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Taj Mahal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is amausoleum located in Agra, India. The MughalEmperorShah Jahan

commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Constructionbegan in 1632 and was completed in approximately 1648. Some dispute surrounds the

question of who designed the Taj Mahal; it is clear a team of designers and craftsmen

were responsible for the design, with Ustad Ahmad Lahauri considered the most likelycandidate as the principal designer.

The Taj Mahal (sometimes called "the Taj") is generally considered the finest example ofMughal architecture, a style that combines elements ofPersian, Turkish,Indian, and

Islamicarchitectural styles. While the white domedmarblemausoleum is the mostfamiliar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of

structures. In 1983 the Taj became a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site and was cited as "the

jewel ofMuslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the

world's heritage."

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Shah Jahan, who commissioned the Taj Mahal -"Shah jahan on a globe" from the

Smithsonian Institute

Artistic depiction ofMumtaz Mahal

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Contents

1 Origin and inspiration

o 1.1 Influences

2 The garden 3 Outlying buildings

4 The tomb

o 4.1 Base

o 4.2 Dome

o 4.3 Finial

o 4.4 Minarets

5 Decoration

o 5.1 Exterior decoration

o 5.2 Calligraphy

o 5.3 Abstract geometric decoration

o 5.4 Plant motifso 5.5 Interior decoration

o 5.6 The inner chamber

o 5.7 The jali

o 5.8 The cenotaphs and tombs

o 5.9 Details of lapidary

6 Construction

o 6.1 Water infrastructure

o 6.2 Craftsmen

o 6.3 Materials

o 6.4 Costs

7 History 8 Tourism

9 Myths 10 See also

11 Citations

12 References

Origin and inspiration

In 1631 Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal's period of greatest prosperity, wasgriefstricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their daughter

Gauhara Begum, their fourteenth child. Contemporary court chronicles concerning Shah

Jahan's grief form the basis of the love story traditionally held as the inspiration for theTaj Mahal.

Construction of the Taj Mahal was begun soon after Mumtaz's death. The principal

mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the surrounding buildings and garden were

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finished five years later. Visiting Agra in 1663, the French travellerFranois Bernier

wrote the following:

I shall finish this letter with a description of the two wonderful mausoleums whichconstitute the chief superiority ofAgra overDelhi. One was erected byJehan-guyre [sic]

in honor of his fatherEkbar; and Chah-Jehan raised the other to the memory of his wifeTage Mehale, that extraordinary and celebrated beauty, of whom her husband was so

enamoured it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at her death was soaffected as nearly to follow her to the grave.

Influences

The Tomb of Humayun in Delhi, constructed in 1560, shares substantially the samepattern as the Taj Mahal

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 theGur-e Amir(the tomb of Timur,progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb,Itmad-Ud-Daulah's

Tomb (sometimes called theBaby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid inDelhi.

Under his patronage, Mughal building reached new levels of refinement. While previousMughal building had primarily been constructed of redsandstone, Shah Jahan promoted

the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones.

The garden

The complex is set in and around a largecharbagh (a formal Mughal garden divided intofour parts). Measuring 300 meters 300 meters, the garden uses raised pathways which

divide each quarter of the garden into 16 sunkenparterres or flowerbeds. A raised marble

water tank at the center of the garden, halfway between the tomb and the gateway, and a

linearreflecting pool on the North-South axis reflect the Taj Mahal. Elsewhere the garden

is laid out with avenues of trees and fountains.

The charbagh garden is meant to symbolize the four flowing Rivers ofParadise. The

raised marble water tank is called al Hawd al-Kawthar, literally meaning and named after

the "Tank of Abundance" promised to Muhammad.

The charbagh garden was introduced to India by the first Mughal emperorBabur, a

design inspired by Persian gardens. The charbagh is meant to reflect the gardens of

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Paradise (from the Persianparidaeza a walled garden). In mysticIslamictexts of the

Mughal period, paradise is described as an ideal garden, filled with abundance. Water

plays a key role in these descriptions: In Paradise, these text say, four rivers source at acentral spring or mountain, and separate the garden into north, west, south and east.

