3 Interesting Facts About Taj Mahal

[Nell Barreto]

Commissionedin 1632 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is a stunning symbol of love and architectural brilliance.

Influenced by Indian, Persian, and Islamic architectural principals, the Taj Mahal mausoleum is made of white marble, the color of which seems to change according to the time of day, and the entire mausoleum complex spans nearly 17 hectares (42 acres or about 20 big football pitches).

The construction of the Taj Mahal took 20 years and 20,000 workers to complete and the mausoleum houses not just the body of Mumtaz Mahal but also Shah Jahan himself. In this article, you can find interesting facts about the Taj Mahal to share with your kids or friends.

There are several other mausoleums outside the Taj, but in the same complex, where Shah Jahan's other wives and favorite servants are buried, showing a level of respect and thoughtfulness to them too.

The Black Taj, also known as the Kaala Taj or Second Taj, is a legendary black marble mausoleum that is said to have been planned to be built across the Yamuna River directly opposite the Taj Mahal.

Shah Jahan is said to have planned to build this black marble mausoleum as a tomb for himself and wanted the two structures (the Black Taj and the Taj he built for Mumtaz Mahal) to be connected by a bridge.

Historians still disagree about the validity of this claim, although the people of Agra whose families have lived there since Mughal times have continued to pass down the legend of the Black Taj to this day. Many people believe that evidence of the Black Taj cannot be found by archeologists because the son of Shah Jahan, who overthrew and imprisoned him, had it torn down.

We had an excellent time in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand on our trip organized by Asia Highlights. Without their excellent guides and itinerary we would not have been able to experience everything we had in less than 2 weeks. All of the guides and drivers were incredibly helpful and considerate of our needs. Thank you Borin (Cambodia), Mui (Bangkok), Lee (Bangkok), Tip (Pattaya), Abe and other staff for coordinating an awesome vacation for us!!

The Taj Mahal is built of red sandstone and covered in large plates of marble. The artisans who helped in the construction of this world wonder hailed from many different countries and regions, including Central Asia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It took them 20 years to complete this momentous project and over 20,000 artisans were involved.

The rumor that Shah Jahan had the artisans hands cut-off to ensure they could never replicate such a feat ever again remains nothing more than a myth, as no proof to support this claim exists.

The materials needed to build the Taj Mahal were transported with the help of over 1,000 elephants. It was mainly white marble and the red sandstone that required transportation, and it was sourced from all over India and the Middle East.

Red sandstone is common in Persian architecture and can be seen in other Mughal structures like the Red Fort and Jama Masjid both in Delhi, while white marble was used as a representation of the divine.

Pollution levels in India remain alarmingly high and this is particularly true in the northern part of the country where Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, is located. High pollution levels have resulted in yellowing of the Taj's white marble. To counteract this yellowing, a special mud-pack treatment has been and continues to be given to the iconic monument.

The cleaning treatment, a traditional recipe that is used by Indian women to restore a natural glow in their faces will, according to archeologists, help restore the natural sheen and color of the mausoleum.

Beyond the inlaid-stone floral patterns, you will also see beautiful Arabic calligraphy. The calligraphy engraved into the walls includes verses from the Koran that speak of paradise. Read details on Architectural Features of the Taj Mahal.

In line with Persian and Islamic architectural principals, the Taj Mahal is almost perfectly symmetrical. The minarets (towers), walls, rooms, and even gardens follow perfect symmetry.

The grave of Mumtaz Mahal lies on the geometric center and that of Shah Jahan is beside it. What's more, they do follow the traditional rule that the male tomb has to be larger than the female tomb. Are you curious about the inside of the Taj? You'll get more info at What's Inside the Taj Mahal?

Sitting aside the Yamuna River, the foundations of the Taj are supported by wood. It is thought that the wood can retain its strength only when it's kept wet. However, as per the latest statistics, the Yamuna River is slowly drying up. People are worried that the decrease in water might threaten the Taj.

The Taj Mahal is a combination of Islamic, Persian, and Indian styles. Ustad Ahmad Lahori was considered the chief architect of the Taj Mahal. He was a Persian architect in the court of Shah Jahan during India's golden age of Mughal architecture. Besides being heavily involved in the construction of the Taj Mahal, he also laid the foundations of the Red Fort at Delhi.

