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Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was the one who built the Taj Mahal in 1632 to hold the remains of Mumtaz Mahal, his beloved wife. The Agra Taj Mahal, India, was built on the Yamuna River’s southern bank over 20 years and is one of the most notable examples of Mughal architecture, which incorporated Indian, Persian, and Islamic elements. The Taj Mahal, made of beautiful white marble that appears to change colour depending on the light, is located in the city’s heart. It is still one of the world’s most recognizable structures and a breathtaking reminder of India’s rich heritage.
Taj Mahal Agra Construction, Inspiration
The Taj Mahal is in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, in northern India. It is easily accessible by road and is located on the banks of the Yamuna River.
The Taj Mahal’s Planning and Construction
The Taj Mahal was built of white marble and inlaid with semi-precious stones (such as crystal, jade, amethyst, lapis lazuli, and turquoise) to create magnificent designs using a technique known as pietra dura. The name Mumtaz Mahal was inspired by Mumtaz.
The central dome stands 240 feet (73 metres) tall and is encircled by four lesser domes, with four thin minarets at the corners. The verse from the Quran was etched in calligraphy on the arched entrances to the tomb and various other areas of the complex, in line with Islamic customs.
Cenotaph
The cenotaph, or fake tomb, of Mumtaz Mahal, was located inside the mausoleum, in an octagonal marble chamber with sculptures and semi-precious stones. The true coffin, which held her actual remains, was located below the garden.
A red sandstone entrance gate and a square garden separated into quarters by long pools of water, a red sandstone mosque, and an identical tower called a nawab (or “mirror”) right opposite the mosque made up the rest of the Taj Mahal complex. Mughal construction norms would permit no further improvements to the facility.
According to legend, Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal) planned to construct a second majestic mausoleum across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal. He would be interred after his death; the two monuments were to be linked by a bridge.
In 1658, Aurangzeb (Shah Jahan’s third son with Mumtaz Mahal) toppled his father and assumed control. Shah Jahan spent his final years under house imprisonment in a tower of the Red Fort at Agra, viewing the magnificent tomb he had built for his wife; when he died in 1666, he was buried close to her.
Garden of Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal complex is built around a vast four-sided char bagh or Mughal garden that spans 300 metres (980 feet). The garden employs raised walkways to divide the grass into 16 subterranean parterres or plots, one for every four quarters. A high marble water tank with a sparkling pool is situated on a north-south axis to imitate the look of the tomb in the middle of the garden, halfway between the tomb and the doorway.
The garden is laid out with plant streets that are labelled with communal and scientific classifications, as well as fountains. The first Mughal emperor, Babur, gave India the char bagh garden, inspired by Persian gardens. It depicts the four beautiful rivers of Jannah (Paradise) and recreates the Heaven garden, which is derived from the Persian, which means ‘walled garden. Paradise is described as an immaculate garden of abundance in mystical Islamic literature from the Mughal era, with four rivers gracefully flowing out of a prominent spring or mountain, unravelling the garden into north, west, south, and east.
Construction cost:
The cost of the Taj Mahal’s construction has been variously estimated. According to some estimates, the monument cost 32 million rupees or nearly 53 billion rupees (US$827 million) in today’s money. Spent most of the funds on the stones and the employees’ salaries. The funding came from the Emperor’s Royal Treasury and the Government of the Province of Agra’s Treasury.
Taj Mahal Today:
Today, the Taj Mahal is India’s most visited attraction, with over 7 million tourists each year (or about 70,000 a day in the peak tourist season). The Indian government has taken several steps to conserve this magnificent monument, including shutting industries responsible for degrading the mausoleum’s brilliant white marble façade and restricting visitors to three hours to avoid congestion.
Conclusion:
In front of the Taj Mahal, there is a lovely fountain with water channels. The Taj’s reflection in the water creates an enthralling sight. It has a fairytale appearance, having been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. To summarise, every Indian is proud of the Taj Mahal’s beauty and tradition. This monument is well-known around the world. Every year, between 2 and 4 million people visit the Taj Mahal. The monument’s beauty and history draw the most visitors and make it famous worldwide. The article provides a detailed study about the Taj Mahal and who built the Taj Mahal.
