What is a touch wave. taj mahal

In the second third of the XVII century. the representative of the Mughal dynasty (1526-1858) Shihab ad-din Shah-Jihan I (1628-1657) built the magnificent Taj Mahal mausoleum near Agra. , erected at the behest of Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz, who died early, is considered the pinnacle of Muslim architectural structures. The Taj Mahal was created in the mughal style - a mixture of traditions of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. The complex includes five main elements: a gate, a garden, a mosque, a jawab and the mausoleum itself. Shah Jahan carefully chose and corrected the design of the mausoleum, referring to the best architects of the East at that time. The main idea was worked out by Ustad Mohammed Isa Effendi, a Byzantine Turk, a student of the largest Turkish architect Sinan, a Greek by birth. The masters of India, Central Asia, Persia, Arabia participated in the development of the project. Shah Jahan himself chose a place for an unheard-of mausoleum below Agra on the right bank of the Jamuna. Construction continued from 1631 to 1647; about 20 thousand workers were constantly employed on it.

The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, together with the park surrounding it, occupies a significant area - 17 hectares. Access to the gardens and to the mausoleum is open from the south side of the garden, where two entrance portals, decorated with traditional chattris, stand in line. After that, the visitor enters the territory of a clearly planned garden, which is divided into squares by four channels, at the intersection of which there is a pool. The building of the mausoleum itself is located on the north side.

The tomb was erected on an artificial platform on the banks of the Jumna River. The platform is paved with white marble. The mausoleum, attributed to the Indian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, is a compact building made of white marble with cut corners traditional for Indian architecture, with a large dome and four chattris on the roof. The building is entirely made of white marble, which perfectly reflects the sun's rays. According to legend, the Shah wanted a separate black mausoleum to be built for him on the opposite bank of the Jamna River. However, Shah Jihan was deposed from the throne by his own son Aurangzeb.

On the eastern and western borders of the Taj Mahal complex, strictly along the transverse axis relative to the main building, there are two red sandstone buildings. Each building is crowned with three white domes. And although they have a different purpose (on the right - "Javab" - a shelter for eminent guests, and on the left - a mosque where memorial services were held), all the buildings logically fit into the memorial complex.

In the center of the platform there is a tomb, which has a square plan with oblique corners. On the inner side of the wall, there is a bypass corridor with octagonal chambers at each corner. In the center is an 8-sided burial chamber topped with a low dome; portals lead inside, one on each side. The chamber contains cenotaphs (a tombstone of the dead, whose remains lie elsewhere or have not been found) of the Taj Mahal and Shah Jahan, surrounded by an openwork marble fence (their surface is inlaid with semi-precious stones), while the original burials are in the crypt directly below the chamber. Outside, the arched portal on each façade is flanked by two tiers of niches, and the entire structure is crowned with an onion dome raised high above the sloping inner cupola of the burial chamber. Simple proportions determine the plan and the ratio of verticals: the width of the building is equal to its total height of 75 m, and the distance from the floor level to the parapet above the arched portals is half the entire height.

Above the main room (according to the tradition that has developed in Indian architecture) two domes are raised - one in the other. The outer dome is surmounted by a spire, while the inner (smaller) one is designed to be in harmony with the interior space. This constructive solution appeared in the Timurid era, and in India it was first applied during the construction of the mausoleum (1518) of the Delhi ruler Nizam Khan Sikandar II (1489–1517) from the Lodi dynasty.

The ornamentation of the inner surfaces of the Taj Mahal strikes with elegance. The decoration used gems and multi-colored marble. Thus, the epigraphic decor is made of black marble, reproducing the suras of the Koran in the handwriting of suls. It is known that the Mughal emperors were passionate about flora: they planted flower beds and rose gardens, special plantations of ornamental plants. This love is fully present in the ornamentation of the interior of the mausoleum. A mosaic of multi-colored pieces of agate, carnelian, lapis lazuli, onyx, turquoise, amber, jasper and corals reproduces flower garlands, bouquets decorating the walls of the burial hall. One gets the impression that the Taj Mahal was created not as a tomb, but as a monument to the emperor's love for his incomparable wife Mumtaz Mahal (Mumtaz - "incomparable", Arab.).

The mausoleum has numerous symbols hidden in its architecture and layout. So, for example, on the gate through which Taj Mahal visitors enter the park complex surrounding the mausoleum, a quotation from the Koran is carved, addressed to the righteous and ending with the words "enter my paradise." Considering that in the Mughal language of that time the words "paradise" and "garden" are spelled the same, one can understand the plan of Shah Jahan - building a paradise and placing his beloved within it.

Opposite the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the same mausoleum of black marble - already for himself. But as soon as the builders managed to bring in the first blocks of black marble, one of the eldest sons of the inconsolable Shah, Jahangir, overthrew his father from the throne. He asked for only one thing - that the Taj Mahal be visible from the place of his imprisonment.

