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Taj Mahal Details of the Building the Art Within It

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Marble mausoleum in Agra, India

Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal in India - Kristian Bertel.jpg
Location Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Coordinates 27°10′30″Northward 78°02′31″E  /  27.17500°N 78.04194°E  / 27.17500; 78.04194 Coordinates: 27°10′thirty″Northward 78°02′31″E  /  27.17500°N 78.04194°E  / 27.17500; 78.04194
Expanse 17 hectares[i]
Height 73 m (240 ft)
Built 1632–53[2]
Built for Mumtaz Mahal
Architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Architectural manner(s) Mughal architecture
Visitors half dozen,532,366[3] (in 2019)
Governing body Authorities of India
Website world wide web.tajmahal.gov.in

Taj Mahal is located in Uttar Pradesh

Taj Mahal

Location of Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh

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Taj Mahal is located in India

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal (India)

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Taj Mahal is located in Asia

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal (Asia)

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UNESCO Globe Heritage Site
Criteria Cultural: i
Reference 252
Inscription 1983 (7th Session)

The Taj Mahal (;[four]Farsi: تاج محل [5] lit. 'Crown of the Palace', [taːdʒ ˈmɛːɦ(ə)l]),[6] is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the correct bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. Information technology was commissioned in 1632 past the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan ( r. 1628–1658) to firm the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal; information technology likewise houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a invitee house, and is prepare in formal gardens bounded on 3 sides past a crenellated wall.

Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, only work connected on other phases of the projection for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around ₹32 million, which in 2020 would be approximately ₹seventy billion (nearly U.S. $i billion). The construction projection employed some 20,000 artisans nether the guidance of a board of architects led by the courtroom builder to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Various types of symbolism have been employed in the Taj to reverberate natural beauty and divinity.

The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for existence "the jewel of Muslim art in Bharat and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world'southward heritage". It is regarded by many as the best case of Mughal architecture and a symbol of Bharat'due south rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts more than 6 million visitors a year[3] and in 2007, it was alleged a winner of the New seven Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.

Etymology

Abdul Hamid Lahauri, in his book from 1636 Padshahnama, refers to the Taj Mahal equally rauza-i munawwara (Perso-Standard arabic: روضه منواره , rawdah-i munawwarah), meaning the illumined or illustrious tomb.[vii] The current name for the Taj Mahal is believed to exist derived from the Western farsi تاج محل tāj mahall, meaning "crown" (tāj) "palace" (mahall).[8] [ix] [five] The name "Taj" came from the corruption of the second syllabus of "Mumtaz".[10] [11]

Inspiration

The Taj Mahal was commissioned past Shah Jahan in 1631, to be built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died on 17 June that yr, while giving birth to their 14th kid, Gauhara Begum.[12] [13] Construction started in 1632,[14] and the mausoleum was completed in 1648, while the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later on.[15] The imperial court documenting Shah Jahan'southward grief later the decease of Mumtaz Mahal illustrates the dear story held as the inspiration for the Taj Mahal.[16]

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

Compages and design

Animation showing the Taj Mahal (English subtitles)

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Indo-Islamic and earlier Mughal compages. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand),[17] Humayun'due south Tomb which inspired the Charbagh gardens and hasht-behesht (architecture) program of the site, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Babe Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. Buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.[18]

Tomb

The tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of the Taj Mahal. It is a large, white marble construction standing on a foursquare plinth and consists of a symmetrical edifice with an iwan (an curvation-shaped doorway) topped by a big dome and finial. Like nigh Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Indo-Islamic in origin.[xix]

The base structure is a large multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners forming an unequal viii-sided structure that is approximately 55 metres (180 ft) on each of the four long sides. Each side of the iwan is framed with a huge pishtaq or vaulted archway with ii similarly shaped arched balconies stacked on either side. This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the pattern completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. 4 minarets frame the tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners. The main chamber houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; the actual graves are at a lower level.[20]

  • Taj Mahal, Agra, India

  • The Taj Mahal in Agra

  • The mausoleum (Rauza-i-munnauwara)

  • The principal gateway (darwaza) to the Taj Mahal

  • Taj Mahal minaret

  • Taj Mahal at sunrise from Principal Entrance

  • 4 minarets frame the tomb.