The four minarets, or towers, of the Taj, lean slightly outwards, thereby making the Taj Mahal look much larger from a distance. Because of this optical illusion, the first view that visitors are treated to upon entering the main gate is a striking one.

However, the minarets don't only lean outwards to give the appearance of grandeur, but this architectural calculation also stems from the logic that having them lean outwards would prevent them from falling on, and destroying, the Taj main dome if there were an earthquake.

There are no lights illuminating the Taj, as lights attract insects. Their excrement would destroy the flawless beauty of the marble monument. This icon can be seen clearly at night with natural moonlight on full moon evenings, meaning no lighting is needed for part of a month. Rejecting illumination is also argued to lower potential security threats. Check more details about the Taj Mahal at night>>>

The Taj Mahal is the most stunning landmark in India, and it was extremely vulnerable as a target during wars. During World War II and conflicts between India and Pakistan throughout the 20th century, the British and Indian governments hid the gleaming beauty of the Taj by erecting bamboo scaffolding and covers over the dome of the Taj to mislead enemy pilots.

Asia Highlights welcomes the chance to help you design your perfect trip to India. Check out the following links to learn more about our tours. Get a head start on planning your hassle-free vacation, when you can learn even more interesting facts about the Taj Mahal.

We all have learned about Taj Mahal and things associated with it like when, who and for whom it was built, in our school life. Being one of the recognizable monuments in the world, it holds one of the most powerful and famous testimonies of love. But did you know there are still some facts about Taj Mahal that are unheard or lesser discussed?

The nearest airport is the Kheria Airport (military base) which is 9.4 kms from the Agra City. Once you get down at the airport you need to hire a taxi to get into the city which would take 20-30 minutes depending on the traffic. There are buses (from Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur and Lucknow) and trains are well-connected with Agra (having 5 railway stations and Agra Cantt station being the main).

If you have plans to go by enjoying the road trip then, Agra is well-connected with Delhi by NH2 and Yamuna Expressway. It would hardly take 4-5 hrs depending on the traffic and time of the day. Also, if you plan to drive from Jaipur, you need to take the NH11 route which would again take 4-5 hrs. Similarly, Gwalior is connected by NH3 which 2-2.5 hrs drive is nearly, Lucknow (4 hrs drive) and Kanpur (4.5 hrs) are connected by NH2.

The entry is open from sunrise to sunset (6:00 A.M to 7:00 P.M). For Indian tourists, the ticket is INR 50 and for international tourists the ticket is for INR 1100. There is no limitation of time for the stay. You are free to stay inside the complex within the normal operating hours.

Also, if you are planning for solo and an inexpensive tour option, Tourism of Uttar Pradesh runs a full-day sightseeing bus tours to the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri and other attractions on a daily basis. The cost is INR 800-900 for Indians and INR 1,500- 4,000 for international Tourists. Price includes transport, monument entry tickets, and travel guide fees.

If you have any queries related to other Indian heritage tourist attractions or Agra holiday packages, then feel free to reach us at Tour My India. Call us at +91-9212777225 or you can even drop us an email at in...@tourmyindia.com.

Disclaimer: We do not take credit for some of the licenced paid images used in our blogs, whether from Google Images, Fotolia & Shutterstock. All such images are the copyrights of their respective owners and we try to provide credit for them wherever we can. If, however, any copyright image has been used on our blog, the concerned person can either mail us directly to remove the image or provide credit to whomsoever the image may belong to.

For Indian tourists, the ticket price is 50 INR. For International travellers, the ticket price is 1100 INR. Please remember, you should buy an additional ticket costing 200 INR for visiting the main mausoleum of the Taj Mahal along with the regular ticket.

Shah Jahan, fifth Emperor of the Mughal Empire, had the Taj Mahal built as a memorial for his wife. That was Mumtaz Mahal, Empress Consort of the Mughal Empire, who died giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. Official court records of the empire show that the Emperor wanted to use the Taj Mahal to demonstrate his love and grief for his late wife. This is definitely one of the Taj Mahal facts that shows devotion through the ages.

3a8082e126