Shah Jahan ended his days in a secluded tower two kilometers from the mausoleum he built, looking at him from a small window. When his vision weakened, a large emerald was cut into the wall opposite from the window, in which the snow-white tomb of his beloved Mumiaz was reflected.

A well-known legend claims that the Taj Mahal is the tomb of the wife of the Mughal (Moguls - the dynasty of the rulers of India 1526-1858) Shah Jahan. It is believed that this architectural monument was built for 22 years (1631-1653), after which the shah wanted to build a similar structure, but from black marble, for himself. Realizing that such a construction would ruin the state in the end, the king's own son put an end to this idea by placing his father in prison. However, this is only one theory of the origin of the Taj Mahal. Beautiful, attractive for tourists. Romantic. Is she right?

alternative history

There are those who dispute the official theory, pointing to the following facts:

Muslim rulers often arranged tombs in captured temples and palaces.

In the archive of the Maharaja of Jaipur at that time, there are two orders from Jahan to transfer the Taj to Jahan's property.

The name "Taj Mahal" is not found in the Mughal annals. The official theory refers to the name of the deceased, Mumtaz (Mumtaj) Mahal, but her name was actually different - Mumtaz-ul-Zamani.

The Mughal annals say nothing about the crazy love of Jahan and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani. This story has no historical basis.

A certain Albert Mandelslo, a European who visited Agra in 1638, 7 years after the death of King Jahan, did not mention in any way the traces of grandiose construction, which, undoubtedly, should have remained. Another European, Peter Mundy, who was in Agra a year after Jahan's death, wrote about the Taj Mahal as a very ancient structure.

And finally, hydrocarbon analysis shows that the building is at least 300 years older than Jahan.

Professor P. N. Oak believes that the name "Taj Mahal" comes from the name of Shri Shiva - "Tejo Mahalaya", and the building itself is an ancient temple of Shri Shiva.

Many rooms of the Taj Mahal have been sealed since the time of Jahan.

It is also reported that Professor Oak's research was banned during the time of Indira Gandhi, whose name is still cursed by many Indians.

Taj Mahal- this mosque, combined with a mausoleum, is located in Agra on the banks of the local river Jamna. It is not known for certain who exactly is the architect of this building. This building was built by order of Shah Janakh, who is a direct descendant of the famous Tamerlane. The Padishah of the Mughal Empire erected the Taj Mahal for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to 14 children. Subsequently, Shah Jahan himself was buried here.

The Taj Mahal (also known simply as "Taj") is the most famous example of the Mughal style of architecture. It absorbed elements of Islamic, Indian and Persian styles of architecture, as there are a lot of borrowings in the Mughal culture. The Taj Mahal received the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 83rd year of the 20th century. It is considered a universally recognized masterpiece and a pearl of Muslim culture, which is admired by people from different countries of the world.

The Taj Mahal is a structurally integrated complex. Its construction began in 1632, and the work was completed only by 1653, that is, it lasted more than two decades. About twenty thousand craftsmen and ordinary workers worked on the construction of the facility. The construction was also led by the leading architects of that time, but it is not known for certain who exactly made the main contribution to the final result. The creator of this famous building is usually considered Lahauri, but some evidence suggests that the chief architect was a native of Turkey, Muhammad Efendi. In any case, this question is unlikely to be answered.

Inside the mausoleum you can see the tombs of the Shah and his wife. But in fact, they are not buried under the tombs, but a little lower, underground.

The Taj Mahal is a five-domed building with a height of 74 meters. It was built on a platform with four minarets at the corners. Minarets have a slight slope away from the tombs, so as not to damage it in case of collapse.

Nearby is a garden with fountains. The walls are made of translucent marble, which had to be brought here from afar. The masonry is made with inlaid gemstones. Thanks to this, the walls look snow-white in daylight, appear pink at dawn, and have a silver tint on a moonlit night.

The construction of this building took place over a long period of time and more than twenty thousand people from different parts of the country, as well as from other countries of Asia and the Middle East managed to work at the facility. Each of them contributed to the final result.

The Taj Mahal was erected just south of Agra, which was surrounded by a high wall that guarded the city. Shah Jahan was personally involved in the selection of the site and exchanged a huge palace for it, which is located in the very center of Agra. As a result, construction began on a site of approximately 1.2 hectares. To begin with, the earth was dug up and the soil was replaced, and then a platform was built, which rose five meters above the level of the bank of the local river. Later, the construction of the foundation began, which was to become the basis of a massive building, and during its construction, the most modern technologies at that time were used. Even forests were thoroughly built, which were not bamboo, as usual, but brick. They turned out to be so massive that the craftsmen were afraid that after the completion of construction they would have to be dismantled for several years. But everything turned out a little differently. Giving says that Shah Jahan announced that anyone can take as much brick as he wants and the scaffolding was dismantled almost overnight, since in those days it was a popular building material.