  • Sketch of the interior view of the vaulted dome over the tombs of Shah Jahan (left) and Mumtaz Mahal (correct)

  • The false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal (right) and Shah Jahan (left) in the main bedchamber

  • The actual tombs of Mumtaz Mahal (right) and Shah Jahan (left) in the lower level. Notice that Mumtaz's grave does not have a lower slab similar that of Shah Jahan

  • Main marble dome, smaller domes, and decorative spires that extend from the edges of the base walls

  • Arabic calligraphy at the tomb entrance

  • A window view of Taj Mahal from Agra Fort

The about spectacular feature is the marble dome that surmounts the tomb. The dome is nearly 35 metres (115 ft) high which is close in measurement to the length of the base, and accentuated by the cylindrical "drum" it sits on, which is approximately seven metres (23 ft) high. Because of its shape, the dome is often called an onion dome or amrud (guava dome).[21] The superlative is decorated with a lotus pattern which also serves to accentuate its height. The shape of the dome is emphasised by four smaller domed chattris (kiosks) placed at its corners, which replicate the onion shape of the main dome. The dome is slightly asymmetrical.[22] Their columned bases open through the roof of the tomb and provide low-cal to the interior. Tall decorative spires (guldastas) extend from edges of base of operations walls, and provide visual emphasis to the height of the dome. The lotus motif is repeated on both the chattris and guldastas. The dome and chattris are topped by a gilded finial which mixes traditional Farsi and Hindustani decorative elements.[23]

The master finial was originally made of aureate but was replaced by a copy made of gilded bronze in the early 19th century. This feature provides a clear example of integration of traditional Persian and Hindu decorative elements.[24] The finial is topped by a moon, a typical Islamic motif whose horns point heavenward.[25]

The minarets, which are each more 40 metres (130 ft) tall, display the designer'due south penchant for symmetry. They were designed as working minarets— a traditional chemical element of mosques, used past the muezzin to phone call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts past two working balconies that ring the belfry. At the tiptop of the tower is a final balcony surmounted by a chattri that mirrors the design of those on the tomb. The chattris all share the same decorative elements of a lotus blueprint topped by a gilt finial. The minarets were synthetic slightly outside of the plinth and then that in the event of plummet, a typical occurrence with many tall constructions of the period, the material from the towers would tend to fall away from the tomb.[26]

Outside decorations

The exterior decorations of the Taj Mahal are amid the finest in Mughal architecture. As the surface area changes, the decorations are refined proportionally. The decorative elements were created by applying paint, stucco, stone inlays or carvings. In line with the Islamic prohibition against the utilize of anthropomorphic forms, the decorative elements tin can be grouped into either calligraphy, abstract forms or vegetative motifs. Throughout the complex are passages from the Qur'an that comprise some of the decorative elements. Recent scholarship suggests that Amanat Khan chose the passages.[27] [28]

The calligraphy on the Great Gate reads "O Soul, thou art at residual. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you."[28] The calligraphy was created in 1609 past a calligrapher named Abdul Haq. Shah Jahan conferred the title of "Amanat Khan" upon him as a advantage for his "dazzling virtuosity".[29] Near the lines from the Qur'an at the base of the interior dome is the inscription, "Written by the insignificant existence, Amanat Khan Shirazi."[30] Much of the calligraphy is composed of florid thuluth script made of jasper or black marble[29] inlaid in white marble panels. Higher panels are written in slightly larger script to reduce the skewing upshot when viewed from below. The calligraphy found on the marble cenotaphs in the tomb is particularly detailed and delicate.[ citation needed ]

Abstruse forms are used throughout, specially in the plinth, minarets, gateway, mosque, 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. Herringbone inlays ascertain the space between many of the bordering elements. White inlays are used in sandstone buildings, and dark or black inlays on the white marbles. Mortared areas of the marble buildings have been stained or painted in a contrasting colour which creates a complex array of geometric patterns. Floors and walkways apply contrasting tiles or blocks in tessellation patterns.[31]

On the lower walls of the tomb are white marble dados sculpted with realistic bas relief depictions of flowers and vines. The marble has been polished to emphasise the exquisite detailing of the carvings. The dado frames and archway spandrels have been busy with pietra dura inlays of highly stylised, near geometric vines, flowers and fruits. The inlay stones are of xanthous marble, jasper and jade, polished and levelled to the surface of the walls.[29]

  • Taj Mahal Outside with a minaret.

