INTRODUCTION TO HISTORICAL TAJMAHAL

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Constructed by Shah Jahan, Taj Mahal is the museoleum in memory of his favorite wife Arjumand Banu Begam, popularly known by her title Mumtaz Mahal, from which the name of the monument is taken. Widely recognized as the culmination of classical Indo-Persian architecture, the Taj Mahal is representative of Shah Jahan's strong interest in building and artistic innovation. The new architectural style includes aspects that were to impinge much of subsequent Indian architecture. Symmetry along two sides of a central axis, new columnar styles, curvilinear forms, and symbolic decorations based on naturalistic plant motifs are all characteristics of the Shahjahan style that can be found in the Taj Mahal Complex.

Construction The land for constructing Taj Mahal was bought from Raja Jai Singh. Situated on the banks of Yamuna River, Raja Jai Singh was also instructed by Shahjahan to provide a regular supply of special, hard and non-porous marble from the quarries of Makrana. A 2½-mile (4.02 km) road ramp was built to haul huge pieces of marble to the site of the construction. Strangely the scaffolding of this enticing edifice was made, not of wood or bamboo, but with bricks. It is probable that the lack of wood made the architects to make brick scaffoldings.Though the concept behind Taj Mahal was of Shahjahan, but he was greatly assisted in his endeavor by a number of architects. The name of the architect, which is often mentioned during the building of Taj Mahal, is that of Muhammad Isa Khan, who hailed from Shiraz in Iran. It is also said that a creative nucleus of 37 people formed the core advisory group behind this gigantic project.

The construction of Taj Mahal started in1632. Work on the mausoleum started in frenzy with thousands of artisans and laborers toiling ceaselessly day after day. Taj Mahal, with the help of an army of 20,000 laborers, took 21 years to complete, who worked under the guidance of Shahjahan. It is also said that the royal coffers went dry after this project was over. At the end of the first year of construction the mausoleum had taken shape and the grave chamber along with its surrounding works were also completed. The body of Mumtaz Mahal was ceremoniously interred into the tomb. Six years of extensive labor saw the main building of the mausoleum complete and crowned with a dignified guava shaped dome. According to some historians the major construction of Taj Mahal was completed in about 10 years time.

Architecture of the Taj Mahal is conjured most frequently in terms of Islamic architecture. Although Islamic architecture is difficult to define collectively, the Taj Mahal seems to represent its essence and strongest characteristic -- the ability of the Islamic religion and its leaders to exploit into foreign regions and meld the best features of that place with its own to create unique works of architecture. The Taj Mahal is often noted as a monument to love, but it can also be seen as a fusion of architectural traditions and, as such, a monument to multiculturalism. This can be said about many Islamic structures and about many architectural monuments but some background on the Taj Mahal and this period reveals that this is especially true here. The Mausoleum of the Taj Mahal at Agra stands in a formally laid-out walled garden entered through a pavilion on the main axis.

The tomb, raised on a terrace and first seen reflected in the central canal, is entirely sheathed in marble, but the mosque and counter-mosque on the transverse axis are built in red sandstone. The four minarets, set symmetrically about the tomb, are scaled down to heighten the effect of the dominant, slightly bulbous dome. The mosques, built only to balance the composition are set sufficiently far away to do no more than frame the mausoleum. In essence, the whole riverside platform is a mosque courtyard with a tomb at its centre. The great entrance gate with its domed central chamber, set at the end of the long watercourse, would in any other setting be monumental in its own right.
History The legandary Taj Mahal dates back to more than four hundred years ago. The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders, is a envision of love by Shahjehan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.The Mogul emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in the memory of his loving wife a Muslim Persian princess, Arjumand Banu who later became known as Mumtaz Mahal . Shah Jahan and Mumtaz married in 1612 but Mumtaz died in 1630 after giving birth to their 14th child, for she died in childbirth. When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted 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. It is a symbol of eternal love. Taj Mahal FactsTaj Mahal, India is attached with many rumors that adds on to its popularity. The grounds behind these legends and myths are controversial and disputable.

