Taj Mahal

De **Taj Mahal** (/ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl, ˌtɑːʒ -/ *[[:en:Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key|TAHJ mə-HAHL, TAHZH]] -⁠*; Hindi: [taːdʒ ˈmɛɦ(ɛ)l]; lit.&#x2009;'Crown of de Palace') be an ivory-white marble mausoleum for de right bank of de river Yamuna insyd Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Na dem commission am insyd 1631 by de fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) make e house de tomb of ein beloved wifey, Mumtaz Mahal; e sanso dey house de tomb of Shah Jahan einself. De tomb be de centrepiece of a  complex, wich dey include a mosque den a guest house, wey ebe set insyd formal gardens dem bound on three sides by a crenellated wall.

Na dem plete construction of de mausoleum insyd 1648, buh na dem continue work for oda phases of de project for anoda five years. Na de first ceremony dem hold for de mausoleum be an observance by Shah Jahan, for 6 February 1643, of de 12th anniversary of de death of Mumtaz Mahal. Dem dey believe dem plete de Taj Mahal insyd ein entirety insyd 1653 for a cost dem estimate for de time to be around ₹32 million, wich insyd 2015 go be approximately ₹52.8 billion (US$827&nbsp;million).

De building complex dey incorporate de design traditions of Indo-Islamic den Mughal architecture. E dey employ symmetrical constructions plus de usage of various shapes den symbols. While na dem construct de mausoleum of white marble inlaid plus semi-precious stones, na dem use red sandstone for oda buildings insyd de complex similar to de Mughal era buildings of de time. Na de construction project employ more dan 20,000 workers den artisans under de guidance of a board of architects wey Ustad Ahmad Lahori lead, de emperor ein court architect.

Na dem designate de Taj Mahal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site insyd 1983 secof e be "de jewel of Islamic art insyd India den one of de universally masterpieces of de world ein heritage dem admire". Dem dey regard am as one of de best examples of Mughal architecture den a symbol of Indian history. De Taj Mahal be a major tourist attraction wey dey attract more dan five million visitors a year. Insyd 2007, na dem declare am a winner of de New 7 Wonders of de World initiative. De Taj Mahal den ein setting, surrounding grounds, den structures be a Monument of National Importance, wey de Archaeological Survey of India administer.

## Etymology

Of Urdu origin, dem dey believe de name "Taj Mahal" e be derived from de Persian word *tāj* "crown" den de Arabic *mahall* "palace". An alternative derivation of "taj" be dat na ebe a corruption of de second syllable of "Mumtaz". Abdul Hamid Lahori, insyd ein 1636 book *Padshahnama*, dey refer to de Taj Mahal as *rauza-i munawwara* (Perso-Arabic: , *rawdah-i munawwarah*), wey dey mean de illumined anaa illustrious tomb.

## Inspiration

Na de Taj Mahal be commissioned by Shah Jahan insyd 1631, make dem build am for de memory of ein wifey Mumtaz Mahal, wey die for 17 June dat year while na she dey give birth to dema 14th kiddie, Gauhara Begum. Na construction start insyd 1632, wey na dem plete de mausoleum insyd 1648, while na dem fini de surrounding buildings den garden five years later.

De imperial court wey dey document Shah Jahan ein grief after se death of Mumtaz Mahal dey illustrate de love story dem hold as de inspiration give de Taj Mahal. According to contemporary historians Muhammad Amin Qazvini, Abdul Hamid Lahori den Muhammad Saleh Kamboh, na Shah Jahan no show de same level of affection give odas as na he show Mumtaz while na she be alive. After ein death, na he avoid royal affairs for a week due to ein grief wey na he give up listening to music den lavish dressing for two years. Na Shah Jahan be enamoured by de beauty of de land for se south side of Agra for wich na a mansion wey dey belong to Raja Jai Singh I stand. Na he choose de place for de construction of Mumtaz ein tomb after wich na Jai Singh agree make he give am to emperor Shah Jahan in exchange for a large palace insyd de centre of Agra.

## Architecture den design

De Taj Mahal dey incorporate den dey expand on design traditions of Indo-Islamic den Mughal architecture. Na inspirations give de building cam from Timurid den Mughal buildings wey dey include de Gur-e Amir insyd Samarkand (de tomb of Timur, progenitor of de Mughal dynasty) den Humayun's Tomb insyd Delhi wich inspire de Charbagh gardens den hasht-behesht plan of de site. De building complex dey employ symmetrical constructions plus de usage of various shapes den symbols. While de mausoleum be constructed of white marble inlaid plus semi-precious stones, na dem use red sandstone give oda buildings insyd de complex similar to de Mughal era buildings of de time. De entire complex dey sit on a platform wey dey measure  for length den  for height for de banks of de Yamuna river. Na dem build de platform plus varying patterns of dark den light colored sandstone.