  • Detail of plant motifs on Taj Mahal wall

  • Base, dome and minaret.

  • Constitute motifs.

  • Reflective tiles.

  • Marble jali lattice.

Interior ornamentation

The interior sleeping room of the Taj Mahal reaches far across traditional decorative elements. The inlay work is not pietra dura, simply a lapidary of precious and semiprecious gemstones.[32] The inner chamber is an octagon with the design allowing for entry from each confront, although only the door facing the garden to the s is used. The interior walls are almost 25 metres (82 ft) high and are topped past a "fake" interior dome decorated with a sun motif. Eight pishtaq arches define the space at ground level and, as with the exterior, each lower pishtaq is crowned past a second pishtaq about midway up the wall.[33] The four fundamental upper arches form balconies or viewing areas, and each balcony's exterior window has an intricate screen or jali cut from marble. In improver to the low-cal from the balcony screens, low-cal enters through roof openings covered by chattris at the corners. The octagonal marble screen or jali bordering the cenotaphs is fabricated from viii marble panels carved through with intricate pierce piece of work. The remaining surfaces are inlaid in delicate detail with semi-precious stones forming twining vines, fruits and flowers. Each chamber wall is highly decorated with dado bas-relief, intricate lapidary inlay and refined calligraphy panels which reverberate, in little detail, the design elements seen throughout the exterior of the circuitous.[34]

  • Flowers carved in marble.

  • Effeminateness of intricate pierce piece of work.

  • Archways in the mosque.

  • Incised painting.

  • Finial floor tiling.

  • Detail of jali.

Muslim tradition forbids elaborate decoration of graves. Hence, the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were put in a relatively evidently crypt below the inner sleeping room with their faces turned right, towards Mecca. Mumtaz Mahal'south cenotaph is placed at the precise centre of the inner sleeping accommodation on a rectangular marble base of one.5 by 2.5 metres (4 ft 11 in by 8 ft 2 in). Both the base of operations and casket are elaborately inlaid with precious and semiprecious gems. Calligraphic inscriptions on the catafalque identify and praise Mumtaz. On the lid of the casket is a raised rectangular lozenge meant to suggest a writing tablet. Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's to the western side and is the only visible asymmetric chemical element in the unabridged circuitous. His cenotaph is bigger than his married woman's, simply reflects the same elements: a larger casket on a slightly taller base precisely decorated with lapidary and calligraphy that identifies him. On the hat of the casket is a traditional sculpture of a modest pen box.[33]

The pen box and writing tablet are traditional Mughal funerary icons decorating the caskets of men and women respectively. The Ninety Nine Names of God are calligraphic inscriptions on the sides of the bodily tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Other inscriptions within the crypt include, "O Noble, O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious... ". The tomb of Shah Jahan bears a calligraphic inscription that reads; "He travelled from this globe to the banquet-hall of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth of the month of Rajab, in the year 1076 Hijri."[35]

Garden

Walkways beside reflecting pool

The complex is set effectually a large 300-metre (980 ft) square charbagh or Mughal garden. The garden uses raised pathways that divide each of the 4-quarters of the garden into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. Halfway between the tomb and gateway in the centre of the garden is a raised marble water tank with a reflecting pool positioned on a northward–southward axis to reflect the image of the mausoleum. The elevated marble h2o tank is called al Hawd al-Kawthar in reference to the "Tank of Abundance" promised to Muhammad.[36]

Elsewhere, the garden is laid out with avenues of trees labeled according to common and scientific names[37] and fountains. The charbagh garden, a design inspired past Western farsi gardens, was introduced to Republic of india by Babur, the outset Mughal emperor. Information technology symbolises the four flowing rivers of Jannah (Paradise) and reflects the Paradise garden derived from the Persian paridaeza, meaning 'walled garden.' In mystic Islamic texts of the Mughal menstruum, Paradise is described as an platonic garden of abundance with iv rivers flowing from a central spring or mountain, separating the garden into north, westward, south and east.[ citation needed ]

