Taj Mahal, love story. Taj Mahal Mausoleum: The Eternal Love Story of the Taj Mahal in Honor

Taj Mahal Mausoleum

Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the Shah and his wife. In fact, their burial place is located below - strictly under the tombs, underground. The construction time dates back to approximately 1630-1652. The Taj Mahal is a five-domed structure 74 m high on a platform, with 4 minarets at the corners (they are slightly tilted away from the tomb so as not to damage it in case of destruction), which is adjacent to a garden with fountains and a swimming pool.

The walls are made of polished translucent marble (brought 300 km away for construction) with inlaid gems. Turquoise, agate, malachite, carnelian, etc. were used. Marble has such a feature that in bright daylight it looks white, at dawn pink, and on a moonlit night - silver.

Architecture

The mausoleum has numerous symbols hidden in its architecture and layout. For example, on the gate through which visitors of the Taj Mahal enter the park complex surrounding the mausoleum, four final verses from the 89th sura of the Koran “Dawn” (Al-Fajr), addressed to the soul of the righteous, are carved:

“O you, resting soul! Return to your Lord satisfied and having achieved contentment! Come in with My servants. Enter My Paradise!

On the left side of the tomb there is a mosque made of red sandstone. On the right is an exact copy of the mosque. The entire complex has axial symmetry. The tomb has central symmetry relative to the Mumtaz Mahal tomb. This symmetry is broken only by the tomb of Shah Jahan, which was built there after his death.

Present tense

Recently, cracks were discovered in the walls of the Taj Mahal. According to scientists, the appearance of cracks may be due to the shallowing of the nearby Dzhamna River. The disappearance of the river will lead to a change in the soil structure and subsidence of the mausoleum, and perhaps even to its destruction. It also began to lose its legendary whiteness due to polluted air. Despite the expanding parkland around the Taj Mahal and the closure of a number of particularly dirty industries in Agra, the mausoleum is still turning yellow. It has to be cleaned regularly using special white clay.

Tourism

Tens of thousands of people visit the Taj Mahal every day; at the expense of tourists, the “Indian pearl” brings a lot of money to the country’s treasury. During the year, the Taj Mahal receives from 3 to 5 million visitors, of which more than 200,000 are from abroad. Most tourists come during the cooler months of the year - October, November and February. The movement of vehicles with internal combustion engines near the complex is prohibited, so tourists approach the parking lot on foot, or can take an electric bus. The Hawasspuras (north courtyard) has now been restored for use as a new visitor centre. In a small town to the south, known as Taj Ganji or Mumtazabad, caravanserais, bazaars and markets were built to cater to the needs of visitors and workers. The Taj Mahal also appears on several lists as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, including the 2007 list of the New Seven Wonders of the World (after polling more than 100 million votes).

For security reasons, only water in clear bottles, small video cameras, cameras, mobile phones and small handbags are allowed inside the Taj Mahal complex.

The name Taj Mahal can be translated as “The Greatest Palace” (where Taj is the crown and mahal is the palace). The name Shah Jahan can be translated as “Ruler of the World” (where Shah is the ruler, Jahan is the world, the universe). The name Mumtaz Mahal can be translated as “Chosen One of the Court” (where Mumtaz is the best, mahal is palace, courtyard). Similar meanings of words are preserved in Arabic, Hindi and some other languages.

Many tourist guides say that after his overthrow, Shah Jahan sadly admired his creation, the Taj Mahal, from the windows of his prison for many years before his death. Usually these stories mention the Red Fort - the palace of Shah Jahan, built by him at the zenith of his reign, part of the chambers of which the son of Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, Aurangzeb, turned into a luxurious prison for his father. However, here the publications confuse the Delhi Red Fort (hundreds of kilometers from the Taj) and the Red Fort in Agra, also built by the Great Mughals, but earlier, and which is really located next to the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan, according to Indian researchers, was kept in Delhi's Red Fort and could not see the Taj Mahal from there.

