Makrana. A 2½-mile (4.02 km) road ramp was built to haul huge pieces of marble to the site of the construction. Strangely the scaffolding of this magnificent building was made, not of wood or bamboo, but with bricks. It is probable that the lack of wood made the architects to make brick scaffoldings.
Though Shahjahan provided the vision behind the entire concept, he was assisted in his endeavor by a number of architects. The name of the architect, which is often mentioned during the building of Taj Mahal, is that of Muhammad Isa Khan, who hailed from Shiraz in Iran. It is also said that a creative nucleus of 37 people formed the core advisory group behind this gigantic project. The construction of Taj Mahal commenced in 1632. Work on the mausoleum started in frenzy with thousands of artisans and laborers toiling ceaselessly day after day. It is said that Taj Mahal took 21 years to complete, with the help of an army of 20,000 laborers, who worked under the guidance of Shahjahan. It is also said that the royal coffers went dry after this project was over.
At the end of the first year of construction the mausoleum had taken shape and the crypt chamber along with its surrounding works were also completed. The body of Mumtaz Mahal was ceremoniously interred into the tomb. Six years of extensive labor saw the main building of the mausoleum complete and crowned with a majestic guava shaped dome. According to some historians the major construction of Taj Mahal was completed in about 10 years time.
The Plan
The Taj Mahal is built according to a predefined plan. It is built according to the Islamic concept of Paradise, where an enormous, shimmering pearl white dome stands supported by four corner pillars, from which flow the rivers of grace.
The massive plinth on which the Taj Mahal stands is representative of the material world, while the octagonal main structure signifies the transitional phase. Finally the dome is symbolic of being the vault of the heaven. To complete the illusion of the paradise, the tomb has been ornamented with splendidly calligraphy of verses from the holy Koran, in flowing Arabic. An inscription written on the massive front gateway leading to the gardens in front of the Taj reads, O soul that art at rest, return to the lord, at peace with Him and He at peace with you. So enter as one of His servants and enter into His garden.
The Taj is marked by perfect symmetry and harmony, be it the shape of the four towering minarets; the cupolas (chhatris); the central arch in the façade; the perfectly arranged arched recesses on both the story. s; the intricate pietra dura (stone inlay work); the delicate lattice work on marble windows or the magnificent dome. Even the mosque and the guesthouse (mehmankhana) are a mirror image of one another.
However, there is one thing, which breaks the perfectly harmonious plan of the Taj Mahal - its position. Instead of locating the Taj Mahal in the middle of the Charbagh (four garden plan), Shahjahan built the mausoleum at the far end of the garden, with the back wall falling straight down to the bed of Yamuna River.
Threats to the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal India has been the object of looters of many varieties for more than 100 years.
The Taj Mahal India has been the object of looters of many varieties for more than 100 years.
The British, along with the Jats, a caste of northern India, looted the Taj of the lavish carpets, jewels, silver doors and tapestries that once bedecked it.
In 1830, Lord William Bentinck, governor of India in the 1830s, planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and auction off the marble. The story goes that the demolition crew were ready to begin work but were only stopped because Bentinck was unable to make the scheme financially viable.
There is no evidence for this story, which may have arisen as the result of Bentinck’s penny-pinching attitudes. However, the Archaeological Survey of India, still believe and argue that a sale by the British East India Company was planned under Lord Bentinck, which failed as no satisfactory buyers could be found.
By the mid-19th century, the Taj had become a colonial "pleasure resort," with Englishmen and women dancing on the terrace, and the mosque and its jawab rented out to honeymooners. In 1857 during the time of the Indian rebellion the Taj Mahal was further defaced.
The British soldiers and government officials chiselled out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls. Picnickers came armed with hammers and chisel to extract fragments of agate and carnelian from the flowers By the close of the century parts of the Taj Mahal had fallen badly into disrepair.
The British viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a massive restoration project, completed in 1908. He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber, which he had modelled on one hanging in a Cairo mosque, after the local craftsmen failed to provide an acceptable design. He repaired the buildings, restored the gardens, and got the canals working again. However the garden was remodelled with the more English looking lawns visible today.