Walkways beside reflecting pool

Most Mughal charbaghs are rectangular in form, with a tomb orpavilion in the center of

the garden. The Taj Mahal garden is unusual in that the main element, the tomb, is

located at the end rather than at the center of the garden. But the existence of the newlydiscovered Mahtab Bagh or "Moonlight Garden" on the other side of the Yamuna

provided the Archaeological Survey of Indiawith a different interpretation that the

Yamuna itself was incorporated into the garden's design, and was meant to be seen as one

of the rivers of Paradise.

The layout of the garden, and its architectural features such as its fountains,brickand

marble walkways, and geometric brick-lined flowerbeds are similar to Shalimar's, and

suggest that the garden may have been designed by the same engineer, Ali Mardan. Earlyaccounts of the garden describe its profusion of vegetation, including roses,daffodils, and

fruit treesin abundance. As the Mughal Empire declined, the tending of the garden

declined as well. When theBritishtook over management of the Taj Mahal, they changed

the landscaping to resemble the formal lawnsofLondon.

Outlying buildings

Gateway to the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal complex is bounded by a crenellated red sandstone wall on three sides.

The river-facing side is unwalled. Outside the wall are several additional mausoleums,including those of many of Shah Jahan's otherwives, and a larger tomb for Mumtaz's

favorite servant. These structures, composed primarily of red sandstone, are typical of

smaller Mughal tombs of the era.

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On the inner (garden) side, the wall is fronted by columned arcades, a feature typical of

Hindu templeslater incorporated into Mughal mosques. The wall is interspersed with

domed kiosks(chattris), and small buildings which may have been viewing areas orwatch towers, such as the so-called Music House, now used as a museum.

The main gateway (darwaza) is a monumental structure built primarily of marble. Thestyle is reminiscent of that of Mughal architecture of earlier emperors. Its archways

mirror the shape of the tomb's archways, and itspishtaq arches incorporate thecalligraphy that decorates the tomb. It utilises bas-relief andpietra dura(inlaid)

decorations with floral motifs. The vaulted ceilings and walls have elaborate geometric

designs, like those found in the other sandstone buildings of the complex.

Taj Mahal mosque ormasjid

At the far end of the complex, two grand red sandstone buildings open to the sides of thetomb. Their backs parallel the western and eastern walls. The two buildings are precise

mirror images of each other. The western building is a mosque; its opposite is thejawab

(answer) whose primary purpose was architectural balance (and which may have beenused as a guesthouse during Mughal times). The distinctions are that thejawab lacks a

mihrab, a niche in a mosque's wall facingMecca, and the floors of thejawab have a

geometric design, while the mosque floor was laid out with the outlines of 569 prayer

rugs in black marble.

The mosque's basic design is similar to others built by Shah Jahan, particularly to his

Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, or Jama Masjid of Delhi a long hall surmounted by three

domes. Mughal mosques of this period divide the sanctuaryhall into three areas: a mainsanctuary with slightly smaller sanctuaries to either side. At the Taj Mahal, each

sanctuary opens onto an enormous vaulting dome. The outlying buildings were

completed in 1643.

The tomb

Base

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Simplified diagram of the Taj Mahal floor plan.

Mainiwan and side pishtaqs

The focus of the Taj Mahal is the white marble tomb. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic

elements are Persian in origin consisting of a symmetrical building with aniwan, an arch-

shaped doorway, topped by a large dome. The tomb stands on a squareplinth. The basestructure is a large, multi-chambered structure. The main chamber houses thecenotaphs

of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan with the actual graves located a level below.

The base is essentially a cube with chamfered edges, roughly 55 meters on each side (see

floor plan, right). On the long sides, a massivepishtaq, or vaulted archway, frames theiwan, with a similar arch-shaped balcony above. These main arches extend above the roof

of the building by use of an integrated facade. On either side of the main arch, additional

pishtaqs are stacked above and below. This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on thechamfered corner areas.

The design is completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. Fourminarets, one at

each corner of the plinth, facing the chamfered corners, frame the tomb.

Dome

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Base, dome, and minaret

The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is its most spectacular feature. Its height isabout the same size as the base of the building, about 35 meters. Its height is accentuated

because it sits on a cylindrical "drum" about 7 meters high.

Because of its shape, the dome is often called anonion dome (also called an amrudor

guava dome). The top of the dome is decorated with a lotusdesign, which serves toaccentuate its height. The dome is topped by a gilded finial, which mixes traditional

Persian and Hindu decorative elements.