Nevertheless, Taj Mahal presents many riddles to the archeologists and thus, is of tremendrous interest to the adventurers of history. Several blocked rooms and passages whose secrets are carefully guarded by the Government of India fuels the curiosity of the people even more to delve into the mysteries of this exotic edifice.

Taj Mahotsav is one of the spectacular festival in India and is organized by Uttar Pradesh Tourism. Spring time is the time of the year when nature dawns all it's colourful grandeur and Agra bursts into colourful celebrations. For 10 days there is a sheer celebration of Uttar Pradesh's rich heritage of arts, crafts, culture, cuisine, dance and music. It is the time of Taj Mahotsava. There are festivities all around and Agra truly puts on the colours of joy and gets modified into one non-stop carnival. Held as an annual event at Shilpgram, the Taj Mahotsav is a gentle peep into the rich heritage and extraordinary legacies of this enticing abode.The festivities commence with a exiciting procession inspired by Mughal splendour. Decorated with elephants and camels, drum beaters, folk artists and master craftsmen, they all help to recreate a visual delight reminiscent of the golden era of the Mughal Darbars.Taj Mahotsav is where the legendary artisans and master craftsmen breathe life into their endearing works of art. Marble inlay apart, the Festival brings forth an array of other fine crafts as well- wood carvings from Saharanpur, brass and other metal ware from Moradabad, handmade carpets of Badohi, the blue pottery of Khurja, the Chikan work of Lucknow, the silk of Banares... to name a few. Agra with its legendry tradition of exquisite craftsmanship is thus the ideal venue for holding a crafts fair like the Taj Mahotsav.Taj Mahal InformationOpen from sunrise to 19 hours. Entry fee for those above 12 years Rs. 15.00. Free entry on Fridays.

Getting ThereBy air: Agra is on the popular regular tourist route Delhi/Agra/Khajuraho/Varanasi and return. Flights connect Agra to Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi.By rail: Agra lies on the Delhi to Mumbai broad - gauge railway line. Express trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, and Chennai halt at Agra. Luxury Train, Palace on Wheels, starts and end in Agra.By road: Agra is connected to Delhi, Rajasthan and other cities of Uttar Pradesh by an excellent bus service.City Transport:Internal Transportation includes Taxis, Buses and Auto-rickshaws. For moving to Taj Mahal, one has to move to the Taj complex, from where Horse and Camel Carriges and Battery operated buses and taxis are available to move to Taj Mahal.

source://www.surfindia.com/travel/uttar-pradesh/taj-mahal-agra.htmlhttp://www.fanimages.com/Days%20to%20Remember/TajMahal/imagepages/image7.html

Taj Mahal in Seven Wonders of the World

India's Taj Mahal, symbol of architectural wonder, has found its place in the Seven Wonders of the World as the New 7 Wonders Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit group, announced the results of the global polling that brought millions of Indians together in voting for the Taj through SMS and online voting. The Tribute to Taj created by AR Rahman and many others' campaigns gathered sufficient votes. More than 100 million votes were cast on the Internet and through cell phone text messages. The most photographed monument is included in the new list announced at a gala ceremony in the Portuguese capital Lisbon to coincide with the date 07/07/07. Structures had to be built or discovered before 2000 to be nominated for the competition. Hosts Bollywood actor Bipasha Basu, US actor Hilary Swank and British actor Sir Ben Kingsley, announced the new wonders of the world in the random order, which included: The Great Wall of China, Petra in Jordan, the Statue of Christ Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, the ancient Mayan city of Chichin Itza in Mexico and the Coliseum in Rome, besides the Taj. The Pyramids remain, but the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes and Pharos lighthouse off Alexandria have all vanished.