Most Mughal charbaghs are rectangular with a tomb or pavilion in the heart. The Taj Mahal garden is unusual in that the main chemical element, the tomb, is located at the end of the garden. With the discovery of Mahtab Bagh or "Moonlight Garden" on the other side of the Yamuna, the estimation of the Archaeological Survey of India is that the Yamuna river itself was incorporated into the garden'south design and was meant to be seen as one of the rivers of Paradise.[38] Similarities in layout and architectural features with the Shalimar Gardens suggests both gardens may accept been designed by the same builder, Ali Mardan.[39] Early accounts of the garden draw its profusion of vegetation, including abundant roses, daffodils, and fruit copse.[twoscore] As the Mughal Empire declined, the Taj Mahal and its gardens as well declined. By the end of the 19th century, the British Empire controlled more than three-fifths of Republic of india,[41] and causeless management of the Taj Mahal. They changed the landscaping to their liking which more closely resembled the formal lawns of London.[42]

Outlying buildings

The western building, a mosque, faces the tomb.

The Taj Mahal complex is bordered on iii sides by crenellated red sandstone walls; the side facing the river is open. Outside the walls are several additional mausoleums, including those of Shah Jahan'southward other wives, and a larger tomb for Mumtaz's favourite servant.[ citation needed ] These structures, composed primarily of red sandstone, are typical of the smaller Mughal tombs of the era. The garden-facing inner sides of the wall are fronted past columned arcades, a feature typical of Hindu temples which was later incorporated into Mughal mosques. The wall is interspersed with domed chattris, and small buildings that may have been viewing areas or watch towers like the Music House, which is now used as a museum.[ commendation needed ]

The main gateway (darwaza) is a monumental construction congenital primarily of marble, and reminiscent of the Mughal compages of earlier emperors. Its archways mirror the shape of the tomb's archways, and its pishtaq arches incorporate the calligraphy that decorates the tomb. It utilises bas-relief and pietra dura inlaid decorations with floral motifs. The vaulted ceilings and walls take elaborate geometric designs like those found in the other sandstone buildings in the complex.[ citation needed ]

At the far stop of the complex are two grand red sandstone buildings that mirror each other, and face the sides of the tomb. The backs of the buildings parallel the western and eastern walls. The western edifice is a mosque and the other is the jawab (answer), thought to have been constructed for architectural residuum although it may have been used as a guesthouse. Distinctions between the two buildings include the jawab'south lack of a mihrab (a niche in a mosque'southward wall facing Mecca), and its floors of geometric design whereas the floor of the mosque is laid with outlines of 569 prayer rugs in blackness marble. The mosque's basic design of a long hall surmounted by three domes is similar to others congenital past Shah Jahan, specially the Masjid-i Jahān-Numā, or Jama Masjid, Delhi. The Mughal mosques of this menstruation split up the sanctuary hall into three areas comprising a primary sanctuary and slightly smaller sanctuaries on either side. At the Taj Mahal, each sanctuary opens onto an expansive vaulting dome. The outlying buildings were completed in 1643.[15]

Taj Mahal and outlying buildings as seen from across the Yamuna River (northern view)

Construction

The Taj Mahal is congenital on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra. Shah Jahan presented Maharajah Jai Singh with a large palace in the centre of Agra in exchange for the land.[43] An expanse of roughly 1.2 hectares (3 acres) was excavated, filled with clay to reduce seepage, and levelled at fifty metres (160 ft) above riverbank. In the tomb expanse, wells were dug and filled with stone and rubble to class the footings of the tomb. Instead of lashed bamboo, workmen constructed a jumbo brick scaffold that mirrored the tomb. The scaffold was so enormous that foremen estimated information technology would take years to dismantle.[44]

The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to ship building materials. It took the efforts of 22,000 labourers, painters, embroidery artists and stonecutters to shape the Taj Mahal.[45] The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China. The turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, while the sapphire came from Sri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty-viii types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.[ citation needed ]