Finial

The dome shape is emphasised by four smaller domed chattris (kiosks) placed at its

corners. The chattri domes replicate the onion shape of main dome. Their columned basesopen through the roof of the tomb, and provide light to the interior. The chattris also are

topped by gilded finials.

Tall decorative spires (guldastas) extend from the edges of the base walls, and provide

visual emphasis of the dome height.

The lotus motif is repeated on both the chattris and guldastas.

Finial

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The main dome is crowned by a gilded spireorfinial. The finial was made of gold until

the early 1800s, and it is now made ofbronze. The finial provides a clear example of the

integration of traditional Persian and Hindu decorative elements. The finial is topped by amoon, a typical Islamic motif, whose horns point heavenward. Because of its placement

on the main spire, the horns of the moon and the finial point combine to create a trident

shape reminiscent of the traditional Hindu symbols ofShiva.[15]

Minarets

At the corners of the plinth stand minarets four large towers each more than 40 meterstall. The minarets again display the Taj Mahal's penchant for symmetry.

The towers are designed as working minarets, a traditional element of mosques, a place

for a muezzin to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided

into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower. At the top of thetower is a final balcony surmounted by a chattri that mirrors the design of those on the

tomb.

The minaret chattris share the same finishing touches: a lotus design topped by a gilded

finial. Each of the minarets was constructed slightly out of plumb to the outside of theplinth, so that in the event of collapse (a typical occurrence with many such tall

constructions of the period) the material would tend to fall away from the tomb.

Decoration

Exterior decoration

Calligraphy on large pishtaq

Nearly every surface of the entire complex has been decorated. The exterior decorations

of the Taj Mahal are among the finest to be found in Mughal architecture of any period.

As the surface area changes a large pishtaq has more area than a smaller thedecorations are refined proportionally.

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In line with the Islamic prohibition of the use of anthropomorphic forms, the decorative

elements come in basically three categories:

Calligraphy

Abstract geometric elements

Vegetative motifs

The decorative elements were created in three ways:

Paint orstuccoapplied to the wall surface

Stone inlay

Carvings

Calligraphy

Herringbone

Throughout the complex, passages from theQur'an are used as decorative elements. Thecalligraphy is a florid and practically illegible thuluth script, created by the resident

Mughal court's Persian calligrapher, Amanat Khan who signed several of the panels. As

one enters through the Taj Mahal Gate, the calligraphy reads "O Soul, thou art at rest.

Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you."

The calligraphy is made byjasperinlaid in white marble panels. Some of the work is

extremely detailed and delicate, especially that found on the marble cenotaphs in the

tomb. Higher panels are written slightly larger to reduce the skewing effect when viewedfrom below.

Recent scholarship suggests that Amanat Khan chose the passages as well. The texts refer

to themes of judgment: of doom for nonbelievers, and the promise of Paradise for the

faithful. The passages include:Surah91 (The Sun), Surah 112 (The Purity of Faith),Surah 89 (Daybreak), Surah 93 (Morning Light), Surah 95 (The Fig), Surah 94 (The

Solace), Surah 36(Ya Sin), Surah 81 (The Folding Up), Surah 82 (The Cleaving

Asunder), Surah 84 (The Rending Asunder), Surah 98 (The Evidence), Surah 67

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(Dominion), Surah 48 (Victory), Surah 77(Those Sent Forth) and Surah 39 (The

Crowds).

Abstract geometric decoration

Incised painting

Abstract forms are used especially in the plinth, minarets, gateway, mosque, and jawab,

and, to a lesser extent, on the surfaces of the tomb. The domes and vaults of the sandstone

buildings are worked with tracery of incised painting to create elaborate geometric forms.(The incised painting technique is to scratch a channel in the stone, and to then lay a thick

paint or stucco plaster across the surface. The paint is then scraped off the surface of the

stone, leaving paint in the incision.)

On most joining areas, herringbone inlays define the space between adjoining elements.White inlays are used in the sandstone buildings, dark or black inlays on the white marble

of the tomb and minarets. Mortared areas of the marble buildings have been stained or

painted dark, creating geometric patterns of considerable complexity.

Floors and walkways throughout use contrasting tiles or blocks intessellation patterns.