SOURCE:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/taj-mahal-seven-wonders-world.html

Taj Mahal - A Wonder Made By A Lover

Taj Mahal is a symbol of eternal affection and stands for the pious love even after the death of the two lovers who loved each other more than the almighty GOD. Taj Mahal has been an inspiration for those who are true lover of art, human emotions, also for painters, poets, writers and musicians who try to express human emotions in form of paintings, words, poetries and songs. The beautiful structure was built in the city of Agra, in state of Uttar Pradesh. The colossal architecture is situated on the banks of the Yamuna River and has a huge ground on its back side which gives a beautiful starry background to it. Taj Mahal was build in memory of the beautiful wife of Mughal Prince, her name was Arjuman Bano Begum. The prince Khurram (who was third son of Mughal Emperor Jahangir) and his wife loved each other so much that they never stayed away from each other, even when the prince went on for wars, they lived together. The prince on becoming king after some years; changed his name and was called "Shahjahan" which means 'Ruler/King of the whole World'. Shahjanan then honored his wife Arjuman Bano with name 'Mumtaz Mahal'. The king and queen continued loving each other the way they did, and the queen accompanied king Shahjahan in every campaign he set for, even when she was pregnant. Around year 1631 when Mumtaz Mahal was pregnant, she accompanied the king when he started his campaign to win the southern states of India. Mumtaz Mahal, who gave birth to about fourteen children (of which only four male and three female children survived), died during childbirth at Burhanpur, at the age of 39 years. Some stories say that the devastated king was so sad that he had imprisoned himself in a room in remembrance of his lovely wife. Some stories also state that the Shahajahan had banned music, feasts and any kind of party for about two years in his regime. No matter how hard he tried, but Shahjahan could never forget his wife and he decided to build a monument in the remembrance of his beloved wife. He wanted to build a huge, beautiful monument, entirely made up of marble which will be only one of its types in whole world. Shahajahan chose a garden on the banks of the Yamuna River to build the structure. The reason of choosing this spot was that, there was no other structure which could overshadow the beauty and uniqueness of the structure he wanted to build. This was not the only reason why the spot was chosen for the monument, but the place was well visible from the king Shahajahan's palace in Fort of Agra. Shahajahan gifted with four huge havelis against the garden he wanted to build the monument in, with the king of Amber who owned the garden. The construction of the monument began in 1633. The monument was so huge that about 20,000 workers worked for more than 17 years to build it. The King had brought skilled workers from all over India and some neighboring countries also such as Baghdad, Turkey etc. A renowned architect Ustaad Ahmed Lahori was the chief architect for this project; he was accompanied by the counterparts who were from Delhi an Baghdad. Every outline, every look of the structure were discussed in details, many trials were carried out in order to find out the appropriate choice for every possible artwork. Various beautiful parts of the Taj Majal were specially ordered from various countries. The main dome of Taj Mahal measures about 110 yards in circumference and is about 107 yards above the ground. The base on which the Taj Mahal is resting is called Mahajar-e-Mushababbak, which was specially designed from Turkish designers. It is said that the tombs of Humayun and Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana (Delhi) inspired the design and structure of the monument Taj Mahal at certain extent. The cost of building such a huge architectural structure was about 50 lakhs in those days. There are many minute details which are not at all possible to explain in words such as beautiful calligraphy used on the marble stones, marvelous work of artists who carved the marble stone in various designs etc.

SOURCE:http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/12-20-2004-63187.asp

TAJ MAHAL, INDIA

Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra
Year of Construction: 1631-1653

Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

Spread Over: 42 acres

Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized. Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.

sourcehttp://www.tajmahal.org.uk/

Story of Making Taj Mahal

A yellowish copy of an old portrait appears in every travel booklet in India. The portrayed lady gently gazes upon tourists from all over the world.Her dark eyes were once softly shining like deep water in moonlight. Her exquisite beauty once cast a spell on a king. She married him in 1612, when he was still Prince Khurram.

He fell for her at first sight when they were both 15 in 1607. Ever since that time, it had been Khurram’s dream to marry her. But before his wish came true, he had to marry a Persian princess first for political reasons. His beloved, therefore, had to settle for the strange role of second wife in his harem.

In Khurram’s heart, however, she was always first. Even before Prince Khurram became King Shah Jahan, he had changed her name from Arjmand Banu Begam to Mumtaz Mahal, which meant “the most beautiful crown of the palace.”