Marble was transported using a special ramp built from compressed earth. Thirty bulls dragged each block along it to the construction site. The blocks were raised to the desired level using specially designed mechanisms. The proximity of the river also made it possible to quickly extract water. A special cable system made it possible to fill the tanks as quickly as possible, after which water from the tanks was transported directly to the construction site through specially laid pipes. A lot of work has been done in this regard.

The tomb and platform were built in 12 years, and all other parts of the complex were built for another ten. The construction was divided into stages, and largely due to this, it was possible to achieve the timely delivery of all objects. Forces were not scattered, but accumulated on a specific type of work.

Taj Mahal in 1865

Building materials were brought here from all over India and even from the neighboring powers of Asia, so more than one thousand elephants were used to transport them. The Taj Mahal was indeed built by the whole country, and a huge amount of effort, time and money was spent on its construction.

Taj Mahal in 1890

From the very beginning of its existence, the Taj Mahal has been not only a source of universal admiration, but also an excellent occasion for creating myths and legends based on it. As you know, any beautiful story is surrounded by many accompanying stories, some of which are true, and others are complete nonsense and fiction. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's true and what's fiction. What exactly is true, and the number of legends themselves is incalculable, we will focus on the most remarkable.

The most common myth is that the Taj Mahal was not to be the only mausoleum. According to legend, another mausoleum was supposed to appear opposite it, but this time it was made of black marble. A new building was supposed to grow on the other side of the river, but certain circumstances prevented this. So, they say that Shah Jahan simply did not have time to finish the construction due to the fact that he was overthrown from the throne by his own son and legitimate heir Aurangzeb. This legend was supported by the fact that on the opposite bank of the river, ruins of black marble were indeed discovered over time. But everything fell into place at the end of the twentieth century, when excavations and research made it clear that black marble was actually just white marble blackened from time to time. At the same time, the pond in the Moon Garden (according to the legend, there should have been a second mausoleum there) was reconstructed, it turned out that the reflection of the Taj Mahal in the water of the pond looks black and can be seen without problems. Perhaps the pond was built just for this purpose.

There is no evidence that after the completion of the construction, the hands of the architect were cut off so that he could not recreate such beauty. According to another version, the builders signed a special agreement that they would never build anything like the Taj Mahal. Such legends accompany almost every known building and are pure fantasy.

Another legend concerns that in the mid-nineteenth century, William Bentinck planned to completely destroy the mausoleum and sell its marble at a major auction. Most likely, this myth arose after Bentinck sold marble from the construction of one of the forts in the city of Agra, but he had no such plans for the tomb.

The reality is often embellished by guidebooks, according to which, Shah Jahan, after he was overthrown by his son, admired the Taj Mahal straight from behind the bars of his dungeon. In fact, there was nothing of the kind, since Shah Jahan was kept in more than comfortable conditions in the Red Fort, located in Delhi. From there, the Taj Mahal is, of course, impossible to see. Here, the narrators deliberately replace the Delhi Red Fort with the one located in Agra. You can really see the Taj from the Red Fort in Agra. It turns out that most of the myths and stories about the famous mausoleum are nothing more than the most common fiction, albeit very beautiful.

Wonders of the World: Taj Mahal - A love story.

The Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra, located two hundred kilometers south of Delhi, in India, on the banks of the Jumna River.

Paul Mauriat "Indian Heat"

Divine, shining, and, despite its 74-meter height, so light and airy that it is like a fairy-tale dream, the Taj Mahal rises in the valley of the Yamuna River - the most beautiful architectural creation of India, and, perhaps, of the whole earth ... White marble domes rush high into the sky - one large and four small, in the chaste outlines of which one can guess the female forms. Reflected in the motionless surface of an artificial canal, the Taj Mahal seems to be floating in front of us, showing an example of extraterrestrial beauty and perfect harmony.

Beautiful with its perfect forms, the Taj Mahal impresses with its details - elegant carvings, openwork lattices and colored stones. The vaulted passages are decorated with Arabic script, depicting some of the suras of the Koran on stone.

But not only architectural perfection attracts millions of travelers from all over the world to the Taj Mahal. The history of its origin makes no less impression on the hearts of people ... A story that is more like an oriental fairy tale or legend that any poet would envy ...

The story of the Taj Mahal tells of the tender love of the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan for his wife, the beautiful Mumtaz.

Having met a beautiful poor girl in the bazaar with wooden beads in her hands, Prince Khurram fell in love with her at first sight and firmly decided to take the beauty as his wife. Mumtaz Mahal became a person whom he completely trusted and even consulted. She was the only one from his harem who accompanied him on military campaigns. For 17 years of marriage, they had 13 children. But Mumtaz Mahal did not survive the difficult birth on the 14th.