Plant motifs

The lower walls of the tomb are whitemarbledados that have been sculpted with

realisticbas reliefdepictions of flowers and

vines. The marble has been polished toemphasise the exquisite detailing of these

carvings.

The dado frames and archway spandrels

have been decorated with pietra dura inlaysof highly stylised, almost geometric vines,

flowers and fruits. The inlay stones are

yellow marble, jasper and jade, leveled and

polished to the surface of the walls.

Spandrel detail

Interior decoration

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Jali screen surrounding the cenotaphs

Detail of the Jali screen

The interior chamber of the Taj Mahal steps far beyond traditional decorative elements.One may say without exaggeration that this chamber is a work ofjewellery. Here the

inlay work is not pietra dura, but lapidary. The inlay material is not marble or jade but

precious and semiprecious gemstones. Every decorative element of the tomb's exteriorhas been redefined withjeweler's art.

The inner chamber

The inner chamber of the Taj Mahal contains the cenotaphs of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan.It is a masterpiece of artistic craftsmanship, virtually without precedent or equal.

The inner chamber is an octagon. While the design allows for entry from each face, only

the south (garden facing) door is used.

The interior walls are about 25 meters high, topped by a "false" interior dome decoratedwith a sun motif.

Eight pishtaq arches define the space at ground level. As is typical with the exterior, eachlower pishtaq is crowned by a second pishtaq about midway up the wall. The four central

upper arches form balconies or viewing areas; each balcony's exterior window has anintricate screen orjali cut from marble.

In addition to the light from the balcony screens, light enters through roof openings

covered by the chattris at the corners of the exterior dome.

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Each of the chamber walls has been highly decorated with dado bas relief, intricate

lapidary inlay and refined calligraphy panels, reflecting in miniature detail the design

elements seen throughout the exterior of the complex.

The jali

The octagonal marble screen orjali which borders the cenotaphs is made from eightmarble panels. Each panel has been carved through with intricate piercework. The

remaining surfaces have been inlaid with semiprecious stones in extremely delicate

detail, forming twining vines, fruits and flowers.

The cenotaphs and tombs

The actual tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in the crypt of the Taj Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal'scenotaph is placed at the precise center of the inner chamber. On a

rectangular marble base about 1.5 meters by 2.5 meters is a smaller marble casket. Both

base and casket are elaborately inlaid with precious and semiprecious gems. Calligraphic

inscriptions on the casket identify and praise Mumtaz. On the lid of the casket is a raisedrectangular lozenge meant to suggest a writing tablet.

Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves, so the bodies of Mumtaz and

Shah Jahan are laid in a relatively plain crypt beneath the inner chamber of the Taj

Mahal. They are buried on a north-south axis, with faces turned right (west towardMecca).

Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side. It is the only visible

asymmetric element in the entire complex (see below). His cenotaph is bigger than hiswife's, but reflects the same elements: A larger casket on slightly taller base, again

decorated with astonishing precision with lapidary and calligraphy which identifies Shah

Jahan. On the lid of this casket is a sculpture of a small pen box. (The pen box and

writing tablet were traditional Mughal funerary icons decorating men's and women'scaskets respectively.)

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Cenotaphs, interior of the Taj Mahal

"O Noble, O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious... " These are six

of the Ninety Nine Names of God, which are to be found as calligraphic inscriptions onthe sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, in the crypt. The tomb of Shah Jahan

bears a calligraphic inscription, not taken from the Qur'an, but referring to the resting

place of this Mughal Emperor. Part of the inscription reads; "He traveled from this world

to the banquet-hall of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth of the month ofRajab, in

the year 1076 Hijri."

Details of lapidary

(craftsmanship is best seen in enlarged version -- click image to see enlargement)

Arch of jali, entry to cenotaphs

Delicate pierceworkInlay detailInlay detail

Construction

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Ground layout of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal was built on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra which

had belonged to Maharajah Jai Singh: Shah Jahan presented him with a large palace inthe centre of Agra in exchange. Construction began with setting the foundations for the

tomb. An area of roughly three acreswas excavated and filled with dirt to reduce seepagefrom the river. The entire site was leveled to a fixed height about 50 meters above the

riverbank. The Taj Mahal is 55 meters tall. The dome itself measures 18 meters indiameter and 24 meters high.