Co-ordinate to the legend, Shah Jahan decreed that anyone could proceed the bricks taken from the scaffold, and thus it was dismantled by peasants overnight.[46] A fifteen-kilometre (ix.3 mi) tamped-globe ramp was built to ship marble and materials to the construction site and teams of xx or thirty oxen pulled the blocks on peculiarly constructed wagons.[47] An elaborate post-and-beam pulley organisation was used to heighten the blocks into desired position. H2o was drawn from the river by a series of purs, an animal-powered rope and bucket mechanism, into a large storage tank and raised to a large distribution tank. It was passed into 3 subsidiary tanks, from which it was piped to the complex.[ commendation needed ]

The plinth and tomb took roughly 12 years to complete. The remaining parts of the complex took an additional 10 years and were completed in order of minarets, mosque and jawab, and gateway. Since the complex was built in stages, discrepancies exist in completion dates due to differing opinions on "completion". Structure of the mausoleum itself was substantially completed by 1643[fourteen] while work on the outlying buildings continued for years. Estimates of the cost of construction vary due to difficulties in estimating costs across time. The total toll at the time has been estimated to be about ₹ 32 million,[fourteen] which is effectually ₹ 52.eight billion ($827 1000000 U.s.a.) based on 2015 values.[48]

Symbolism

Due to the global attention that it has received and the millions of visitors it attracts, the Taj Mahal has become a prominent paradigm that is associated with Republic of india, and in this mode has become a symbol of India itself.[49]

Forth with being a renowned symbol of love, the Taj Mahal is besides a symbol of Shah Jahan'southward wealth and ability, and the fact that the empire had prospered under his rule.[50] Bilateral symmetry dominated by a key axis has been used by rulers as a symbol of a ruling force that brings balance and harmony, and Shah Jahan applied that concept in the making of the Taj Mahal.[51] Additionally, the plan is aligned in the cardinal north-s direction and the corners have been placed so that when seen from the centre of the programme, the lord's day tin can be seen rise and setting on the north and south corners on the summertime and wintertime solstices respectively. This makes the Taj a symbolic horizon.[52]

The planning and structure of the Taj Mahal, from the edifice itself to the gardens and beyond, is symbolic of Mumtaz Mahal's mansion in the garden of Paradise.[51] The concept of Gardens of Paradise is extended into the building of the mausoleum equally well. Colorful vines and flowers decorate the interior, and are filled in with semi-precious stones using a technique called pietra dura, or as the Mughals chosen information technology, parchin kari.[53] The edifice appears to slightly change colour depending on the time of day and the weather. The sky has not simply been incorporated in the design through the reflecting pools but also through the surface of the building itself. This is another way to imply the presence of Allah at the site.[54]

According to Ebba Koch, art historian and international expert in the understanding and interpretation of Mughal compages and the Taj Mahal, the planning of the entire chemical compound of the Taj symbolizes earthly life and the afterlife, a subset of the symbolization of the divine. The program has been divide into two—one half is the white marble mausoleum itself and the gardens, and the other half is the red sandstone side meant for worldly markets. But the mausoleum is white and then equally to correspond the enlightenment, spirituality and religion of Mumtaz Mahal. According to the globe-traveler Eleanor Roosevelt, the white symbolized the purity of real beloved.[55] Koch has deciphered that symbolic of Islamic teachings, the programme of the worldly side is a mirror image of the otherworldly side, and the 1000 gate in the middle represents the transition betwixt the two lives.

The Taj is likewise seen as a feminine architectural course, and is thought to embody Mumtaz Mahal herself.[56]

Afterwards days

Before long later the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb and put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort. Upon Shah Jahan's death, Aurangzeb cached him in the mausoleum next to his wife.[57] In the 18th century, the Jat rulers of Bharatpur invaded Agra and attacked the Taj Mahal. They took away the two chandeliers, i of agate and another of silver, which were hung over the master cairn; they besides took the golden and silvery screen. Kanbo, a Mughal historian, said the gold shield which covered the four.6-metre-high (15 ft) finial at the top of the main dome was also removed during the Jat despoliation.[58]

By the late 19th century, parts of the buildings had fallen into disrepair. At the terminate of the 19th century, British viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a sweeping restoration project, which was completed in 1908.[59] He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber, modelled after one in a Cairo mosque. During this time the garden was remodelled with European-mode lawns that are notwithstanding in identify today.[ citation needed ]

