Taj Mahal! The Love Symbol Has Some Mesmerizing Facts
What could be more romantic than the incredible Taj Mahal? It is Emperor Shah Jahan’s proof of love to his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Its exceptional beauty perfectly justifies its status as a wonder of the world. A trip to India would not be one without a visit to the Taj Mahal.
It is true, there are a lot of beautiful places in the world, but nothing is comparable with the Taj Mahal because the foundation of this building shows the deep affection of Mughal Emperor “Shah Jahan” for his adorable wife “Mumtaz Mahal.” Here are some of the interesting facts about the Taj Mahal that most of the people do not know:
A few years back, we visited Agra to see the beauty of the Taj Mahal. We will describe all the details steadily.
In 2000, the former president of the USA, Bill Clinton, came on an official tour to India. During his tour, he also visited the iconic Taj Mahal. After seeing it, the president proclaimed that there are two categories of people in the world,
One who have seen the Taj Mahal
The others who do not have seen the Taj Mahal
Most of the tourists who visit the place do not even know that they are seeing the backside of the Taj Mahal. In fact, the Shahi gate is located on the other side. Unluckily, tourists cannot see it as Shah Jahan desired to represent.
During the Mughal reign, the river was the only way to reach the Taj Mahal. It was a kind of highway. King as well as royal guests used to visit Taj by boat. There was a raised platform at the bank of the river. King and majestic guests preferred patio way to reach the Taj.
Unfortunately, the terrace vanished with the extension of the river area.
Here are 20 facts about the Taj Mahal
1-
It is said Shah Jahan ordered to cut the hands of workers who built the Taj Mahal. It is nothing more than a rumor as there is no proof of this statement. Most of the historians affirm that Shah Jahan gave lifetime wages to laborers and signed an agreement that they would never build such an awe-inspiring building.
2-
The four towers of Taj Mahal have slightly bent outward direction. If the towers fall in case of an earthquake, the outward bending strategy will keep the Taj safe.
3-
Qutab Minar is known as the highest tower of India. It is surprising; the towers of Taj Mahal are higher than Qutab Minar. The Height of Qutab Minar is 72.5M, while the height of Taj Mahal towers is 73 m.
4-
If we compare the historical buildings all over the world, the Taj gets the credit of having the best calligraphy. When you enter through the large gate of the Taj, an inspiring inscription welcomes you:
“O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you.”
The calligraphy is in Thuluth script carved on black marble. Irani Calligrapher Abdul Haq designed the incredible calligraphy. To give honor to his talent, Shah Jahan gave him the title of Amanat Khan.
5-
The best period of the Mughal Empire initiated when Shah Jahan became the ruler of the Sub-continent. In fact, it was the golden era when there was prosperity and peace everywhere. The order of the king was enough to obey the rules. It was the most glorious and luxurious era, free of war and confrontation. The king was fond of making magnificent buildings.
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6-
Such a unique structure is not available in history. Therefore, great efforts were employed to make it unique. White marble came from Makrana Rajasthan, and 28 precious stones from different parts of the world to Agra including Sapphire, Arab’s Carnelian, and Punjab’s Jasper are some of the dominating stones embedded in the sleek marble.
7-
The establishment of the Taj Mahal began almost 400 years ago. It took 22 years to complete the remarkable love symbol. More than 20,000 craftsmen and workers offer their services to build the Taj Mahal. Each and everything used in the designing and construction was surveyed carefully like a diamond. The technique used to design the wall was acquired from Italy. The craftsmen from Bukhara Uzbekistan were summoned to engrave the marble. Calligraphers from Iran came to inscribe splendid calligraphy on the marble, whereas the artisans from Baluchistan were invited to carve the stones.
8-
During the 1957 war, Englishmen disfigured the iconic Taj Mahal. They took out precious stones like Lapiz Lazuli from the walls of the Taj Mahal.
9-
The crown of the Taj Mahal dome was made up of gold. In the 19th Century, the gold crown was replaced by the Bronze.