Once in a war, Shah Jahan missed Mumtaz so much that he wrote a poem to her:

When my mind and body hungered for you;
My spirit burned to death;
Your love reaching from a far Breathed life into my dead ashes As the love of God;

Once did to create men Visitors pass through the gate house to enter the Taj Mahal. The gate is made of red sandstone and marble.He was more and more attached to her through the years of marriage. War had been the only cause of his departure from her. But later, even war could not separate them anymore. She began to go to the battlefield with him, even when she was pregnant.She was the only woman that bore him children. She gave birth to 14 children in 19 years of marriage. However, the 14th childbirth took her life.

For seven days and seven nights after her death, the King didn’t eat. On the eighth day, he finally walked out of his chamber. The servants and guards were all shocked to see that his hair had turned from black to gray. He put on white mourning clothes and ordered the construction of a most beautiful monument. The chosen material was pure white marble, symbolizing his flawless memory of her.After 17 years of toil by more than 20,000 craftsmen and laborers, the miraculous construction of the mausoleum was completed. The year was 1648. Mirrored by a crystal clear manmade pond in front and the slate blue Yamuna River behind, the peerless monument was named the Taj Mahal.In 1666, when Shah Jahan was on his deathbed, his last wish was to be carried to a window facing the Taj Mahal, to whisper again the name of his lifelong love. With the flow of the Yamuna River, hundreds of years have passed. Now, in 2006, the Taj Mahal is still located in Agra, the kingdom’s old capital city.

Source:http://www.agraindiatourism.com/story-of-making-taj.htm

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal: The Mughal Megalomania Referred to by the poet Rabindranath Tagore as a "tear on the face of eternity", the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly India’s most acclaimed landmark.Built to enshrine the body of his favourite wife, Arjumand Bann Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal ("Elect of the Palace"), by the 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Taj epitomizes love for millions of people around the world. In fact, very few monuments are so instantly recognized the world over.Standing as a stunning monument to the Great Mughal Empire, Taj, overlooking the River Yamuna, is arguably the most photographed architectural gems in the world.

True to its reputation as a monument to romantic love, Taj has a poignant story attached to it. Shah Jahan, the great builder, was so devastated by the death of his wife Mumtaz Mahal that he set out to create an unmatched, eternal memorial to her life. Thus came into being the Taj Mahal. One of the architectural gems of the world, Taj kept some 20,000 labourers from all over Asia employed for nineteen years and remains a potent symbol of Mughal megalomania, visible from the Agra fort in the west, exuding romantic ambience at the northern end of large gardens enclosed by walls. Topped with a huge central dome, it extraordinarily finer detail of relief carving and monumental scale cast a spell on the viewer and he is left with saying “Wah Taj”. However Shah Jahan had little time to appreciate his achievement, only three years after the work was finished he fell ill in 1657 and war of succession broke out among his four sons. Aurangzeb, his third son, seized power after defeating his three brothers. Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor, was interned in the Red Fort at Agra. The legend has it that he spent his final years "gazing wistfully at the Taj Mahal" through the window. The name of the Taj’s chief architect is not known, but it is for certain that Mughal court's Persian calligrapher, Amanat Khan was responsible for the signing of many panels that embellish the gateways, mosque and tomb. While marble from Makrana, near Jodhpur in Rajasthan, was used in the Taj, precious stones such as amethyst, onyx, turquoise, lapis lazuli, jade, crystal and coral - were brought to Agra from Persia, Afghanistan, Russia, China Tibet and the Indian Ocean.

Architecture
India's most seen tourist spot, the Taj Mahal, is essentially a squarish structure. Constructed of marble, precious stones on a commanding podium looking towards the Yamuna, Taj stands on an arcaded platform. The structure is crowned with a huge central dome that soars to a height of 55m. Words cannot do justice to the magnificence of Taj Mahal. You have to see it to believe it.

