Fast
Fact Location : Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Built By : Shah Jahan Built In : 1653 A.D Open to Visitors : From sunrise to sunset (6
A.M to 7 P.M). Taj Mahal is closed on Mondays. (Information
is subject to change) Entry Fee : Rs. 20 for Indians and Rs. 750
for foreigners. Entry is free on Fridays. No entry fee is charged
for children below 12 years. Information is subject to change
Overview
The Taj Mahal, arguably the most attractive mausoleum in the
globe is a symbol of immortal love. Built by the 5th Mughal
emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal,
this monument in white marble is also said to be a noble tribute
to the grace of Indian womanhood. The beauty and grandeur that
the Taj possesses could hardly be surpassed by any other monument
in the world. The Taj is also said to be one of the largest
and most expensive mausoleum built by any man on earth.
Reaching the Taj Air : Agra is easily accessible by air from
all major destinations of India.
Rail : Express train services connect Agra
to many destinations of India. India's premier luxury train
The Palace on Wheels also covers Agra.
Road : Deluxe bus services are available to
Agra from many destinations of northern India. Agra is situated
at a distance of 203 kms from national capital Delhi.
History
It is widely believed that the name 'Taj Mahal' is an abbreviated
version of Mumtaz Mahal's name. Just before her death in the
year 1630, Mumtaz Mahal had wished before Shahjahan that he
build such a tomb in her memory that the world had never seen
before. . The construction of Taj Mahal began in 1631 A.D and
completed in1648 AD. It is estimated that twenty thousand workmen
toiled day and night for full 17 years to complete this magnificent
monument. According to the inscriptions found in the Taj, Amanat
Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher while Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
was the designer of this great monument.
Architecture
The Taj Mahal is a massive complex consisting of a main gateway,
an elaborately laid beautiful garden, a mosque and a prayer
house, outer enclosures and the enclosing walls. The main monument
covers an area of 93.9 sq. metres and is set on a raised platform
that measures 6.6 metres from the ground. There are four intricately
carved minarets on all four sides with each minaret rising to
a height of 41.1 metres. The mausoleum has been built in white
marble but buildings flanking the tomb to the west and east
have been built in red sandstone. The water causeway and fountains
have been built in perfect symmetry with the tomb and gateway.
Meticulously done stone inlay works adorn the surfaces both
inside and outside. The stone carvings include inscriptions
from the holy Q'uran, many geometrical shapes and a variety
of plant and flower forms. Borders have also been inscribed
to separate the carvings into blocks. Such is the precision
of marble and precious stone inlays that the seam can hardly
be detected. From the ground, all the letters of the inscriptions
from the holy Quran look perfectly uniform but in reality some
letters are bigger than others. The whole monument is actually
a sum of many parts but all the parts fit perfectly to give
the Taj the look of a united structure with diversity.