Very similar to the Taj Mahal both in Mughal origin and in appearance is the tomb of Humayun in Delhi. This tomb of the Mughal emperor was also built as a sign of great love - not just a husband for his wife, but a wife for her husband. Despite the fact that Humayun's tomb was built earlier, and Jahan, when constructing his masterpiece, was guided by the architectural experience of Humayun's tomb, it is little known in comparison with the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal has an optical focus. If you move with your back to the exit, facing the Taj Mahal, it will seem that this temple is huge compared to the trees and environment.

Film appearance

• "Deep Impact" - The Taj Mahal is shown with a meteorite exploding in the sky.
• “Life after people” - The Taj Mahal is shown after 1000 years without people - earthquakes will overturn all the minarets, and then the mausoleum itself will collapse.
• "Mars attacks! " - aliens pose against the backdrop of an exploding mausoleum.
• “The Last Dance” - the main character of the film, sentenced to death, dreams of visiting the Taj Mahal. The lawyer, in love with her, but unable to save her from the sentence, visits the mazvol after her execution.
• "Escape" - the main character helps the prison director build a model of the Taj Mahal
• “Fire” is a film, the first part of a trilogy by Deepa Mehta.
• “Slumdog Millionaire” - the main character of the film remembers how he and his brother made money from tourists on illegal excursions.

Gallery

see also

Notes

Links

• Photos and full history of the Taj Mahal on Toptravel.ru
• History of the Mughal family and dynasty against the background of their creations (Taj Mahal, tombs of Humayun, Babur, etc.), Mughal influence on the art of India
• New 7 wonders of the world. Taj Mahal is a symbol of India. (History. Mumtaz. Description of the temple.)

Categories:

• World Heritage in alphabetical order
• World Heritage in India
• Uttar Pradesh
• Temples and mausoleums of Islam
• Mausoleums
• Appeared in 1654
• Monuments of India
• Architecture of the Mughal Empire
• Islamic architecture
• Architecture of India
• Tourism in Uttar Pradesh

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See what "Taj Mahal" is in other dictionaries:

A widely known monument of Indian architecture of the Mughal period, built on the banks of the river. Jamna, near Agra. Built around 1630 52 (architects probably Ustad Isa and others) as the mausoleum of Shah Jahan’s wife, which later housed... ... Art encyclopedia

You cannot fly an airplane over it. You can get into it at night, but only during the full moon. All the architects who worked on it were killed. This is the Taj Mahal. Heart of India.

History of the Taj Mahal in India

The Taj Mahal was built in honor of a woman. Who was loved very much and who died. A descendant of Khan Tamerlane, the Great Mongol Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of a palace in honor of his late wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal translates as “the chosen one of the palace.” According to the traditions of that time, the khan had a huge harem, but he loved only his wife.

The silhouette of the Taj Mahal in India is instantly recognizable by people all over the world. It is one of the most photographed buildings in history. Made of white marble, decorated with gold and semi-precious stones, this structure testifies to the wealth of the state and the skill of the craftsmen of the 17th century. And of course, about great love.

It is not surprising that the Taj Mahal is the most popular place on the map of India. More than 3 million people visit it annually.

Shah Jahan and his Love

Contemporaries called Shah Jahan the ruler of the world. He ruled his empire for 30 years and during this time the country came to cultural and political prosperity.

When Shah was a fifteen-year-old boy, he met a girl in the market. She was 14 and selling trinkets. It was Arju-mand Banu Begam. The history of the Taj Mahal in India began with this meeting. According to legend, the young lovers immediately fell in love with each other. But the Shah was forced to enter into a marriage beneficial to the dynasty. His wife was a Persian princess. The first of the four permitted by Islam. The Shah married his beloved for the second time. A new name - Mumtaz Mahal - was given to her by her father-in-law, the great Khan Jahangir.

The relationship of the young couple was cloudless, trusting and tender. According to contemporaries, the emperor's wife was beautiful and wise. And also brave. Pregnant, she accompanied him on the campaign and died in childbirth. This was to be their fourteenth child. Mumtaz Mahal was 39 years old.