By the 20th century better care was being taken of the Taj Mahal. In 1942 the government erected a scaffolding over it, in anticipation of an air attack by the German Luftwaffe and later by the Japanese Air Force. During the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971 the government erected scaffoldings again and the monument was covered in a tarpaulin, to mislead would-be bomber pilots.
Its most recent threats comes from environmental pollution on the banks of the Yamuna River including acid rain which occurs due to the Mathura oil refinery As Agra grew, little effort was made to protect the Taj from the the ravages of pollution, which began to discolor the white marble. In the late 1990's, as the monument's future began to seem deeply imperilled, the Supreme Court ordered the shifting of some industries farther away.
Today, only electric-powered vehicles (or bicycle rickshaws) are allowed near the Taj, and under a public-private partnership between the government and the Taj Group of hotels, a major conservation effort is under way.
Moving slowly, thanks to unwieldy bureaucracy, but steadily, a group of global experts has spent more than two years researching and documenting the monument. Soon the real work on the ground will begin. First the visitor facilities will be improved, and security made less obtrusive. Then questions of how to improve the visitor flow through the site will be addressed. There is a plan to restore the gardens to their original state, but it may be decided to preserve the lawns that were installed by Lord Curzon.
In 1983 the Taj Mahal was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is a major tourist destination.
A persistent conservation effort seems essential, given the continuing threats to the monument. A scandal erupted after the State Government allowed construction to start in 2002 on a Taj Heritage Corridor, which included a shopping mall between the Taj and Agra Fort, without first securing the permission of the central government. The project was scrapped with fear that it could severely damage the Taj, and its ambience, The state's former chief minister, Mayawati, was at the centre of the scandal..
Recently the Taj Mahal was claimed to be Sunni Wakf property, on the grounds that it is the grave of a woman whose husband, Emperor Shah Jahan was a Sunni. The Indian government has dismissed claims by the Muslim trust to administer the property, saying their claims are baseless and the Taj Mahal India is a national property.
Tourism
The Taj Mahal attracts between 2 million and 4 million visitors annually, including more than 200,000 from overseas. A dual- pricing system is in place, with a significantly lower entrance fee for Indian citizens than for foreigners. Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourists must either walk from parking lots or catch an electric bus. The Khawasspuras (northern courtyards) are currently being restored for use as a new visitor center.
The Taj Mahal attracts between 2 million and 4 million visitors annually, including more than 200,000 from overseas. A dual- pricing system is in place, with a significantly lower entrance fee for Indian citizens than for foreigners. Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourists must either walk from parking lots or catch an electric bus. The Khawasspuras (northern courtyards) are currently being restored for use as a new visitor center.
The small town to the south of the Taj, known as Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad, was originally constructed with caravanserais, bazaars and markets to serve the needs of visitors and workmen. Lists of recommended travel destinations often feature the Taj Mahal, which also appears in several listings of seven wonders of the modern world, including the recently announced New Seven Wonders of the World, a recent poll with 100 million votes.
The grounds are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, except for Friday when the complex is open for prayers at the mosque between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. The complex is open for night viewing on the day of the full moon and two days before and after, excluding Fridays and the month of Ramadan. For security reasons only five items—water in transparent bottles, small video cameras, still cameras, mobile phones and small ladies' purses—are allowed inside the Taj Mahal.
Myths about the Taj Mahal
There are several myths about Taj Mahal. Some of them are:
According to one of the myths, the construction is sinking and it is known that in spite of all the precautions, cracks were discovered in it just 4 years after its completion and that it was tilting towards the riverside.
According to another myth a number of items such as diamonds, a gold leaf which covered the part of the dome, a pearl blanket etc that were originally a part of the Taj were stolen.
It is also told that Shah Jahan got the hands of his sculptors and architects cut off so that they would never be able to build a monument as magnificent and beautiful as the Taj again and he even got their eyes pulled out so that they would never be able to witness anything bigger and more beautiful than the monument that they had built during their lifetime.