### Exterior

De mausoleum building be de central structure of de entire complex. Ebe a white marble structure wey dey stand on a  high square plinth plus sides wey dey measure  for length. De base structure be a large multi-chambered cube plus chamfered corners wey dey form an eight-sided structure wey be approximately  long for each of de four long sides.

 

### Interior
De main inner chamber be an octagon plus  sides, plus de design wey dey allow for entry from each face plus de main door wey dey de face de garden to de south. Two tiers of eight *pishtaq* arches dey locate along de walls, similar to de exterior. De four central upper arches dey form balconies anaa viewing areas, den each balcony ein exterior window get an intricate *jali*. De inner wall be open along de axes wer na dem fit *jali* screens wich transmit light from de exterior to de interior of de main chamber. Except de south side, oda three sides dey consist of an open elongated room flanked by two square cells dem cover plus decorated ceilings set for de platform. De central room get arched openings on three sides dem fit plus *jalis* filled plus panes of glass den a small rectangular window cut into de central *jali*. De square cells wich dem dey reach thru separate doors dem probably originally use give visitors den Qur'an reciters as a place make dem rest. Staircases lead from de ground floor to de roof level, wer na der be corridors between de central hall den de two corner rooms insyd de south plus a system of ventilation shafts.

### Garden

Dem set de complex around a large *charbagh* anaa Mughal garden. De garden is divided by two main walkways (*khiyaban*) into four quadrants plus further raised pathways wey dey divide each of de four-quarters into 16 sunken parterres anaa flowerbeds. De garden be surrounded by a walkway wey dey connect all de quadrants. Halfway between de tomb den gateway insyd de centre of de garden be a raised marble water tank plus five fountains den a reflecting pool dem position for a north–south axis make e reflect de image of de mausoleum. Dem dey bell de elevated marble water tank *al Hawd al-Kawthar* for reference to de "Tank of Abundance" dem promise to Muhammad. Elsewer, dem lay out de garden plus avenues of trees den fountains. Insyd de north-western quadrant, be a place wey dey mark de site wer na dem first bury Mumtaz Mahal, before na dem move ein body to ein final resting place insyd de main chamber of de mausoleum.

### Outlying buildings

De Taj Mahal complex be enclosed by crenellated red sandstone walls for three sides, plus de side wey dey face de Yamuna river lef open. Outsyd de complex walls, der be oda mausoleums dem dedicate to Shah Jahan ein oda wives, royals den favorite servants. De inner sides of de walls dey feature columned arcades, dem adorn plus domed cuppola like chattris den smaller structures like de Music House dem intersperse between dem. De main gateway, dem primarily build of marble, dey mirror de tomb ein architecture den dey incorporate intricate decorations like bas-relief den pietra dura inlays. For de far end of de complex dey stand two similar buildings dem build of red sandstone, one of wich be designated as a mosque den de oda as a *jawab*, a structure make e provide architectural symmetry. De mosque ein design dey resemble odas dem build during de era den de jawab get floors plus inlaid patterns while e dey lack a mihrab.

## Construction

Na de land for wich de Taj Mahal dey situate be present to de south of de walled city of Agra wich na dem take give Shah Jahan by Raja Jai Singh I for exchange for a large palace insyd de centre of Agra. Na de building be commissioned insyd 1631, wey dem commence construction insyd 1632. Na dem excavate an area of roughly , dem fill plus dirt make e reduce seepage, dem levell for  above de riverbank level. Insyd de tomb area, na dem dig piles wey dem fill plus lime den stone make e form de footings of de tomb. Na dem construct de platform of brick den mortar above de ground.

Na dem build de tomb complex mainly dey use brick den lime mortar. De external surface of de main tomb building den de interior of de main cenotaph chamber be veneered plus white marble. De oda interior surfaces den oda accessory buildings be lined plus red sandstone dem coat plus a red octet for protection, wey dey exclude de exterior surfaces of domes. De white marble cam from Makrana insyd Rajasthan, while na dem quarry de red sandstone from Fatehpur Sikri insyd Uttar Pradesh. Na chaw precious den semi-precious stones, dem use for decoration, be imported from across de world, wey dey include jade den crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka den carnelian from Arabia. Insyd all, na dem inlay 28 types of precious den semi-precious stone into de white marble.

Dem dey believe dat more dan 20,000 artisans, labourers, painters den odas na dem be involved insyd de construction of de building. Specialist sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria den Persia, designers from southern India, stone cutters from Baluchistan den Italian artisans na dem be employed. Na workmen construct a colossal brick scaffold wey mirror de tomb rather dan wooden scaffolds. Na dem build a 15 km (9.3 mi) long earthern ramp make e transport marble den materials to de construction site, dem haul for specially constructed wagons by teams of oxen den elephants. Na dem use an elaborate post-and-beam pulley system make e raise de blocks into de desired position. Na dem draw water from de river by a series of an animal-powered devices.