True or not, when she died, the woman allegedly asked her lover to fulfill two of her wishes. First, he will not marry again, so as not to create enmity between the heirs. And secondly, to erect a mausoleum in her honor, the like of which the world has never seen. The emperor promised to fulfill both requests and kept his word.

After the death of his wife, the ruler locked himself in his room for eight days, did not drink or eat. During this time he grew very old. And when he left, he began to create the most majestic mausoleum in India called the Taj Mahal.

Construction of the palace

The best craftsmen from Baghdad, Istanbul, Samarkand and many other cities came to the emperor’s call. Everyone presented their project. More than others, the ruler liked the sketches drawn by the Iranian Istad Usa. A famous architect at that time. Istad Usa never saw how and who built the Taj Mahal in India based on its model. He was blinded so that he would not do anything like this again. It is possible, of course, that this is a fiction and the poor architect was not harmed. It is also known that, besides him, French and Venetian masters were also involved in design work.

The palace was founded in Agra in 1632. Only 10 years later work on the central building was completed.

Architectural features of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal palace in India is a whole complex of buildings. Here are the main ones:

• the mausoleum itself (a five-domed temple, the largest dome resembles a flower bud; the height of the entire structure is 74 m);
• four minarets (they were designed and installed at a slight angle from the tomb, so that if they fell they would not hit it);
• two identical sandstone buildings;
• garden (with fountains and a swimming pool);
• huge gates (according to Muslim beliefs, they seem to lead from the kingdom of the senses to the kingdom of the spirit, symbolizing the gates to heaven; immediately behind the gates there is a view of the mausoleum, which is reflected in the water of the pool; initially the doors were silver, later they were replaced by copper).

A staircase leads to the mausoleum. Since the Taj Mahal in India is also a kind of mosque, it is customary to take off your shoes at the entrance. The building is lined with marble. It is translucent and polished. The marble had to be delivered 300 km away. It reflects light amazingly - it looks pink in the morning, white during the day, and silver at night.

There are openwork grilles on the windows and arches, and suras from the Koran are engraved in black marble in the passages. The walls are covered with gilding, marble mosaics and ornaments. It used 1.5 thousand tons of diamonds, pearls, agate, carnelian, malachite and turquoise. In the center of the mausoleum there are marble screens, and behind them are the tombs. They always have fresh flowers. But these tombs are false, empty. The bodies of the Shah and his wife are located under the building, in a crypt.

The Taj Mahal Temple in India took 22 years to build. This required the labor of 20 thousand builders. The work on the temple was carried out by the best craftsmen - sculptors from Bukhara, Syrian calligraphers, jewelers from South India.

Later the temple was looted and many precious stones disappeared.

The park around the mausoleum is also very beautiful. The paths are paved with marble. The pool, which is located in front of the main entrance, is lined with cypress trees. In these parts they are considered to be trees of sorrow.

At the entrance to the garden there is a mosque made of red sandstone. It has eleven domes and two minarets.

The entire complex stands on the banks of the Jamuna River. The mausoleum is reflected in the water ripples. The image is unclear, which evokes thoughts of the unearthly nature of the Taj Mahal. In the morning at dawn, fog rises over the river and the palace seems to be floating in the clouds.

The fate of Shah Jahan

The Emperor had completed the construction of India's most beautiful palace, the Taj Mahal, and was about to begin the next one. The Shah wanted to build the same mausoleum on the opposite bank of the river, but from black marble. And connect both complexes with a bridge. This bridge was supposed to symbolize the victory of love over death.

But the emperor’s health failed. He planned to hand over control of the country to his first son, with whom he was close. But this was prevented by the intrigues of the Shah’s second son. He spread gossip that his father had lost his mind and was not allowed to choose his own heir. It was the second son who ascended the throne. He got rid of his brothers and imprisoned his father. It is not known exactly where the fallen emperor spent his last years. Most historians are inclined to believe that he was kept in the Red Fort. This building is opposite the mausoleum, on the opposite bank of the river. Shah spent the last eight years of his life there. I could admire the Taj Mahal and remember my beloved. He is buried with her in the palace crypt.