The woeful Khurram decided to build a tomb for his beloved wife, now called the Taj Mahal. The mausoleum was built by more than 20,000 people over 22 years. More than 32 million rupees were spent on its construction. When construction came to an end, in 1653, the aging ruler gave the order to proceed with the construction of a second building - a mausoleum for himself, an exact copy of the first, but made of black marble. But this was not destined to come true. In 1658, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb.

He stopped the construction of the second mausoleum, and imprisoned his father for the rest of his life in the tower of the Red Fort in Agra.

As often happens in history, by the will of fate, the king suddenly lost his power. And, the once great Shah Jahan, the ruler of India, was imprisoned in heavy chains and thrown into prison... Seriously ill, gray-haired, lonely and exhausted... Once he owned the whole world, now he had nothing... Nothing but one single joy - a narrow prison window. He did not see either the endless valleys of his native land, or the dark groves of mango trees, or the golden sunrise of the gentle sun ... In the small frame of the window, only he was visible - like a dream, shining like a snow-white swan in the sky, the mausoleum of his long-dead beloved ...

View of the distant Taj Mahal from Shah Jahan's marble prison

Shah Jahan's prison

Shah Jahan's prison

Soon, the great and defeated king himself was buried in the same tomb, next to his beloved ... Such is this beautiful and sad story that gave us examples of great love and great creativity ... The Taj Mahal remains the most wonderful and great Indo-Islamic work of art, now revered as the most beautiful building on earth, and a must-visit place for any person traveling through this amazing country.

Taj Mahal - Tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

The best twenty thousand craftsmen came from all over the world to build the Taj Mahal. The white marble walls were adorned with mosaics of a large number of different precious stones. The so-called false tombs stood in the center of the Taj Mahal mausoleum, but the crypts were located under the floor and were reliably protected from prying eyes. The walls of the burial hall were inlaid with graceful stone flowers.

The Taj Mahal Gateway

The Taj Mahal Gateway

The Taj Mahal Gateway

The tomb was built of marble (it had to be delivered to the site from a quarry 300 kilometers away), but the building was not completely white. Its surface is inlaid with thousands of precious and semi-precious stones, and black marble was used for calligraphic ornaments. Skillfully handmade, filigree finished, the marble facing casts, depending on the incidence of light, bewitching shadows. Once the doors to the Taj Mahal were made of silver. Inside there was a parapet of gold, and a cloth studded with pearls lay on the tomb of the princess, set on the very site of her burning. Thieves stole these precious items and repeatedly tried to knock out the inlay gems. But, despite all this, the mausoleum is still admired by every visitor today.

A magnificent decorative park with lakes, fountains and canals was laid out around the Taj Mahal, covering a total of 18 hectares. Unlike other buildings, which were usually placed in the center of the garden, the Taj Mahal is located at its end, being its crown. Cypress trees are planted along the artificial canal with fountains, the outlines of the crowns of which echo the domes of four minarets...

At the far end of the complex are two large buildings of the same red sandstone, located on either side of the tomb. They are absolutely identical, their color sets off the whiteness of its walls. The building on the left was used as a mosque, while the identical building on the right was built for symmetry.

Taj Mahal Moscow

Rich decorated interior of the Mosque of Taj

Taj Mahal Moscow

Taj Mahal Meeting House

Taj Mahal Meeting House

These buildings were completed in 1643.

The Taj Mahal is currently listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

"Taj Mahal"

dedicated to eternal love,
It has an unprecedented shaft of passion
Illuminated by the southern star
The magical stands of the Taj Mahal

The architect who built a miracle,
Looking for the path to perfection
But I was blinded, and with my own eyes
The best world has not seen

Anthem for the divine towers
In marble, the architect created
And bowls full of feelings
Distributed to suffering people

Complicated from light and music
Love unearthly pedestal,
Similar to a white swan
The Taj Mahal descended from heaven.

Copyright: Alexander Kravets 2, 2011

The majestic Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal (ताज महल) - is both a mosque for believers and a mausoleum-museum for visitors. Located in India, the city of Agra on the banks of the Jumna River.

Who exactly erected the Taj Mahal is not known for certain, but probably the architect was Ustad-Isa. The mosque-mausoleum was built by order of Emperor Shah Jahan, who was a descendant of Tamerlane, in honor of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Mumtaz Mahal died in a difficult childbirth. Later, the emperor himself was buried here. The Taj Mahal is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the finest architectural example of Mughal craftsmanship. The pearl of India delights people all over the world.

In one object, elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic styles were combined. Attracting the eyes of all observers is the whitest dome and numerous turrets.
The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 and was completed only in 1653. More than 20,000 workers, builders, craftsmen participated in the construction. The walls of this grandiose building are made of polished translucent marble. It has such a feature that during the day it appears pure white, at dawn it is pink, and at night in the light of the moon it is silver. In addition, the walls are inlaid with turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian and other gems.

