Want to Know the legends of the Taj Mahal? Well, keep reading…
Taj Mahal is a grand mausoleum that attracts a lot of visitors each year because of its magnificent splendor and beauty. This lovely structure, seen as a symbol of love, is linked to several tales and legends. It has been the subject of numerous related stories, but none have been confirmed to be real.
It Is an Islamic ivory-white stone mausoleum located in the Indian city of Agra(Uttar Pradesh) on the Yamuna River’s right bank. It was built in 1632 during Shah Jahan’s reign at the request of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), who wanted to house the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal.
It also contains Shah Jahan’s tomb. The tomb is the focal point of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex that includes a mosque and a guest house. The complex is surrounded on three sides by a crenelated wall and is set in formal gardens.
Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized in 1983, and it is also given the status of “the gem of Muslim art in India” and is definitely one of the most beautiful works of art.
Reason Behind the Construction of the Taj Mahal
To honor his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who passed away on June 17, 1631, while giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum, Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal.
The tomb was finished in 1648, five years after the surrounding structures and garden, and the main gate began in 1632. The love story seen as the inspiration for the Taj Mahal is illustrated by the imperial court’s records of Shah Jahan’s sorrow following Mumtaz Mahal’s passing.
Various Popular Myths Behind the Taj Mahal
Myths related to personal and emotional reactions have constantly surpassed scholarly evaluations of the monument because, ever since it was built, the structure has been the object of admiration that transcends culture and geography.
There is a persistent story that Shah Jahan intended to construct a monument made of black marble as a Black Taj Mahal across the Yamuna river.
The concept comes from the fantastical writings of European traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who visited Agra in 1665. It was asserted that Aurangzeb, his son, deposed Shah Jahan before it could be constructed.
Scholarly analyses of the monument have consistently been surpassed by personal and emotional responses since, and ever since it was constructed, the edifice has been the subject of admiration that cuts across culture and location.
Black Taj Mahal
There is a recurrent rumor or myth that Shah Jahan planned to build the Taj Mahal in black color across the Yamuna river, a monument composed of the black mahal. The idea was inspired by the fanciful writings of the 1665 Agra visitor Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.
It was claimed that Shah Jahan was overthrown before it could be built by Aurangzeb, his son.
When you study it, you will find a structure that isn’t symmetrical with the rest of the Taj Mahal. This monument was built above Shah Jahan’s cemetery. Instead of having his legacy created inside the by now Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan is reported to have preferred to have a spectacular rear Taj Mahal dedicated to him.
On the other side of the River Yamuna, a black marble Taj Mahal was to be built, and a bridge would link the two buildings.
Death of Shah Jahan
There is no evidence to back up claims that describe, usually in gory detail, the purported killings, dismemberments, and mutilations that Shah Jahan reportedly inflicted on different architects and artisans associated with the tomb.
There are rumors that employees involved in the construction process signed contracts committing themselves not to work on projects with a similar design. Other well-known structures have also been the subject of similar accusations.
Historians claim that Lord William Bentinck, the governor-general of India in the 1830s, planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and sell the marble is unsupported by any evidence. The story was motivated by Bentinck’s fundraising sale of extra marble from the Agra Fort, claims his biographer John Rosselli.
Taj Mahal Inspired by Italian Architecture
Taj Mahal (Main Gate) Agra India
There is a widespread misconception that an Italian architect designed the Taj Mahal, even though it has frequently been described as a synthesis of Indian, Persian, and Mughal architectural forms.
It is thought that Geronimo Veroneo spent several years in Agra before passing away in Lahore in 1640. However, there is no proof of this since contemporary records identify Geronimo as a talented jeweler in Agra at the time the Taj Mahal was constructed.
How so Symmetric
Aside from its alluring beauty, the asymmetrical layout and the lush, verdant four-by-four meadows serve as any architect’s testing ground. The ability to maintain symmetry on a monument of this size has long astounded architects.
The Persian-styled gardens with canals to supply water from the River Yamuna are an excellent example of planning and strategy, even if the minarets are evenly spaced apart, and each chattri is lotus-designed.
Taj Mahal’s Tragic Tale
This myth or fable saddens any visitor to the Taj Mahal. After finishing their job, it is thought that the artisans who gave the white stone marble life to create one of the Seven Wonders of the World had their hands amputated. Even though there is no proof of this tradition, it immediately causes travelers to feel sad.
Why the name Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal’s naming and how it came to be are still mysteries. Some claim that it is a Persian name, while others claim that it was chosen to honor Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s adored wife and the subject of the memorial.
Taj is the Persian word for crown, while Mahal is the word for location or space. Another intriguing name-related tale is that the Taj Mahal was called after the Tejo Mahalya Shiva temple, which was remodeled into the temple.
Taj May Sink
A monument as large as the Taj Mahal is difficult to maintain over time, and inner fissures were discovered in 1652 under the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Despite prompt repairs, the cracks returned in 1810 despite those remedies.
The Taj Mahal appeared to be leaning to one side because its northern side was lower than its southern side. In addition, the memorial’s excess weight was too much for the lime, which caused it to sink taj in the River Yamuna.
The Taj Mahal’s ebony wood base, which depends on a steady supply of moisture for strength, has recently begun to deteriorate as the River Yamuna dries out. This has caused the base to sink. At the same time, actions are being taken to prevent this catastrophe.
