Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal History


Famous as monument of Love, Taj Mahal was most beautiful building in the world and was built by an emperor as a memorial to his beloved wife.
The love story between Mumtaaj mahal and Shahjahan began when they accidently met each other at bazzar. Since they both were juvenile, the cupid striked and love conquered both the hearts at the mere age of 15 and 14 respectively. Mumtaj Mahal was then known as Arjumand Banu Begum and was the the daughter of his father's prime minister. Shahjahan was so mesmerized by Mumtaj's beauty that he presented a diamond gift of around 10,000 rupees and then presented his proposal to her father.

Their wedding took place five years later, in 1612. From that time they were inseparable (although Shah Jahan also had other wives). After becoming emperor in 1628, Shah Jahan entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He called her Mumtaz Mahal, "jewel of the palace." She accompanied him on military campaigns, advised him on affairs of state, and was loved by his subjects for her charitable work.
When Mumtaz was still alive she took four promises from her husband; first, that he build her a monument, symbolizing their love; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to their children ; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary.

Since destiny had something else written for them and they had to part. Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631 after giving birth to their 14th child. Her heartbroken husband spent approximately two decades, and much of the money in the royal treasury, fulfilling his wife's dying wish by building a monument to their love.

The Taj Mahal is considered one of the wonders of the world. It stands amid acres of gardens on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra. The most famous part of the monument is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal with its white marble dome, but the 42-acre complex also includes mosques, minarets and other buildings.

»Mumtaj Mahal
Words will fall short for a person for whom was constructed the epitome of love - the Taj Mahal. Born with the name Arjumand Banu,she was renamed Mumtaj Mahal in the year 1612. As the 14 year old daughter of Asaf Khan she married Mughal Prince Khurran, also known as Shahjahan. She remained a very faithful, loyal companion to her husband, and bore him fourteen children. She received the highest honor of the land - the royal seal - Mehr Uzaz from her emperor husband. It is said that she gave allowances to widows and orphans. The stories of her virtue spread all over the empire.

During the year 1630, the emperor and his pregnant empress traveled to what is now known as Maharashtra to suppress the Lodi empire. And sadly, Mumtaz never saw home again, she died on the eighth of June, in 1631, in the city of Burhanpur, only one day after giving birth to another daughter.

As Mumtaz Mahal lay dying, she asked four promises from the emperor: first - that he build the Taj, second - that he should marry again, third - that he be kind to their children, and fourth - that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The principal architect was the Iranian architect Istad Usa; it is possible that the pietra dura work was coordinated by an Italian artist .

Taj Mahal Facts


»Taj - The Signature of Love
Taj Mahal is beyond any description. Speechless beauty in white - The Taj Mahal beckons every lover of beauty and artistry ever since its existence. Standing on the banks of the River Yamuna, the Taj is a memorial built by Shahjahan in the memory of Mumtaz Mahal, his second and most beloved wife.

The "Speechless White Beauty", Taj is the most favourite and most visited monument in India by any visitor to India. This travel icon of India is also the most photographed edifice, and the most precious jewel studded to the enigmatic land of India.

Shimmering like a precious gem on the exquisite landscape of India, the Taj Mahal is that beauty, without seeing which, a trip to India remains incomplete. Scooped out of White Makrana (marble), Taj Mahal bears various hues at the different time of the day, which is said to personify the various moods of a woman.

During its construction, Taj was bejeweled with various precious and semi precious stones, most of which no more exists. Even then, Taj Mahal is the most beautiful and most appealing monument in the world, for being the most priced and largest mausoleum built by a man for his undying love on earth.

»The Taj Architecture
White Marble (Makrana Marble from Rajasthan) was the main building material to build this only edifice of exceptional craftsmanship. About 28 kind of rare, semi precious and precious stones were used for inlay work in the Taj Mahal, which adds more elegance to the brilliance of Taj. With extensive uses of precious stones on its white delicate body, the Taj becomes the most wonderful and peerless monument built in the world.

Dome Maker - Ismail Khan Afridi of Turkey

Superintendent of Masons - Muhammad Hanif

Dome Height: 187ft at the centre
Standing on a plinth, surrounded by graceful gardens in Persian Charbagh (four-garden) style, Taj exudes charm like no other. The entire area of the Taj complex is 580-m (1,902-ft) by300 m (984 ft), while the garden alone spans to an area of 300-m (984 ft) by 300 m (984 ft).

The garden around the Taj has canals and well-laid waterworks. The dramatic watercourse neatly divides the garden (dotted with fruit bearing trees) into four equal parts and epitomises the spotless beauty of the entire complex.

»Where is this Peerless Beauty?
Agra prides in housing this most precious monument of love, built by any man on this earth. Agra was the most developed city of India during the Mughal period, and even today it continues to be one of the most fast growing cities in Uttar Pradesh India with plentitude of industrial sectors. It is Taj, because of which Agra is known as the City of Taj.

»How to Reach Taj Mahal
Agra, the city housing the Taj is well connected to rest of India by all the means of transport - air, rail & road.
Air - Indian Airlines (Domestic Airline in India) runs daily flights from Delhi to Agra. Kheria Airport (Airport of Agra) is about 6 km from the Agra City centre and is easily accessible by taxis and auto-rickshaws at nominal rates.

Rail - Agra has three Railway Stations: Agra Cantt Rly Station, Raja-ki-Mundi Rly Station, and Agra Fort Rly Station, which are connected to several parts of the country. There are several excellent train services to Delhi such as The Shatabdi Express (2 hrs), Taj Express (2.5 hrs), Intercity Express (3 hrs).

Road - Express bus services, both AC and non-AC are available from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Gwalior, and Jhansi.

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