Taj Mahal is also a symbol of eternal love. Legends say that Jahan met a young girl in the bazaar and was so dazzled by her beauty that, not paying attention to the fact that she was a girl from a poor family, he took her as his wife. The Shah had many wives and concubines, but while his Mumtaz Mahal was alive, he spent all the time only with her. She accompanied him everywhere, even on distant wanderings and military campaigns, steadfastly enduring all hardships and hardships. His wife bore him 13 children, but the fourteenth was no longer able to give birth and died during a difficult birth at the age of 36. Shah Jahan was beside himself with grief and was even on the verge of suicide. As a result of this beautiful and pure love, a great mausoleum was erected, which still amazes people with its beauty.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum located in Agra is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The construction was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and also a symbol of eternal love. In this article I will tell you about the history of this miracle, as well as the most interesting facts and events associated with it.

Taj Mahal is the most outstanding example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is essentially an integrated complex of structures, the central and iconic component of which is a white domed marble mausoleum. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1653, and day and night, thousands of artisans and craftsmen worked to create this miracle. A council of architects worked on the construction, but the main one was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri

Let's start from the very beginning, namely with what inspired the emperor to build such a miracle. In 1631, grief befell Emperor Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire at the height of its power. His third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died while giving birth to their 14th child. A year later, construction began, which Shah Jahan decided on, driven by his irrepressible grief and strong love for his dead wife.

The main mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were completed 5 years later. Let's proceed to the description of each of the structural elements of the complex in detail

Mausoleum Taj Mahal

The tomb is the architectural center of the Taj Mahal complex. This huge, white marble structure stands on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an arched opening, topped by a large dome. Like most Mughal tombs, the main elements here are of Persian origin.


Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his beloved wife. The height of the building is 74 meters, including the platform, and there are 4 minarets in the corners, slightly tilted to the side. This was done so that in the event of a fall, they would not damage the central building.


The marble dome that adorns the tomb is the most breathtaking part of the Taj Mahal. Its height is 35 meters. Due to its special shape, it is often called an onion dome. The shape of the dome is emphasized by four smaller domed figures placed at the corners of the tomb, which follow the onion shape of the main dome.

The domes are topped with gilded figures in the traditional Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of gold, but in the 19th century it was replaced by a replica made of bronze. The crown is titled with a month in typical Islamic style, its horns point upwards.

The minarets, each 40 meters high, also display perfect symmetry. They were designed to function - a traditional element of mosques that calls the Islamic believer to prayer. Each minaret is divided into three equal parts by two working balconies encircling the tower. All decorative design elements of the minarets are also gilded.

Exterior
The exterior design of the Taj Mahal can undoubtedly be ranked among the best examples of world architecture. Since the surface of the structure is different in different areas, the decoration is chosen proportionally. The decorative elements were created using various paints, plasters, stone inlays and carvings. In accordance with the Islamic ban on the use of anthropomorphic forms, decorative elements are grouped into symbols, abstract forms and floral motifs.

Throughout the complex, passages from the Koran are also used as decorative elements. On the gate at the entrance to the park complex of the Taj Mahal, four verses from the 89th sura of the Koran "Dawn" are applied, addressed to the human soul:
“O thou soul at rest! Return to your Lord contented and satisfied! Enter with My servants. Enter My Paradise!"

Abstract forms are used throughout, especially in plinths, minarets, gates, mosques, and even on tomb surfaces. At the lower levels of the tomb, realistic marble figures of flowers and vines are applied. All these images are polished and inlaid with stones such as yellow marble, jasper and jade.

Interior

The interior of the Taj Mahal goes far from traditional decorative elements. Inside, a large number of precious and semi-precious stones were used, and the inner hall is a perfect octagon, which can be accessed from any side of the structure. However, only the south door on the garden side is used.
The inner walls are 25 meters high with a ceiling in the form of an inner dome adorned with the sun. Eight large arches divide the interior space into proportional parts. Four central arches form balconies and viewing platforms with a viewing window carved in marble. In addition to these windows, light also enters through special openings at the corners of the roof. Like the outside, everything inside is decorated with bas-reliefs and inlays.

Muslim tradition forbids the decoration of graves. Consequently, the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were placed in a simple crypt, with their faces turned towards Mecca. Both the base and the coffin itself are carefully inlaid with precious stones. The calligraphic inscriptions on the tombstone praise Mumtaz. The rectangular rhombus on the lid of her tomb was supposedly designed to be written on. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz, and is the only asymmetric element in the entire complex, as it was completed later. It is larger than the wife's coffin, but decorated with the same elements.

Shah Jahan's tomb bears a calligraphic inscription that reads: "He set off on a journey from this world to the abode of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth day, the month of Rajab, 1076."

