Taj Mahal a Masterpiece, and a Symbol of True Love

There are many buildings and historical monuments that inspire awe by their design and construction. But not many can match the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the feelings of true love that it inspires.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited the Taj Mahal in the year 2000 and remarked-“There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who have seen the Taj Mahal and love it and those who have not seen the Taj Mahal and love it. I would like people to watch my Taj Mahal and fall in love with it.”

President Donald J. Trump got very emotional after hearing the story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. He wrote in the visitor’s book at the site “Taj Mahal inspires awe, a timeless testament to the rich and diverse beauty of the Indian culture.”

Earlier in his career, Trump named his first casino in Atlantic City the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal attracts around 7–8 million visitors a year and in 1983 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2007, people from all over the world voted the Taj Mahal as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

Here are some of the facts about the Taj Mahal-

Cost of Taj Mahal if built today

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum, on the banks of river Yamuna in the city of Agra. It was commissioned in the year 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal and also serve as the tomb of Shah Jahan himself.

The work on the project was completed in 1653 at a cost of around 32 million rupees which today would be around 70 billion rupees (approx. 1 billion U.S.D).

The Original entrance was near the Yamuna river

Visitors today enter the Taj Mahal from the gate which they don’t know is the back gate.

During the time of Shah Jahan entrance was Shahi Darwaja, near to river Yamuna. People used to reach the Taj Mahal through the Yamuna river, which was like a highway.

The Emperor and his royal guests used to come in a boat and embark on a platform. From the platform, the emperor used to view the Taj Mahal. Over a period of time, the platform got destroyed due to the changing course of the river Yamuna.

A Mosque near the Taj Mahal faces the direction of the Kaaba

The Taj Mahal has a mosque standing on the western side of the monument.

The mosque was built because it was obligatory according to the muslin law for a mausoleum to have a place of worship nearby. It was built by Isa Mohammed and faces the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.

The floor of the mosque is built up in such a manner that it serves as the purpose of the prayer mats in the mosque. The walls are intricately carved with lines from the Quran and the name of Allah has been mentioned throughout.

The artisans who created the Taj Mahal were amputated

It is often claimed that the emperor ordered his soldiers to cut off the hands of the craftsmen so that they would never be able to build such a great monument again. But no concrete evidence exists for the claims that describe the deaths and mutations which Shah Jahan inflicted on architects and craftsmen.

Some stories claim that those who were involved in the construction of the Taj Mahal signed contracts that committed them to never be part of a similar project again.

The Taj Mahal’s minarets are not perpendicular

Each of the four minarets is more than 40 meters tall. They were designed as working minarets which is the traditional element of a mosque, to call the faithful to prayer.

They were constructed outside the plinth and tilting outwards, so that in the event of a collapse or a natural disaster like an earthquake, the material from the towers would fall away from the tomb.

It has Islamic calligraphy inscription all over the building

The calligraphic inscriptions in Arabic are texts from Quran and are beautifully inscribed at various places. The most prominent inscription is the one at the Great Gate which reads:

“O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you.”

The calligraphy was created by a calligrapher named Abdul Haq who was conferred with the title of “Amanat Khan” by Shah Jahan.

The Architecture of the Taj Mahal is influenced by Islamic, Persian, and Indian styles

The architecture of the Taj Mahal is a combination of Islamic, Persian, and Indian styles. Although an able military commander, Shah Jahan is remembered till this day for his architectural achievements.

During his reign, the Mughal Empire reached the peak of its cultural glory and is also known as the golden age of Mughal architecture. His rule saw many grand projects like the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and the Shah Jahan Mosque.

Precious stones were imported from outside India

The materials used for the construction of the Taj Mahal came from all over India and Asia. Over 1,000 elephants were used to transport the building materials. Twenty-eight types of precious stones were laid into the marble.

The white marble came from Makrana Rajasthan, Jasper from Punjab, crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka, and carnelian from Arabia. It took the efforts of 22,000 laborers, artists, painters, and stone cutters to shape the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal has been looted many times

British soldiers looted precious stones from the walls of the Taj Mahal during the Sepoy Rebellion, Indian War of Independence, or Great Mutiny in 1857.

Designers and architects of Taj Mahal

·Thirty-seven men are mentioned by name in the official Mughal histories to have worked together to form a creative team that shaped the Taj Mahal.