Wen na dem partially plete de structure, na de first ceremony dem hold for de mausoleum by Shah Jahan for 6 February 1643, of de 12th anniversary of de death of Mumtaz Mahal. Na dem plete construction of de mausoleum insyd 1648, buh dem continue work for oda phases of de project for anoda five years. Na dem believe de Taj Mahal complex dem plete am insyd ein entirety insyd 1653 for a cost dem estimate for de time to be around ₹32 million, wich insyd 2015 go be approximately ₹52.8billion (US$827&nbsp;million).

## Later years

Insyd December 1652, na Shah Jahan ein son Aurangzeb wrep a letter to ein poppie about de tomb, de mosque den de assembly hall of de complex wey dey develop extensive leaks during de previous rainy season. Insyd 1658, na Shah Jahan be deposed by Aurangzeb wey dem put am under house arrest for de nearby Agra Fort from wer he fi see de Taj Mahal. Upon Shah Jahan ein death insyd 1666, na Aurangzeb bury am insyd de mausoleum next to ein wifey. Insyd de 18th century, de Jat rulers of Bharatpur attack de Taj Mahal while dem invade Agra wey dem take away two chandeliers, one of agate den anoda of silver, wich na dem hang over de main cenotaph den de gold den silver screen. Na Kanbo, a Mughal historian, say de gold shield wich cover de  finial for de top of de main dome dem sanso remove during de Jat despoliation.

By de late 19th century, na parts of de buildings fall into disrepair. For de end of de century, na British viceroy Lord Curzon order a restoration project, wich na dem plete insyd 1908. Na he sanso commission de large lamp insyd de interior chamber wey dem replace de gardens plus European-style lawns dat still be in place today.

Insyd 1942, na de government erect scaffolding make dem disguise de building for anticipation of air attacks by de Japanese Air Force. Since Indian independence insyd 1947, na de Archaeological Survey of India be responsible for de maintenance of de monument. During de India-Pakistan wars of 1965 den 1971, na dem sanso erect scaffolding was again make e mislead bomber pilots.

Insyd 1983, na de Taj Mahal be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site secof ebe "de jewel of Islamic art insyd India den one of de universally admired masterpieces of de world ein heritage".

Since de late 20th century, na de monument be affected by environmental pollution wich na e turn de Taj Mahal yellow-brown. Acid rain aden pollution wey dey affect de Yamuna River dey include de presence of Mathura Oil Refinery, na e contribute to de same. After directives by de Supreme Court of India, insyd 1997 de Indian government set up de "Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ)", a  area around de monument wer strict emissions standards dey in place.

Concerns for de tomb ein structural integrity na dem recently be raised secof a decline insyd de groundwater level insyd de Yamuna river basin, plus cracks wey dey appear insyd parts of de tomb insyd 2010 den de minarets wey dey surround de monument dey show signs of tilting. Na dem report minor damage due to storms for 11 April 2018 den 31 May 2020. Insyd de 2020s, na de Government of India undertake various restoration measures, wey dey include placing mud packs make e restore de white color den replace broken marble.

## Symbolism

Secof de global attention wey na e receive den de millions of visitors e dey attract, de Taj Mahal cam turn a prominent image wey be associated plus India, wey for dis way insyd e cam turn a symbol of India einself.

According to Ebba Koch, art historian den international expert insyd de understanding den interpretation of Mughal architecture den de Taj Mahal, de planning of de entire compound dey symbolise earthly life den de afterlife, a subset of de symbolisation of de divine. Na dem split de plan into two–one half be de white marble mausoleum einself den de gardens, den de oda half be de red sandstone side, dem mean give worldly markets. De mausoleum per be white so as make e represent de enlightenment, spirituality den faith of Mumtaz Mahal. Na Koch decipher dat symbolic of Islamic teachings, de plan of de worldly side be a mirror image of de otherworldly side, den de grand gate insyd de middle dey represent de transition between de two worlds.

## Tourism

De Taj Mahal be a major tourist attraction wey dey attract a large number of domestic den foreign visitors. Na about five million visitors visit Taj Mahal insyd de financial year 2022–23. A three-tier pricing system dey in place, plus a significantly lower entrance fee give Indian citizens den more expensive ones give foreigners. , na de fee give Indian citizens be ₹50, for citizens of SAARC den BIMSTEC countries, na ebe ₹540 den give oda foreign tourists, na ebe ₹1,100. Dem dey allow visitors thru three gates den as dem no dey allow polluting vehicles near de complex, tourists for either walk anaa take electric buses from de designated parking areas. De complex be open for all days except on Friday from one hour before sunrise to 45 minutes before sunset. De complex be open for limited night viewing for de day of de full moon, wey dey exclude de month of Ramadan. Insyd 2019, make dem address overtourism, na de site institute fines for visitors wey stay longer dan three hours. As per a 2025 government report, na de Taj Mahal earn ₹297 crore (US$35 million) over five years, wey make am de highest-earning ASI monument.

