Taj Mahal - Monument of Love or Oppression

The Taj Mahal meaning "Crown of the Palace" is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 42-acre complex is set in Mughal style garden bounded on three sides by a wall.

Taj Mahal

An Husband's Love for His Wife

The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631, to be built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child.  The queen’s real name was Arjumand Banu. When Mumtaz Mahal died on June 17th, 1631, The death of Mumtaz reportedly affected the emperor so deeply that his black hair and beard turned snow white in just a few months. The emperor was overcome with grief, and vowed to keep his beloved wife’s memory alive forever. He decided to build her a monument of eternal love.

Mumtaj Mahal and Shah Jahan

Architectural Design of Mouseleum

Taj Mahal embodies the quintessential Mughal architecture style that has obvious Persian, Islamic, Turkish and Indian influences. To this day, the Taj Mahal stands as a tribute to the successful Muslim Mughal rule in India. The Taj Mahal, built entirely of white marble, uses an architectural design known as interlocking arabesque. Each element of the structure can stand on its own and integrate with the main structure. 

The central dome, called the Taj, is 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet high. The marble walls inside the dome are covered with intricate mosaic patterns and precious stones. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid tomb of the queen. The only asymmetrical object in the Taj Mahal is the casket of the emperor. (After stealing the throne, Shah Jehan’s son imprisoned him for 8 years. When Shah Jehan died, he was buried in the Taj beside his beloved Mumtaz.)

 The calligraphy on the Gate reads "O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you."

Tombs of the Loving Couple

Admiration of Taj's Beauty

The attention to detail in the construction of the Taj Mahal created many visual tricks that enhance the building’s allure. The first view of the Taj Mahal from the intricately carved main gate makes the Taj Mahal appear very large- but the closer one moves to the Taj Mahal, the further it appears, an architectural phenomenon. The four minarets that surround the central dome of the Taj Mahal actually lean slightly away from the main body, which conversely makes them appear perfectly straight. The white Makrana marble of the Taj Mahal actually appears to change color throughout the day, from a pure white, to a dusty pink. The actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, though kept away from public view, is lavishly appointed and decorated with marble, inlaid with precious gems and stones, much like the rest of the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal at Sunset

Construction Of Taj Mahal

The construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1632 and was completed in 1653. It was built on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra belonging to Raj Jai Singh of Jaipur.  An area of roughly 3 acres was excavated, filled with dirt to reduce seepage, and leveled at 160 ft above riverbank. In the tomb area, wells were dug and filled with stone and rubble to form the footings of the tomb. Instead of bamboo, workmen constructed a colossal brick scaffold that surrounded the tomb.

The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China. The turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, while the sapphire came from Sri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.

Thousands of skilled laborers and craftsmen worked day in and day out during that time. The principle designer of Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, a Punjabi architect from Lahore. Expert craftsmen from Delhi, Kannauj, Lahore, and Multan were employed. In addition, many renowned Muslim craftsmen from Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara worked on many specialized tasks.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), for the first time, recently stumbled upon the names of more than 671 masons and labourers while carrying out their routine documentation of the mausoleum. These includes the following:

1. Ismail Afandi (a.ka. Ismail Khan) of the Ottoman Empire — Designer of the main dome. 
2. Ustad Isa or Isa Muhammad Effendi of Persia — Credited with a key role in the architectural design. 
3. Puru from Benarus, Persia — Mentioned as a Supervising Architect. 
4. Qazim Khan, a native of Lahore — Cast the solid Gold Finial. 
5. Chiranjilal, a lapidary from Delhi — The Chief Sculptor and Mosaicist 
6. Amanat Khan from Shiraz, Iran — The Chief Calligrapher

Estimates of the cost of construction has been estimated to be about 32 million Indian rupees in 1643, which converts to around 52.8 billion Indian rupees ($827 million US) based on 2015 values.

Symbol of Power and Oppression

Historical studies have shown that, as a leader, Shah Jahan was more ruthless than romantic. For all its associations to devotion and ardor, the Taj was also a source of propaganda. The complex’s ordered symmetry symbolizes absolute power—the perfection of Mughal leadership. And its grand scale and extravagance (crystal, lapis lazuli, makrana marble, turquoise) only brought glory to Shah Jahan’s reign. 

According to local folklore, after the completion of Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan ordered all of the builders hands cut off so that the structure could not be replicated. He also ordered that the builders never work as builders again and he would take care of them of the rest of their lives

Indian Craftsmen

 So next time you admire the beauty of Taj Mahal, spare a thought for those indian craftsmen and construction workers who oiled day and night to build this symbol of "power" and "love"

 Poor Maintenance

The past governments of Indian state of UP as well as the Indian Tourism Board shares the responsibility of not able to maintain the monument in pristine condition. Smoke for industries surrounding Taj Mahal has changed to color of the building to pure white marble to yellow-grey. The waste mismanagement at the Yamuna bank adjacent to Taj Mahal reeks of pollution and human waste.

Garbage near Taj Mahal

Alternate choices

For all of those who can't afford to go to see Taj Mahal in person or you are appalled by the legends of torture and amputations of craftsmen, or you don't want to inhale the stink of Yamuna at Taj Mahal, You do have choices in a true democratic fashion. You can visit Trump Taj Mahal Resort and Casino at Atlantic City, USA.

Trump Taj Mahal Casino

or visit the replica of Taj Mahal built in Sirsa by the infamous Ram Rahim Insan of Dera Sacha Sauda while immersing your soul with "Love charger'.

Taj Mahal at Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa, Haryana