A longstanding myth holds that Shah Jahan planned a mausoleum to be built in black marble across the Yamuna river. The idea originates from fanciful writings of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a European traveller who visited Agra in 1665. It was suggested that Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb before it could be built. Ruins of blackened marble across the river in Moonlight Garden, Mahtab Bagh, seemed to support this legend. However, excavations carried out in the 1990s found that they were discolored white stones that had turned black. A more credible theory for the origins of the black mausoleum was demonstrated in 2006 by archeologists who reconstructed part of the pool in the Moonlight Garden. A dark reflection of the white mausoleum could clearly be seen, befitting Shah Jahan's obsession with symmetry and the positioning of the pool itself.
No evidence exists for claims that describe, often in horrific detail, the deaths, dismemberments and mutilations which Shah Jahan supposedly inflicted on various architects and craftsmen associated with the tomb. Some stories claim that those involved in construction signed contracts committing themselves to have no part in any similar design. Similar claims are made for many famous buildings. No evidence exists for claims that Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of India in the 1830s, supposedly planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and auction off the marble. Bentinck's biographer John Rosselli says that the story arose from Bentinck's fund-raising sale of discarded marble from Agra Fort.
Another myth suggests that beating the silhouette of the finial will cause water to come forth. To this day, officials find broken bangles surrounding the silhouette.
In 2000, India's Supreme Court dismissed P. N. Oak's petition to declare that a Hindu king built the Taj Mahal. Oak claimed that origins of the Taj, together with other historic structures in the country currently ascribed to Muslim sultans pre-date Muslim rule of India and thus, have a Hindu origin.
According to one of the myths, the construction is sinking and it is known that in spite of all the precautions, cracks were discovered in it just 4 years after its completion and that it was tilting towards the riverside.
According to another myth a number of items such as diamonds, a gold leaf which covered the part of the dome, a pearl blanket etc that were originally a part of the Taj were stolen.
It is also told that Shah Jahan got the hands of his sculptors and architects cut off so that they would never be able to build a monument as magnificent and beautiful as the Taj again and he even got their eyes pulled out so that they would never be able to witness anything bigger and more beautiful than the monument that they had built during their lifetime.
Controversies
Ever since its construction, the building has been the source of an admiration transcending culture and geography, and so personal and emotional responses have consistently eclipsed scholastic appraisals of the monument.A longstanding myth holds that Shah Jahan planned a mausoleum to be built in black marble across the Yamuna river. The idea originates from fanciful writings of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a European traveller who visited Agra in 1665. It was suggested that Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb before it could be built. Ruins of blackened marble across the river in Moonlight Garden, Mahtab Bagh, seemed to support this legend. However, excavations carried out in the 1990s found that they were discolored white stones that had turned black. A more credible theory for the origins of the black mausoleum was demonstrated in 2006 by archeologists who reconstructed part of the pool in the Moonlight Garden. A dark reflection of the white mausoleum could clearly be seen, befitting Shah Jahan's obsession with symmetry and the positioning of the pool itself.
No evidence exists for claims that describe, often in horrific detail, the deaths, dismemberments and mutilations which Shah Jahan supposedly inflicted on various architects and craftsmen associated with the tomb. Some stories claim that those involved in construction signed contracts committing themselves to have no part in any similar design. Similar claims are made for many famous buildings. No evidence exists for claims that Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of India in the 1830s, supposedly planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and auction off the marble. Bentinck's biographer John Rosselli says that the story arose from Bentinck's fund-raising sale of discarded marble from Agra Fort.
Another myth suggests that beating the silhouette of the finial will cause water to come forth. To this day, officials find broken bangles surrounding the silhouette.
In 2000, India's Supreme Court dismissed P. N. Oak's petition to declare that a Hindu king built the Taj Mahal. Oak claimed that origins of the Taj, together with other historic structures in the country currently ascribed to Muslim sultans pre-date Muslim rule of India and thus, have a Hindu origin.
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