Was the Taj Mahal a Palace
According to professor P.N. Oak’s research, there is disagreement over whether the Taj Mahal is a newly constructed building or a remodel of a Rajputana Palace. Although it is true that a Rajputana Palace formerly stood where the Taj Mahal is today, this was a long time before Shah Jahan came to power, and the details are still murky.
Or Was it a Temple
As previously mentioned, some people think that the site of the Taj Mahal once housed a Shiva temple named Tejo Mahalya. The idea gained support since the Mughals were known to plunder Hindu shrines and capture territories, even though there is no obvious evidence to support this.
Threats to Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a magnificent and uncommon example of architectural wonder. It is not surprising that deliberate efforts to destroy India’s national pride have been planned since its construction. The Taj Mahal was looted numerous times by the rulers and the locals during British rule, which greatly diminished its grandeur.
The Taj Mahal was once adorned with tapestries, silver doors, jewels, and lavish carpets. Lord William Bentinck, the administrator of India, had plans to destroy the Taj and sell its marble later in 1830. However, the plan failed because no one wanted to acquire the priceless marble. The Taj Mahal was entirely deteriorating by the end of the 19th century.
Even though Lord Curzon began repair work in 1908 and was able to restore the memorial’s lost magnificence partially, the danger of a German attack on the Taj Mahal gained prominence.
Scaffolds were used to protect Taj from the assault. During the Indo-Pak war, which lasted from 1965 to 1971, the Taj Mahal faced the most recent dangers; to protect it, scaffolds were once more built, and a tarpaulin was placed over the monument. The Taj Mahal is still standing and hypnotizing us with its beauty.
Love Story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan
Prince Khurrum of the Mughal Empire, a popular legend later known as Shah Jahan, was engaged to Arjumand Banu Begum in 1607 (AH 1025), the granddaughter of a Persian noble. He would come to love her unconditionally.
They were wed in 1612, five years later. After their wedding festivities, Khurram gave her the name Mumtaz Mahal because he “found her in look and character elect among all the women of the time” (Jewel of the Palace). [2]
In the ensuing years, Khurrum had taken two additional wives, Akbarabadi Mahal and Kandahari Mahal. Still, the official court historian Qazwini said these relationships “had little more than the status of marriage.”
Death of Mumtaz
After complications with the delivery of their fourteenth child, a daughter called Gauhara Begum, Mumtaz, passed away in Burhanpur on June 17, 1631. She had been escorting her spouse during a campaign he was engaged in on the Deccan Plateau. Her body was momentarily interred in Burhanpur’s Zainabad Garden, located alongside the Tapti River.
This tragedy and Shah Jahan’s sorrow for her passing received an exceptional amount of attention from the court chroniclers of the time. Shah Jahan is compared to “Majnun, the ultimate lover of Muslim lore, who goes into the desert to weep for his unreachable Layla” by the Austrian scholar Ebba Koch.
He was gradually eased out of his sadness by Jahan’s eldest daughter, the dedicated Jahanara Begum Sahib, who performed Mumtaz’s duties at court. Jahan and the imperial court began work on the mausoleum and funerary garden at Agra as soon as the burial in Burhanpur was completed.
Building of Taj Mahal
Who exactly created the Taj Mahal is unknown. The credit for a building’s design was typically given to its patron at the time, not to its architects, in the Islamic world.
In works by Ustad Ahmad Lahauri’s son Lutfullah Muhandis, two architects are identified by name: Mir Abd-ul Karim and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri erected the Delhi Red Fort’s foundations. As Makramat Khan and Mir Abd-ularchitects oversaw the Taj Mahal’s construction, Mir Abd-ularchitects was the former emperor Jahangir’s favorite architect.
Calligraphy and Inlaid Flowers
In most pictures, Taj only shows an enormous white building. It is still beautiful but does not reflect its true structure. Semi-precious stones and the images do not contain any detail that reflects a Taj Mahal that’s astonishingly feminine and luxurious.
At the southern end of the mosques, a passage from the Quran or the Koran, a holy text of Islam written by calligraphic artists, appears. The author hired an accomplished calligrapher Amanat Khan, who was tasked with making the verse inlay.
Masterfully crafted, the completed verses of The Quran have been coated in black Stone. They’re an elegant yet softer element of this house. Although stone, its shape mimics handwritten writings.
Marble
The Taj Mahal is distinguished by its use of white marble the semi-precious stones. About 200 kilometers from Makrana, the marble is mined in Makrana. More than 1000 tonnes of hefty marble were being transported by oxen.
A 240-foot double dome made of white atop the Taj Mahal. The monument is surrounded by four tall minarets made of white marble four inches thick. The imposing structures were constructed as a 10-mile-long earth-bound ramp that allowed access to the Taj Mahal’s higher levels.
Garden
Islam sees the afterlife as an “ocean.” Thus, the Taj Mahal’s gardens played a special role in bringing this site to life. The southernmost point of it is where the Taj Mahal garden is situated.
The significant Islamic symbol Paradise divides the four swimming pools. Through a sizable underground channel in the Yamuna. The gardens and streams were developed. Sadly, it is still unknown exactly what plants were in those gardens.
CONCLUSION
The Taj Mahal is a vast mausoleum made of white marble constructed in Agra between 1631 and 1648 on the orders of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his favorite wife.
It is the crowning achievement of Muslim art in India and one of human history’s most revered works of art.
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