Threats

Protective wartime scaffolding in 1942

In 1942, the government erected scaffolding to disguise the building in anticipation of air attacks by the Japanese Air Force.[sixty] [61] During the Republic of india-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, scaffolding was again erected to mislead bomber pilots.[62]

More contempo threats accept come up from environmental pollution on the banks of the Yamuna River including acid rain[63] due to the Mathura Oil Refinery,[64] which was opposed by Supreme Court of Republic of india directives.[ commendation needed ] The pollution has been turning the Taj Mahal yellow-dark-brown.[65] [66] To help command the pollution, the Indian government has set upward the "Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ)", a ten,400-square-kilometre (4,000 sq mi) area around the monument where strict emissions standards are in place.[67]

Concerns for the tomb's structural integrity have recently been raised because of a refuse in the groundwater level in the Yamuna river bowl which is falling at a rate of around 1.5 m (five ft) per year. In 2010, cracks appeared in parts of the tomb, and the minarets which surround the monument were showing signs of tilting, as the wooden foundation of the tomb may exist rotting due to lack of h2o. Information technology has been pointed out by politicians, however, that the minarets are designed to tilt slightly outwards to forestall them from crashing on top of the tomb in the event of an convulsion. In 2011, information technology was reported that some predictions indicated that the tomb could collapse within 5 years.[68]

Small-scale minarets located at 2 of the outlying buildings were reported every bit damaged past a storm on April xi, 2018.[69] On 31 May 2020 another fierce thunderstorm caused some damage to the complex.[seventy]

Tourism

The Taj Mahal attracts a large number of tourists. UNESCO documented more than than 2 million visitors in 2001,[71] which had increased to about seven–eight million in 2014.[72] A two-tier pricing organization is in place, with a significantly lower entrance fee for Indian citizens and a more than expensive one for foreigners. As of 2022[update], the fee for Indian citizens was ₹50, for citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC countries ₹540, for foreign tourists ₹one,100.[73] Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourists must either walk from parking areas or catch an electric jitney. The Khawasspuras (northern courtyards) are currently existence restored for use as a new visitor centre.[74] [75] In 2019, in social club to accost overtourism, the site instituted fines for visitors who stayed longer than three hours.[76]

The small-scale boondocks to the south of the Taj, known every bit Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad, was initially constructed with caravanserais, bazaars and markets to serve the needs of visitors and workers.[77] Lists of recommended travel destinations frequently characteristic the Taj Mahal, which also appears in several listings of seven wonders of the modernistic world, including the recently announced New Seven Wonders of the World, a contempo poll with 100 million votes.[78]

The grounds are open up from 06:00 to 19:00 weekdays, except for Fri when the complex is open for prayers at the mosque between 12:00 and 14:00. The complex is open for night viewing on the day of the full moon and 2 days before and after,[79] excluding Fridays and the month of Ramadan.

Foreign dignitaries ofttimes visit the Taj Mahal on trips to India. Notable figures who have travelled to the site include Dwight Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, George Harrison, Mark Zuckerberg, Vladimir Putin, Princess Diana, Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.[lxxx] [81] [82] [83]

Myths

Always since its construction, the building has been the source of an admiration transcending culture and geography, and then personal and emotional responses take consistently eclipsed scholastic appraisals of the monument.[84] A longstanding myth holds that Shah Jahan planned a mausoleum to be built in black marble every bit a Black Taj Mahal across the Yamuna river.[12] The idea originates from fanciful writings of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a European traveller who visited Agra in 1665. It was suggested that his son Aurangzeb overthrew Shah Jahan before it could be built. Ruins of blackened marble across the river in the Mehtab Bagh, seemed to back up this legend. However, excavations carried out in the 1990s found that they were discoloured white stones that had turned black.[85] A more credible theory for the origins of the black mausoleum was demonstrated in 2006 by archaeologists who reconstructed part of the pool in the Mehtab Bagh. A night reflection of the white mausoleum could conspicuously be seen, conforming Shah Jahan's obsession with symmetry and the positioning of the puddle itself. Warrior Empire: The Mughals of India. A+E Idiot box Network. 2006.

