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his mausoleum was located in Banks of River Yamuna in Agra, India. It was built by the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan and began constructing in 1631, completed 22 years later in 1653. There were about 20,000 laboures involved and the chief architect was Ustad Isa Khan.
The Taj Mahal was known as the undying symbol of love.
The Taj Mahal was built in the early 17th Century. It was built in white marble by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan had many wives, but Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite. That’s because she always company him in whatever the situation was and also a good advisor to Shah Jahan
However, she died when giving birth to their daughter, the 14th child, Gauhara Begum. He was sorrowful and was so heart broken. He locked himself in a room for two years.
Two years later, he finally went out and got inspired to build the most beautiful monument as the symbol of his everlasting love towards his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Then, the construction soon began.
The chief architect was a Persian, Ustad Isa and alongside was his pupil, Ustad Ahmed. The dome was designed and decorated by Ismail Khan. 20,000 labours were employed from across the country. It took them around 22 years to complete the monument.
After the completion, Mumtaz Mahal’s grave was shifted to the grave chamber in the lower part of Taj Mahal.
The central dome is 57 meters high in the sky. There were 28 beautiful stones were used:
The luminescent white marble was brought from far-off Makrana, Rajasthan.
The Taj Mahal gardens are all at the front of the tomb. The background is the sky. The tomb is set against a plain across a river, it subtly reflect on the white marble surface of the Taj Mahal and causing it to regularly change its color and complexion. The composition of the forms and lines of the Taj Mahal is symmetrical. The immense height of the tomb, along with its pyramidal look, fills it with beauty and make it seem to float or soar.
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan ordered of building this mausoleum was in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It was even named after his wife.
There was a rumour saying that Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan ordered that the hands of the craftsmen and the architect, basically those who were involved in the construction of the Taj Mahal, to be chopped off after the completion of the Taj Mahal. The reason for this was because Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan did not want them to built a monument as grand as the Taj Mahal.
There is another fact that Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan had planned to build another Taj Mahal in black marble as his own tomb, since he built the Taj Mahal for the memory of his wife in white marble.
The walls and dome of the Taj Mahal were covered in semi-precious stones and gems. However, it was later plundered in successive wars.
Taj Mahal - Taj Mahal India - Taj Mahal Agra India - Taj Mahal Tourism - Travel to Taj Mahal
http://www.bharatonline.com/uttar-pradesh/taj-mahal/index.html
Done by: Rabeah (Wonders crew)