View from the Agra Fort.

In the tomb area, wells were then dug to the point that water was encountered. These

wells were later filled with stone and rubble, forming the basis for the footingsof the

tomb. [An additional well was built to same depth nearby to provide a visual method totrack water level changes over time.]

Instead of lashedbamboo, the typical scaffoldingmethod, workmen constructed a

colossal brick scaffold that mirrored the inner and outer surfaces of the tomb. The

scaffold was so enormous that foremen estimated it would take years to dismantle.According to legend, Shah Jahan decreed that anyone could keep bricks taken from the

scaffold, and it was dismantled by peasants overnight.

A fifteen-kilometer tamped-earth ramp was built to transport marble and materials to theconstruction site. According to contemporary accounts teams of twenty or thirty oxen

strained to pull the blocks on specially constructed wagons.

To raise the blocks into position required an elaboratepost-and-beam pulley system.

Teams of mules and oxen provided the lifting power.

The order of construction was

The plinth The tomb

The four minarets

The mosque and jawab The gateway

The plinth and tomb took roughly 12 years to complete. The remaining parts of the

complex took an additional 10 years. (Since the complex was built in stages,

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contemporary historical accounts list different "completion dates"; discrepancies between

so-called completion dates are probably the result of differing opinions about the

definition of "completion". For example, the mausoleum itself was essentially completeby 1643, but work continued on the rest of the complex.)

Water infrastructure

Water for the Taj Mahal was provided through a complex infrastructure. Water was

drawn from the river by a series ofpurs -- an animal-powered rope and bucket

mechanism. The water flowed into a large storage tank, where, by thirteen additionalpurs, it was raised to large distribution tank above the Taj Mahal ground level.

From this distribution tank, water passed into three subsidiary tanks, from which it was

piped to the complex. A 0.25 meter earthenwarepipelies about 1.5 meters below the

surface, in line with the main walkway; this filled the main pools of the complex.Additional copper pipes supplied the fountains in the north-south canal. Subsidiary

channels were dug to irrigatethe entire garden.

The fountain pipes were not connected directly to the feed pipes. Instead, a copper pot

was provided under each fountain pipe: water filled the pots allowing equal pressure ineach fountain.

The purs no longer remain, but the other parts of the infrastructure have survived.

Craftsmen

An Artist's impression of A Bird's View of the Taj Mahal, from theSmithsonian Institute

The Taj Mahal was not designed by a single person. The project demanded talent frommany people.

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The names of many of the builders who participated in the construction of the Taj Mahal

in different capacities have come down through various sources.

The Persian or Turkish architect,Ustad Isa and Isa Muhammad Effendi, trainedby the Ottoman architect Koca Mimar Sinan Aghaare frequently credited with a

key role in the architectural design of the complex,[20][21]

but in fact there is littleevidence to support this tradition.

'Puru' from Benarus, Persia (Iran), has been mentioned as a supervising architectin Persian language texts (e.g. see ISBN 964-7483-39-2).

The main dome was designed byIsmail Khan from the Ottoman Empire,

considered to be the premier designer of hemispheres and builder of domes of that

age.

Qazim Khan, a native ofLahore, cast the solid gold finial that crowned the

Turkish master's dome.

Chiranjilal, a lapidary from Delhi, was chosen as the chief sculptor and mosaicist.

Amanat Khan from Persian Shiraz, Iran was the chief calligrapher (this fact is

attested on the Taj Mahal gateway itself, where his name has been inscribed at theend of the inscription).

Muhammad Hanif was the supervisor of masons.

Mir Abdul Karim and Mukkarimat Khan of Shiraz, Iran handled finances and the

management of daily production.

The creative team included sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syriaand Persia,inlayers from southern India, stonecutters from Baluchistan, a specialist in building

turrets, another who carved only marble flowers thirty-seven men in all formed the

creative nucleus. To this core was added a labour force of twenty thousand workersrecruited from across northern India.