No physical evidence exists for claims that describe, ofttimes in horrific detail, the deaths, dismemberments and mutilations which Shah Jahan supposedly inflicted on various architects and craftsmen associated with the tomb.[86] [87] Some stories claim that those involved in construction signed contracts committing themselves to have no role in any similar design. Similar claims are made for many famous buildings.[88] No show exists for claims that Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of Republic of india in the 1830s, supposedly planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and auction off the marble. Bentinck'southward biographer John Rosselli says that the story arose from Bentinck's fund-raising sale of discarded marble from Agra Fort.[89]

Another myth suggests that beating the silhouette of the finial will cause water to come forth. To this mean solar day, officials find cleaved bangles surrounding the silhouette.[ninety]

Several myths, none of which are supported past the archaeological record, have appeared asserting that people other than Shah Jahan and the original architects were responsible for the construction of the Taj Mahal. For instance, in 2000, India's Supreme Courtroom dismissed P. N. Oak's petition[91] to declare that a Hindu male monarch built the Taj Mahal.[88] [92] In 2005, a like petition was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court. This case was brought by Amar Nath Mishra, a social worker and preacher who claimed that the Taj Mahal was built past the Hindu Rex Parmal Dev in 1196.[93]

Another such unsupported theory is that the Taj Mahal was designed by an Italian, Geronimo Vereneo, held sway for a brief period after information technology was first promoted by Henry George Keene in 1879 who went by a translation of a Castilian work Itinerario, (The Travels of Fray Sebastian Manrique, 1629–1643). Another theory that a Frenchman, Austin of Bordeaux designed the Taj was promoted past William Henry Sleeman based on the work of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. These ideas were revived past Father Hosten and discussed once more by East.B. Havell and served as the basis for subsequent theories and controversies.[94]

Controversies

Equally of 2017, several court cases nearly Taj Mahal being a Hindu temple have been inspired by P. N. Oak's theory.[95] [96] In August 2017, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stated there was no evidence to suggest the monument ever housed a temple.[97] Bharatiya Janata Party's Vinay Katiyar in 2017 claimed that the 17th century monument was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan afterwards destroying a Hindu temple called "Tejo Mahalaya" and it housed a Shiva linga. This claim had likewise been fabricated by another BJP fellow member Laxmikant Bajpai in 2014. The BJP government'south union minister of culture Mahesh Sharma stated in Nov 2015 during a session of the parliament, that there was no evidence that it was a temple. The theories virtually Taj Mahal existence a Shiva temple started circulating when Oak released his 1989 book "Taj Mahal: The True Story". He claimed information technology was built in 1155 Advertisement and not in the 17th century, as stated by the ASI.[98]

A controversy was created in 2017 when the Uttar Pradesh government did not include it in its official tourism booklet "Uttar Pradesh Tourism - Unlimited Possibilities". The chief minister Yogi Adityanath had earlier claimed it does non represent Indian culture.[99] Amid this controversy, BJP MLA Sangeet Som had claimed that the those who built the Taj Mahal were traitors and it was a "blot" on the state'south culture. He claimed information technology was built by a man who jailed his own begetter and wished to kill Hindus. BJP MP Anshul Verma supported his comments. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Jammu & Kashmir National Briefing leader Omar Abdullah[100] and Azam Khan criticised him. CM Adityanath stated Som's comments were personal and the authorities will focus on the tourism potential of every monument.[101]

Gallery

  • Taj Mahal

  • Eastern view in the morning

  • Taj Mahal in cloudy conditions and its minaret under restoration

  • Western view at sunset

  • Taj Mahal through the fog

  • A panoramic view looking 360 degrees around the Taj Mahal in 2005

Meet also

  • Compages of India
  • Bibi Ka Maqbara, a similar building in the Deccan, Aurangabad
  • Fatehpur Sikri, a nearby city and World Heritage Site
  • Islamic architecture
  • Indo-Islamic architecture
  • Within, a 1968 new-historic period music album recorded in the building
  • Listing of tallest domes
  • New7Wonders of the World
  • Taj Mahal replicas and derivatives
  • Wonders of the World

References

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External links

  • Official website of the Taj Mahal
  • Description of the Taj Mahal at the Archaeological Survey of India
  • Profile of the Taj Mahal at UNESCO
  • "Outlying Buildings". Taj Mahal. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

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