Taj Mahal Gardens
We turn to the description of the magnificent garden adjacent to the architectural complex. The Mughal garden is 300 meters long. The architects came up with raised paths that divide each of the 4 parts of the garden into 16 deepened beds. The water channel in the center of the park is lined with marble, with a reflecting pond located in the middle, between the tomb and the gate. It reflects the image of the tomb. The emperor was inspired to create a garden after seeing the same luxuries from the Persian sheikhs. The Taj Mahal garden is unusual in that the main element, the mausoleum, is located at the end of the garden. Early sources describe a garden with an abundance of vegetation, including exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils, hundreds of fruit trees. But over time, the Mughal empire weakened, and there was no one to guard the gardens. During the reign of the British Empire, the landscaping of the garden was modified, and it began to resemble an ordinary lawn in the center of London.

adjoining buildings
The Taj Mahal complex is bounded on three sides by jagged red sandstone walls, while the side that runs along the river is left open. Outside the walls of the central structure, there are several additional mausoleums where the rest of Jahan's wives are buried, as well as a large grave of Mumtaz's beloved servant. These structures are built of red sandstone, typical of the tombs of the Mughal era. Nearby is the Musical House, which is now used as a museum. The main gate is a monumental structure built of marble. Its archways follow the shape of those of the tomb, and the arches are decorated with the same elements as the tomb. All elements are carefully planned from a geometric point of view

At the far end of the complex are two large buildings of the same red sandstone, located on either side of the tomb. They are absolutely identical, the building on the left was used as a mosque, and the identical building on the right was built for symmetry, but may have been used as a boarding house. These buildings were completed in 1643.



History of the construction of the Taj Mahal
Here I will talk about interesting facts from the history of the construction of the complex. The Taj Mahal was built on a piece of land south of the city of Agra. Shah Jahan gave Maharaja Jai ​​Singh a large palace in the center of Agra in exchange for this land. Large-scale earthworks were carried out on the territory of the complex. A huge pit was dug and filled with mud to reduce the flow of the soil. The site itself was raised 50 meters above the river level. When constructing the foundation of the tomb, deep wells were dug, which were filled with rubble for drainage and foundation support. Instead of scaffolding from bamboo, the workers built huge brick pillars surrounding the tomb - this greatly facilitated further work. Later, it took years to dismantle these scaffolds - they were so huge. In order to speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed the peasants to use these bricks for their needs.

A fifteen-kilometer trench was dug in the ground to transport marble and other materials to the construction site. Bundles of 20-30 oxen pulled large blocks on specially designed carts. A system of special reservoirs was built to supply water from the river to the canal and to the complex itself. The pedestal and tomb of the Taj Mahal were built in 12 years, while the rest of the complex took another 10 years to complete. The total cost of construction was approximately 32 million rupees at that time.

For the construction of the complex, materials from all over Asia were used. More than a thousand elephants were used for transportation. In total, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were set in white marble. 20 thousand workers from northern India were involved in the construction. Most likely they did the hardest work in slave conditions, since even today people in India work as slaves - for example, the article "Child Labor in India". Sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, stone carvers from Balochistan, Turkey, Iran were also involved.

Shortly after the completion of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his own son Aurangzeb and arrested at the Delhi Fort. After his death, he was buried in a mausoleum next to his beloved wife. By the end of the 19th century, parts of the building fell into disrepair. The Taj Mahal was looted by British soldiers and officials who carved precious materials from the walls of the building. Then Lord Curzon conceived a large-scale reconstruction, which ended in 1908. At the same time, the famous garden was also modified, giving the lawns a British style.

In 1942, the government erected scaffolding in an attempt to disguise the Taj Mahal from attack by Luftwaffe and Japanese air forces. The same action was taken during the India-Pakistan Wars of 1965 and 1971. This had an effect, and the structure remained unharmed.

Currently, the complex is threatened by environmental pollution. Due to the pollution of the Jumna River, there is a threat of its shallowing and soil erosion. Cracks began to appear in the walls of the tomb, and the mausoleum began to subside. Due to air pollution, the building began to lose its whiteness, a yellow coating appeared, which has to be cleaned every year. The Government of India is taking urgent action by shutting down hazardous industries in Agra and expanding the protected area, but this has not yet had an effect.

The Taj Mahal is India's top tourist attraction, attracting between 2 and 4 million tourists annually, more than 200,000 of them from abroad. There is a special entry price for Indian citizens, many times lower than for foreigners. The complex brings a lot of money to the state treasury, replenishing the budget. Most tourists visit the complex from October, during the cooler season. Due to measures to protect nature, buses are not allowed here, from special remote parking lots, an electric tram brings tourists

This is the greatest monument of India, which was built in the name of love and extraordinary devotion to a woman of amazing beauty. In its grandeur, it has no analogues in the whole world and reflects a rich period in the history of its state, which captured an entire era.

