Taj Mahal - Agra

About Taj Mahal
The most romantic tomb ever created, the Taj Mahal houses the tombs of the emperor Shah Jhan and his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. This wonderful marble edifice took over 21 years to make and is the finest jewel of art and architecture of the Mughal period.

Laid in the formal design of Islamic gardens, the tomb is set on the banks of the river Yamuna, its massive dome and minarets reflecting in the waters of the river aswell as the water channels of the garden.

The pure white marble of the tomb takes on the subtle changes in sunshine, and indeed moon light, and seems to change colour throughout the day and night. The tomb is usually open from morning till sundown, but during the full moon, the tomb and its gardens are left open to the public so that we can all enjoy the pearly white Taj in milky Moon light of the full moon. It is a marvellous sight to behold at any time of the year and is a magnet for lovers from around the world.

The Taj Mahal is a deserving resting palace for an Emperor's Empress. It stands on the banks of the river Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their 14th child.

Wonder of the World
To people the world over, the Taj Mahal, mausoleum of Mughal Emperor shah Jana's chief wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is synonymous with India. Its curving, gently swelling dome and the square base upon which its rests so lightly is a familiar image from hundreds of brochures and travel books. The Taj is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular buildings of the world. Renowned for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, it counts among man's proudest creations and is invariably included in the list of the world's foremost wonders. As a tomb, it has no match upon earth, for mortal remains have never been housed in greater grandeur.

Build me a Taj
As Mumtaz Mahal lay dying, she asked 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 & Fourth - that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The principal architect was the Iranian architect Istad Usa it is possible that the pietra dura work was coordinated by an Italian artist.