10-
It is not confirmed who designed the Taj Mahal; however, it is stated that a team of 37 people completed the paperwork of Taj Mahal. The experts were invited from all over the world.
11-
Well, the foundation was selected while making the Taj Mahal. These wells were filled with stones over and above the wood boards of Ebony and mahogany trees. These wells have made the foundation of Taj durable and sturdy. The quality of Ebony and Mahogany wood makes the planks more stalwart if they get access to moisture. These woods get moisture from the water flowing from River Yamuna. The flow of water is getting lower and lower every year. Consequently, the timber has suffered due to the lack of humidity. Even the cracks had been noticed in the wall of Taj Mahal.
12–
The structure of the Taj Mahal started in 1653. At that time, billions of rupees were invested in its formation. Accordingly, if Taj is constructed again in the modern era, it will require 57600000000RS.
13–
In 1989, an Indian writer P.N. Oak wrote the book “Taj Mahal: The True Story.” In this book, firstly, he claimed that it was a temple before Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb. The temple was known as Tejo Mahalaya. Secondly, the writer wrote a petition to Supreme Court to dig the side areas that the court rejected. According to the Archeological Survey of India, there is no proof of Shiva temple at the place of Taj Mahal. The history confirms that Shah Jahan had initiated and accomplished the Taj Mahal.
14–
It is also said Shah Jahan desired to make another Taj with black marble on the other side of the river as his own tomb. The historians state it is a false story because the location of the Black Taj Mahal has been excavated many times, and no proof has been found up till now. Before he could design, Orangzaib put him in jail.
15–
The design of Taj Mahal looks similar to the Humayun tomb. He was the great grand-father of Shah Jahan, whose tomb was used as an illustration for many Mughal buildings.
16–
Many countries like China, Bangladesh, and Columbia have buildings similar to Taj Mahal. Even one building is present in India as well. It is known as Bibi ka Maqbara (the Tomb of Bibi). It is located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. In the 17th Century, the Mughal Emperor Azam Shah made this tomb in the memory of his mother, Dilras Bano Begum. The design is similar to the Taj Mahal. The dome is smaller than Taj’s dome. Marble is used only in the dome, whereas plaster is used on walls.
17–
The reason behind the fame and recognition of the Taj Mahal is utmost love, sincerity, and passion. The building was built in the memory of Shah Jahan’s wife, whose real name was Arjumand Banu Begum. Shah Jahan honored her with the name Mumtaz Mahal meaning the most precious stone of the palace. At the age of 38, Mumtaz Mahal died while giving birth to her 14th child. At that time, she was in Burhanpur (Madya Pradesh). The death of their beloved wife made the king heartrending and distressed. He felt as if his life was ruined. At last, he ordered to form a tomb in the memory and love of his wife.
18–
Mumtaz was buried in Burhanpur. When the construction of the Taj Mahal started, the dead body came from Burhanpur and lay down in the garden of the Taj. It took 22 years to complete the Taj. During this period, the body of Mumtaz remained in the garden. In the end, she was buried under the dome.
19–
Shah Jahan gave all his attention to making the Taj Mahal the most beautiful building. During this time, his own son Aurangzeb attacked Agra and sent his father to prison. Aurangzeb asked Shah Jahan last wish. Finally, he wanted to be a prisoner at such a place where he could see the Taj round the clock. Aurangzeb accepted his wish. During imprisonment, he did nothing but see the Taj Mahal. He took his last breath in that prison. He was buried beside Mumtaz. Therefore, the unconditional love for Mumtaz did not let the defeated and tiresome king fall down. The whole world can see Taj as an example of true love and devotion.
20–
The king knew the wealth, power, and glory would end one day, hence, he decided to make something memorable that upcoming generations could admire. Therefore he formed the Taj for his dearly loved wife. Today, the king is not alive, his reign is ruined, and even his empire ended hundreds of years ago. Just the Taj is present today, showing the eternal love of a king for his wife. The building tells the overwhelming love story in the moonlight and enchants the visitors to find their true soul mate.
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