The white marble building was the last gift from Emperor Shah Jahan to his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor ordered to find the best craftsmen who would build a mausoleum so beautiful that it had no analogues in the world.

To date, the Taj Mahal is on the list of the seven most majestic monuments in the world. Built of white marble, adorned with gold and semi-precious stones, the Taj Mahal has become one of the finest buildings in architecture. It's hard not to recognize it and is the most photographed structure in the world.

The Taj Mahal has become not only the pearl of the entire Muslim culture of India, but also one of the recognized world masterpieces. For many centuries it has inspired artists, musicians and poets who have tried to translate the invisible magic of this building into paintings, music and poems.

Since the 17th century, people have crossed entire continents on purpose just to see and enjoy this truly fabulous monument of love. Even centuries later, it still captivates visitors with its architecture, which tells a mysterious story of deep love.

Taj Mahal, translated as "Palace with a dome", and today is considered the most preserved, architecturally beautiful mausoleum in the world. Some call it "an elegy in marble", for others the Taj Mahal is an eternal symbol of unfading love.

The Indian poet Rabindanath Tagore called it "a tear on the cheek of eternity", and the English poet Edwin Arnold said - "this is not a work of architecture, like other buildings, but the emperor's love torments, embodied in living stones."

Creator of the Taj Mahal

Shah Jahan was the fifth Mughal emperor, and in addition to the Taj Mahal, he left behind many beautiful monuments of architecture, which are now associated with the face of India. Such as the Pearl Mosque located in Agra, Shahjahanabad (now Old Delhi), Divan-i-Khas and Divan-i-Am, which is in the citadel of the Red Fort (Delhi). And also, considered the most luxurious throne in the world, the Peacock Throne of the Great Mongols. But the most famous was, of course, the Taj Mahal, which immortalized his name forever.

Shah Jahan had several wives. In 1607, he was engaged to a young girl Arjumanad Banu Begam, who at that time was only 14 years old, five years later the wedding took place. During the ceremony, Shah Jahan's father, Jahangir, named his daughter-in-law Mumtaz Mahal, which means "Pearl of the Palace".

According to the chronicles of Kazvani, "the emperor's relations with other wives were simply formal, and all the attention, favor, intimacy and deep affection that Jahan felt for Mumtaz were a thousand times stronger in relation to his other wives."

Shah Jahan, "Lord of the World", was a great patron of crafts and commerce, art and gardens, science and architecture. He rose to the head of the empire in 1628 after the death of his father and rightfully earned the reputation of a ruthless ruler. After a series of successful military campaigns, Emperor Shah Jahan significantly increased the territory of the Mongol Empire. At the peak of his reign, he was considered the most powerful man on the planet, and the wealth and splendor of his court amazed all European travelers.

But his personal life was overshadowed in 1631, when his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during childbirth. As the legend goes, Jahan promised his dying wife that he would build the most beautiful mausoleum that could not be compared to anything else in the world. Whether it was so or not, Shah Jahan embodied his wealth and all his love for Mumtaz in the creation of the promised monument.

Shah Jahan until the end of his days looked at his beautiful creation, but not as a ruler, but as a prisoner. He was imprisoned in the Red Fort in Agra by his own son Aurangzeb, who in 1658 seized the throne. The only consolation for the former emperor was the opportunity to see the Taj Mahal through the window. And before his death, in 1666, Shah Jahan asked to fulfill his last wish: to carry him to the window overlooking the Taj Mahal, where he whispered the name of his beloved for the last time.

Mumtaz married on 10 May 1612 after five years of engagement. This date was chosen for the couple by court astrologers, claiming that this is the most auspicious day for marriage. And they were right, the marriage was happy for both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Even during his lifetime, all the poets praised the extraordinary beauty, harmony and boundless mercy of Mamtaz Mahal.

Traveling with Shah Jahan throughout the Mughal Empire, she became his reliable life partner. Only war could separate them, but in the future, even war could not separate them. Mumtaz Mahal became a support and consolation for the emperor, as well as an inseparable companion of her husband until her death.

During the 19 years of her marriage, Mumtaz gave birth to 14 children to the emperor, but the last birth was fatal for her. Mumtaz dies in childbirth and her body is temporarily buried in Burhanpur.

The chroniclers of the imperial court paid unusually much attention to the experiences of Shah Jahan in connection with the death of his wife. The emperor was so inconsolable that after the death of Mumtaz, he spent a whole year in seclusion. When he came to, he no longer looked like the old emperor. His hair turned gray, his back bent and his face aged. He did not listen to music for several years, stopped wearing richly decorated clothes and jewelry, and also used perfume.

Shah Jahan died eight years after his son Aurangzeb seized the throne. "My father had great affection for my mother, so let his last resting place be near her," said Aurangzeb and ordered that his father be buried next to Mumtaz Mahal.