Particularly during the British Raj, some commentators suggested that the Taj Mahal was

the work of European artisans. As early as 1640, a Spanish friar who visited Agra wrote

that Geronimo Veroneo, an Italian adventurer in Shah Jahan's court, was primarily

responsible for the design. There is no reliable evidence to back up such assertions.E.B.Havell, the principal British scholar of Indian art in the later Raj, dismissed this theory as

inconsistent with the methods employed by the designers. His conclusions were further

supported by the research of Muhammad Abdullah Chaghtai, who concluded that someof these theories may have been based on the misapprehension that "Ustad Isa", so often

credited with the Taj's design, must have been a Christian because he bore the name "Isa"

(Jesus). In fact this is a common Muslim name as well. Furthermore there is no sourceearlier than the 19th century which mentions an "Ustad Isa" in connection with the Taj

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Mahal . Chaghtai thought it more likely that the chief architect was Ustad Ahmad, the

designer ofShahjahanabad, but admitted that this could not be conclusively proved from

existing sources.

Materials

The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. Over 1,000elephantswere used to transport building materials during theconstruction. The

translucent white marble was brought from Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab,jadeand

crystal from China. The turquoisewas from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan,while the sapphire came fromSri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty

eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.

Costs

Estimates of the cost of the construction of the Taj Mahal vary due to the difficulties of

estimating construction costs across time. The total cost of the Taj Mahal's constructionhas been estimated to be about 32 million rupees. However, when considering the laborcosts and the time period that it took, and the difference in economic eras, it is, to many,

considered priceless.

History

Soon after the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house

arrest at nearby Agra Fort by his sonAurangzeb. Legend has it that he spent theremainder of his days gazing through the window at the Taj Mahal. Upon Shah Jahan's

death, Aurangzeb buried him in the Taj Mahal next to his wife, the only disruption of the

otherwise perfect symmetry in the architecture. By the late 19th century parts of the TajMahal had fallen badly into disrepair. During the time of the Indian rebellion of 1857 the

Taj Mahal faced defacement by British soldiers and government officials who chiseled

out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls.

Protective wartime scaffolding

At the end of the 19th century BritishviceroyLord Curzonordered a massive restoration

project, completed in 1908. He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber

(modelled on one hanging in a Cairo mosque when local craftsmen failed to provide

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adequate designs). It was during this time the garden was remodelled with the more

British looking lawns visible today.

By the 20th century the Taj Mahal was being better taken care of. In 1942 thegovernment erected a scaffolding over it in anticipation of an air attack by the German

Luftwaffe and later by the Japanese Air Force (see photo). During theIndia-Pakistanwars of 1965 and 1971 scaffoldings were erected by the government to mislead would-be

bomber pilots.

Its most recent threats came from environmental pollution on the banks of the Yamuna

River including acid rain occurring due to the Mathura oil refinery (something opposed

by Supreme Court of India directives).

In 1983 the Taj Mahal was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tourism

Photograph of the Taj Mahal by Samuel Bourne, 1860.

Since its construction the Taj Mahal has attracted numerous visitors. Indeed the small

town to the South of the Taj known as the Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad was originallyconstructed with purpose built caravanserais,bazaarsand markets to serve the needs of

visitors and workmen.

Today, the Taj Mahal attracts 2 to 3 million visitors every year of whom 200,000 come

from overseas, making it the most popular tourist attraction in India. Most tourists visitduring the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not

allowed near the complex and tourist must either walk from the carparks or catch anelectric bus. The Khawasspuras are currently being restored for use as a new visitorscentre.[26][27][28]

Lists of recommended travel destinations often feature the Taj Mahal, which also appears

in several listings ofseven wonders of the modern world -- including the recently

announcedNew Seven Wonders of the World, a controversial poll which claimed torecord a 100 million votes.

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Myths

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, one of the first European visitors to the Taj Mahal and source ofthe Black Taj myth

It is clear from the accounts of its inception and the subsequent court histories, that Shah

Jahan intended the Taj Mahal to be acclaimed by the entire world. It can be argued that

he was almost entirely successful in this pursuit. Since its construction the building has

been the source of an admiration that has transcended cultures and geography to theextent that the personal and emotional responses to the building have consistently

eclipsed the scholastic appraisals of the monument. Some of these responses are now soold or compeling that they are often repeated as fact in opposition to the scholastic

consensus. Others have attempted to use or promote misinformation about the Taj for

political or self-serving advantage.