De small town to de south of de Taj, dem known as Taj Ganji anaa Mumtazabad, na dem initially construct plus caravanserais, bazaars den markets make e serve de needs of visitors den workers. Lists of recommended travel destinations often dey feature de Taj Mahal, wich sanso appear insyd chaw listings of seven wonders of de modern world, wey dey include de New Seven Wonders of the World, a poll dem conduct insyd 2007. Foreign dignitaries often dey visit de Taj Mahal on trips to India.

## Myths

Ever since ein construction, na de building be de source of an admiration wey dey transcend culture den geography, wey na so personal den emotional responses be consistently eclipsed scholastic appraisals of de monument. A longstanding myth dey hold dat na Shah Jahan plan make dem build a mausoleum to insyd black marble as a Black Taj Mahal across de Yamuna river. De idea dey originate from fanciful writings of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a European traveler den gem merchant, wey visit Agra insyd 1665. Na dem suggest say na ein son Aurangzeb overthrow Shah Jahan before dem fi build am. Ruins of blackened marble across de river insyd de Mehtab Bagh na e dey seem to support de argument, however, dem prove am false after dem carry out excavations insyd de 1990s dem find say na dem be discolored white stones wey na dem turn black. Na dem demonstrate a more credible theory give de origins of de black mausoleum insyd 2006 by archaeologists wey dem reconstruct part of de pool insyd de Mehtab Bagh. Dem fi clearly see a dark reflection of de white mausoleum, wey dey befit Shah Jahan ein obsession plus symmetry den de positioning of de pool einself.

No concrete evidence dey exist give claims wey dey describe, often insyd horrific detail, de deaths, dismemberment den mutilations wich na Shah Jahan supposedly inflict for chaw architects den craftsmen wey associate plus de tomb. Sam stories dey claim dat those wey involve insyd construction sign contracts wey dey commit demaselves dem no be part insyd any similar design. No evidence dey exist give claims dat Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of India insyd de 1830s, supposedly plan make he demolish de Taj Mahal den auction off de marble. Bentinck ein biographer John Rosselli dey talk say na de story arise from Bentinck ein fund-raising sale of discarded marble from Agra Fort. Another myth dey suggest dat beating de silhouette of de finial go cause water make e cam forth. To dis day, na officials find broken bangles wey dey surround de silhouette.

Na chaw myths, none of wich be supported by de archaeological record, appear wey dey assert dat people oda dan Shah Jahan den de original architects be responsible for de construction of de Taj Mahal. For instance, insyd 2000, na India ein Supreme Court dismiss P. N. Oak ein petition make he declare dat na a Hindu king build de Taj Mahal. Insyd 2005, a similar petition dem bring by Amar Nath Mishra, a social worker deb preacher wey dey claim dat na de Taj Mahal be built by de Hindu king Paramardi insyd 1196, na ebe dismissed by de Allahabad High Court. Na chaw court cases den statements by right-wing politicians about Taj Mahal say ebe a Hindu temple na e be inspired by P. N. Oak ein 1989 book *Taj Mahal: The True Story*, insyd wich na he claim ebe built insyd 1155 AD den no be insyd de 17th century. Insyd November 2015, na de Union Minister of Culture state insyd de Indian Parliament na dat der be no evidence say na e ever be a temple. Insyd August 2017, na de Archaeological Survey of India declare say na der be no evidence make e suggest de monument ever house a temple.

Anoda such unsupported theory, dat na de Taj Mahal be designed by an Italian, Geronimo Vereneo, hold sway for a brief period after na ebe first promoted by Henry George Keene insyd 1879. Na Keene go by a translation of a Spanish work, *Itinerario* (*The Travels of Fray Sebastian Manrique, 1629–1643*). Another theory, dat a Frenchman dem name Austin of Bordeaux design de Taj, na ebe promoted by William Henry Sleeman base on de work of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Na dese ideas be revived by Father Hosten wey e san be discussed by E. B. Havell wey e serve as de basis give subsequent theories den controversies.

## References


### General sources

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* Havell, E.B. (1913). *Indian Architecture: Its Psychology, Structure and History*, John Murray.
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## External links

* Official webiste of the Taj Mahal
* Description of the Taj Mahal at the Archaeological Survey of India
* Profile of the Taj Mahal at UNESCO
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