MEMORIAL TO LOVE

The Meaning and Experience of Place
Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. But the monument also represented the King's desire for order and harmony, beauty and perfection. The Taj Mahal is an impressive structure partly because these ideas are supported visually by elements of size, proportion and decoration that are refinements of many centuries of architectural tradition in India. But there is more to the Taj Mahal than that. The message of the Taj is most powerful when one is physically there. It is a perfect example of architecture as a multi-sensory art form that is both very abstract and very concrete.In this lesson, students will explore a sense of place by considering three things:

1) the abstract ideas represented by a place
2) the concrete demonstration of these ideas in architectural elements
3) the sensory experience of being in a place and the way that experience enhances the understanding of its significance.

Students will write observational narratives about a place of their own choosing or invention, including detailed descriptions of the structure which represent the abstract ideas they would like to convey. This lesson will help students practice and increase higher-order thinking skills. It will lead students to investigate the following Life-long Learning

Question: What does the experience of a place tell us about ourselves and our values?
Grade Level: Middle to High SchoolSubject Areas: Visual Arts, Social Studies, Language ArtsLesson Length: one or two class periods

SOURCE:http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/ed_nav/level_1/ed_taj_frm.html

Fact of the Taj Mahal – Architecture

Experience the Taj Mahal India with India Travel Luxury and The Elite CollectionEnjoy the wonder of the Taj Mahal India with The India Tours Boutique Collection; The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on many design traditions, particularly Persian and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from a number of successful Timurid and Mughal buildings. These include the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand),[6] Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi.

Under his patronage, Mughal building reached new levels of refinement.[7] While previous Mughal building had primarily been constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones.


The Taj Mahal can be divided into four distinct architectural sections:
The Taj Gateway: The massive red sandstone Taj Gateway was completed in the year 1648 and stands 30 m high. The gateway is topped by small cupolas or chhatris. Symbolic of the divide between the material and the spiritual, the gateway is decorated in calligraphy with verses from holy Koran.

Charbagh - The Taj Garden: The beauty of the Taj Mahal is enhanced by the garden laid out in the Persian Charbagh (four garden plan) style. The entire area of the Taj complex is 580 m (1,902 ft) by300 m (984 ft), while the garden alone makes up an area of 300 m (984 ft) by 300 m (984 ft).

Taj Mahal - Pietra Dura The Tomb: The tomb stands on its own marble plinth, which rests on a red sandstone platform. Four tall pillars, 138 ft each, rise up from the corners of the white marble plinth are topped with eight windowed cupolas. Immediately below the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal which is centrally lined with the main entrance. Besides Mumtaz Mahal's tomb is the tomb of Shahjahan. The tomb of Shahjahan was not actually intended to be there but Aurangzeb placed it there thus breaking the symmetry.

Pietra Dura: The crypt and the cenotaphs at the Taj carry pietra dura decoration of a fabulous unexcelled elegance. As many as 35 different types of precious stones have been used on a single bloom-turquoise, jade, agate, coral, lapis Lazuli, onyx, bloodstone, cornelian, jasper, garnet and malachite used to fashion blooms of fuchsias, lily, honeysuckle and more. Today, much is left to the imagination of the visitors as most of the precious stones have been plundered or destroyed in the years when Taj Mahal fell into insignificance.

The main entrance is from the west, but there are also two other entrances from the east and from the south. The majestic main gateway is a large three-storey red sandstone structure, 50ft wide and 100ft high. It has an octagonal central chamber with a vaulted roof and with smaller rooms on each side, and was completed in 1648.

The gateway consists of lofty central arch with doubles storied wings on either side. Above the central portal on the north and south sides, there is a series of 11 attached chattiris (umbrellas) with marble cupolas, flanked by pinnacles. The walls are inscribed in black calligraphy with verses from the Quran.

A notable feature of the gateway is the lettering, which appears to be the same size from top to bottom. This was done by heightening the letters as the distance from the eye increased. The small domed pavilions on top are Hindu in style and signify regality. The gate was originally lined with silver, now replaced with copper and decorated with 1,000 nails whose heads were contemporary silver coins.

Taj Mahal itself is at the north end of the garden and stands on two bases, one of sandstone and above it, a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) in white marble worked into a black and white chessboard design. A huge blue-veined white marble terrace finishes the Taj Mahal India.

SOURCE:http://www.thetajmahalindia.com/tajmahalinformation.html