There is a legend according to which Shah Jahan was going to build an exact copy of the Taj Mahal on the other side of the Yamuna River, but from black marble. But these plans were not destined to turn into reality.

Construction of the Taj Mahal

The construction of the Taj Mahal began in December 1631. It was the fulfillment of Shah Jahan's promise given to Mumtaz Mahal in the last moments of her life that he would build a monument that could match her beauty. The construction of the central mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the entire complex was completed in 1653, five years later.

No one knows who owns the layout of the Taj Mahal. Previously, in the Islamic world, the construction of buildings was attributed not to the architect, but to the customer of the construction. Based on a variety of sources, it can be argued that a team of architects worked on the project.

Like so many other great monuments, the Taj Mahal is a clear testament to the excessive wealth of its creator. For 22 years, 20,000 people worked to make Shah Jahan's fantasy come true. Sculptors came from Bukhara, calligraphers from Persia and Syria, inlaid work was done by craftsmen from southern India, stone cutters came from Balochistan, and materials were brought from all over Central Asia and India.

Architecture of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal consists of the following buildings:

• Main entrance (Darwaza)
• Mausoleum (Rauza)
• Gardens
• Mosque
• Guest house

The mausoleum is surrounded on one side by a guest house, and on the other by a mosque. The building, made of white marble, is surrounded by four minarets, which are tilted outward so that the central dome is not damaged during destruction. The complex stands in a garden with a huge pool, which reflects a copy of the beauty of the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal garden

The Taj Mahal is surrounded by a beautiful garden. For the Islamic style, the garden is not just part of the complex. Muhammad's followers lived in vast arid lands, so this walled garden represented Heaven on Earth. The territory of the garden occupies most of the complex 300x300 m, with the total area of ​​300x580 m.

Since the number 4 is considered a sacred number in Islam, the whole structure of the Taj Mahal garden is based on the number 4 and its multiples. The central pond and canals divide the garden into 4 equal parts. In each of these parts there are 16 flower beds, which are separated by footpaths.

The trees in the garden are either fruit trees, which signify life, or the cypress family, which signify death. The Taj Mahal itself is not located in the center of the garden, but on its northern edge. And in the center of the garden there is an artificial reservoir, reflecting the mausoleum in its waters.

History of the Taj Mahal after construction

Somewhere in the middle of the 19th century, the Taj Mahal turned into a place for a pleasant holiday. The girls danced on the terrace, the guest house with the mosque was rented out for wedding ceremonies. The British and Indians plundered the semi-precious stones, tapestries, rich carpets and silver doors that once adorned this mausoleum. Many vacationers took a hammer with them, in order to make it more convenient to extract pieces of carnelian and agate from stone flowers.

For some time it seemed that the Taj Mahal might disappear, like the Mongols themselves. In 1830, the Governor-General of India, William Bentinck, was going to dismantle the monument and sell its marble. It is said that only the absence of buyers prevented the destruction of the mausoleum.

The Taj Mahal suffered even more during the Indian uprising in 1857, and at the end of the 19th century it completely fell into disrepair. The graves were desecrated by vandals and the area was completely overgrown with no maintenance.

The decline lasted for many years, until Lord Kenzon (Governor General of India) organized a massive restoration project for the monument, which was completed in 1908. The building has been completely renovated and the garden and canals restored. All this helped restore the Taj Mahal to its former glory.

Many scold the British for their bad attitude towards the Taj Mahal, but the Indians did not treat him better either. As the population of Agra increased, the structure began to suffer from pollution-driven acid rain, which discolored its white marble. The future of the monument was in jeopardy until, in the late 1990s, the Supreme Court of India decided to move all especially dangerous hazardous industries outside the city.

The Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mongolian architecture. It combines elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian architectural schools. In 1983, the monument was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and was called "the pearl of all Muslim art in India and a masterpiece of world heritage, causing universal admiration."

The Taj Mahal has become a symbol of India for tourists, which annually attracts about 2.5 million travelers. It is considered one of the most recognizable structures in the world, and the history behind its construction makes it the greatest monument of love ever built in the world.

A beautiful story about the history of the creation of the Taj Mahal
http://migranov.ru/agrastory.php

For 22 years (1630-1652) more than twenty thousand people, including the best architects and architects of India, Persia, Turkey, Venice and Samarkand, built this airy-lace marble monument of love of the Muslim king of the Moghuls Shah Jahan ("master of the world") for his wife Arjumand Bano Begum, who received the name Mumtaz Mahal during the coronation, which means "the chosen one of the court".

They got married when she was 19 years old. He only loved young Mumtaz and did not notice other women. She gave birth to her master 14 children and died giving birth to the last child.

For a long time, the Taj Mahal was the tallest building in India, its height, together with the main dome, is 74 meters.

And yet, this miracle has existed for 355 years.