Ustad Ahmad, an architect in the court of Shah Jahan from Lahore is often credited as the chief architect. Shah Jahan too was interested in architectural decoration and design, and was involved in plans as they developed; often commenting and suggesting changes.

Hidden during wars to protect from bombers

In 1942, the government erected scaffolding to disguise the building, for the prevention of attacks by the Imperial Japanese Air Force. During the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971 the scaffolding was again erected to mislead the enemy planes.

The Foundation of Taj Mahal is very strong

The foundation of the Taj Mahal was the biggest technical challenge for the Mughal builders.

To support the load of the mausoleum the sands of the riverbank had to be stabilized. For these wells were sunk, cased in timber, and finally filled with rubble, iron, and mortar.

The wooden part of the foundation lies well below the river Yamuna and the wood used, has the necessary strength or bearing capacity to carry the weight of the Taj Mahal. The river keeps the wood moist and strong, hence helping to maintain a strong foundation.

The Taj Mahal was to have a black twin

There is a belief that Shah Jahan wanted to build a black Taj Mahal mausoleum on the other side of the river as his own tomb and connect the two structures by a bridge. Many scholars and modern archaeologists believe this story to be a myth.

The Taj Mahal changes color

The Taj Mahal changes color depending on the light. From pale pink at dawn to blazing orange at sunrise to simmering white by noon to amber at sunset. And at night, lit by moonlight bouncing off the Yamuna river waters, the monument literally shimmers.

The Taj Mahal contains an Optical illusion

When you are about to step into the site through the main door, the monument appears to be majestic and huge and as you start getting closer, it shrinks in size. This is the reverse of what you would have expected.

Inspired people have built replicas all over the world

·The Taj Mahal has seven replicas around the world:

Bibi Ka Makbara- Fondly called the poor man’s Taj Mahal, it is located in Aurangabad, India, and was built by Shah Jahan’s grandson.

Taj Mahal of China-It is located at a theme park in Shenzhen and is called the window to the world.

Taj Arabia of Dubai.

Royal Pavilion, Brighton UK- A British monument that resembles the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal Bangladesh- Located in Dhaka it was built by Bangladeshi filmmaker, Ahsanullah Moni.

Taj Mahal houseboat, Sausalito, California- Built by Californian entrepreneur, Bill Harlan.

Humayun’s Tomb-It was built before the Taj Mahal. The design and layout of the Taj Mahal are heavily inspired by the Humayun’s tomb located in New Delhi.

Taj Mahal was dedicated to the beloved wife of Shah Jahan

Mumtaz Mahal the wife of Shah Jahan died at the age of 40 years after giving birth to their 14th child.

In 1631, though pregnant, she accompanied Shah Jahān on a military campaign in the Deccan. While in Burhanpur, she gave birth to their 14th child, and soon after died from hemorrhaging.

She was buried temporarily in Burhanpur, until her body was transferred to Agra in January 1632. The same month, construction began on the Taj Mahal .

The dead body of Mumtaz Mahal was embalmed and kept in a garden on the shore of Yamuna river for about 22 years, till the completion of the Taj Mahal in 1653 A.D.

The untimely demise of his beloved wife left Shah Jahan gloomy and depressed for two years, that his hair turned grey. He did not take interest in any sensory pleasure for 24 months.

Shah Jahan was kept under house arrest in his final years

In 1657 Shah Jahan fell ill and Mumtaz Mahal’s eldest son Dara assumed responsibility for his father’s throne. His three other son’s led by Aurangzeb defeated Dara’s army and declared their father incompetent to rule and put him under house arrest in Agra Fort.

From here Shah Jahan could see the Taj Mahal and remember his beloved wife. After Shah Jahan died in 1666 in captivity, his body was quietly taken by two men and laid beside Mumtaz Mahal.

Shah Jahan knew that the wealth, glamour, pomp, and show would not last forever. What will remain is true love. All the effort, time, and excellence involved in building this monument demonstrate the true love the Emperor had for his wife.

When you stand in front of the Taj Mahal you begin to feel the emperor’s emotions. Today the emperor is not there, the empire is not there, but the monument still remains as a symbol of their love story. So decide you want to see the Taj Mahal and love it, or still love it without seeing it.