A longstanding myth holds that Shah Jahan planned a duplicate mausoleum to be built inblack marble across the Jumna river.The 'black taj' idea originates in the fanciful writings

ofJean-Baptiste Tavernier, a European traveller who visited Agra in 1665. The story

suggests that Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb before the black version

could be built. Ruins of blackened marble across the river, in the so-called MoonlightGarden (Mahtab Bagh) seemed to support this legend. However, excavations carried out

in the 1990s found only white marble features discoloured completely to black. The

garden buildings had collapsed due to repeated flooding. Others speculate that the 'blacktaj' may refer to the reflection of the Taj in the large pool of the moonlight garden.

A number of stories describe, often in horrific detail, the deaths, dismemberments and

mutilations which Shah Jahan inflicted on various architects and craftsmen associated

with the tomb. No evidence for these claims exist. More conservative stories say thatthose involved in construction signed contracts committing to have no part in any similar

design. Similar claims are made for many of the world's most famous buildings.

Lord William Bentinck, governor ofIndia in the 1830s, supposedly planned to demolishthe Taj Mahal and auction off the marble. There is no contemporary evidence for this

story, which may have emerged in the late nineteenth century when Bentinck was being

criticised for his penny-pinching Utilitarianism, and when Lord Curzon was emphasising

earlier neglect of the monument. Bentinck's biographer John Rosselli says that the storyarose from Bentinck's fund-raising sale of discarded marble from Agra Fort.[34]

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In recent years, elements within India have become interested in the ideas ofP.N. Oak.[33]

He claims that the origins of the Taj, together with all the other historic structures in the

country currently ascribed to Muslim sultans, pre-date the Muslim occupation of Indiaand have a Hinduorigin.[35] In 2000 India's Supreme Court dismissed Oak's petition to

declare that a Hindu king built the Taj Mahal and reprimanded him for bringing the

action.[36][33]

A more poetic story relates that once a year, during the rainy season, a single drop ofwater falls on the cenotaph. The story recalls Rabindranath Tagore's description of the

tomb as "one tear-drop...upon the cheek of time". Another myth suggests that beating the

silhouette of the finial (set into the paving of the riverside forecourt) will cause water tocome forth. To this day officials find broken bangles surrounding the silhouette.[37]

References

Asher, Catherine B.Architecture of Mughal India New Cambridge History of

India I.4 (Cambridge University Press) 1992 ISBN 0-521-26728-5 Bernier, Franoi' Travels in the Moghul Empire A.D. 1657-1668 (Westminster:

Archibald Constable & Co.) 1891

Carroll, David (1971). The Taj Mahal, Newsweek Books ISBN 0-88225-024-8

Chaghtai, Muhammad AbdullahLe Tadj Mahal d'Agra (Inde). Histoire et

description (Brussells: Editions de la Connaissance) 1938

Copplestone, Trewin. (ed). (1963). World architecture - An illustrated history.

Hamlyn, London.

Gascoigne, Bamber (1971). The Great Moguls, Harper & Row

Havel, E.B. (1913).Indian Architecture: Its Psychology, Structure and History,

John Murray

Kambo, Muhammad SalihAmal-i-Salih or Shah Jahan Namah Ed. GhulamYazdani (Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press) Vol.I 1923. Vol. II 1927

Koch, Ebba [Aug 2006]. The Complete Taj Mahal: And the Riverfront Gardens of

Agra (Paperback), First (in English), Thames & Hudson Ltd, 288 pages.ISBN

0500342091.

Lahawri, 'Abd al-HamidBadshah Namah Ed. Maulawis Kabir al-Din Ahmad and

'Abd al-Rahim under the superintendence of Major W.N. Lees. (Calcutta: CollegePress) Vol. I 1867 Vol. II 1868

Lall, John (1992). Taj Mahal, Tiger International Press

Rothfarb, Ed (1998).In the Land of the Taj Mahal, Henry Holt ISBN 0-8050-5299-2

Saksena, Banarsi PrasadHistory of Shahjahan of Dihli (Allahabad: The IndianPress Ltd.) 1932

Stall, B (1995).Agra and Fathepur Sikri, Millennium

Stierlin, Henri [editor] & Volwahsen, Andreas (1990).Architecture of the World:Islamic India, Taschen

Tillitson, G.H.R. (1990).Architectural Guide to Mughal India, Chronicle Books

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