The fate of the Taj Mahal

Descendants did not treat the mausoleum with the same reverence as its creator. Two centuries later, the palace was perceived more as a place for entertainment, rather than as a shrine. Girls could afford to dance on the terrace, and rich young couples came to Agra, a city in India near the Taj Mahal, to celebrate their wedding. The mosque and guest house on the territory of the complex could easily be rented.

Following the Indians themselves, the British colonialists continued to plunder the Taj Mahal. They took stones, carpets and even doors. They easily came to the palace with a hammer and chisel to make it easier to tear out jewelry. At one point, the Governor General of India even planned to demolish the Taj Mahal and sell the marble. The palace was saved by the fact that at that time there were no buyers.

The mausoleum suffered even greater destruction during the Indian uprising of 1857 and at the end of the 19th century was in complete decline. The garden is overgrown, the graves are desecrated.

Another governor-general took up the task of restoration. Lord Curzon. The restoration of the Taj Mahal was completed in 1908.

The next danger came to the Palace in the second half of the 20th century. Agra, a city in India, next to the Taj Mahal, became an industrial center. Acid rain rained down on the Taj Mahal, damaging the marble. Only in the late 90s did the Indian authorities order all hazardous production to be moved from Agra.

Now the Taj Mahal is the main symbol of India. A tear on the cheek of eternity.

The Taj Mahal is a recognized symbol of eternal love, because it was created for the sake of the woman who won the heart of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Mumtaz Mahal was his third wife and died giving birth to their fourteenth child. To perpetuate the name of his beloved, the padishah conceived a grandiose project to build a mausoleum. Construction took 22 years, but today it is an example of harmony in art, which is why tourists from all over the world dream of visiting the wonder of the world.

Taj Mahal and its construction

To build the world's greatest mausoleum, the padishah recruited more than 22,000 people from all over the empire and surrounding states. The best craftsmen worked on the mosque to bring it to perfection, maintaining complete symmetry according to the emperor's plans. Initially, the plot of land on which it was planned to install the tomb belonged to Maharaja Jai ​​Singh. Shah Jahan gave him a palace in the city of Agra in exchange for empty territory.

First, work was carried out to prepare the soil. The area, which exceeds a hectare in area, was dug up and the soil was replaced to ensure the stability of the future building. The foundation was dug wells, which were filled with rubble stone. During construction, white marble was used, which had to be transported not only from different parts of the country, but even from neighboring countries. To solve the transportation problem, we had to specially invent carts and construct a lifting ramp.

Only the tomb and its platform took about 12 years to build; the remaining elements of the complex were built over the course of another 10 years. Over the years, the following structures have appeared:

• minarets;
• mosque;
• jawab;
• Big gate.

It is precisely because of this length of time that disputes often arise as to how many years it took to build the Taj Mahal and what year should be considered the moment of completion of the construction of the landmark. Construction began in 1632, and all work was completed by 1653, the mausoleum itself was ready in 1643. But no matter how long the work lasted, the result was a stunning 74-meter-high temple in India, surrounded by gardens with an impressive pool and fountains .

Features of the architecture of the Taj Mahal

Despite the fact that the structure is so culturally significant, there is still no reliable information about who actually was the main architect of the tomb. During the work, the best craftsmen were involved, a Council of Architects was created, and all decisions made came exclusively from the emperor. Many sources believe that the project to create the complex came from Ustad Ahmad Lakhauri. True, when discussing the question of who built the pearl of architectural art, the name of the Turk Isa Muhammad Efendi often comes up.

However, it does not really matter who built the palace, since it is a symbol of the love of the padishah, who sought to create a unique tomb worthy of his faithful life partner. For this reason, white marble was chosen as the material, signifying the purity of the soul of Mumtaz Mahal. The walls of the tomb are decorated with precious stones arranged in intricate patterns to convey the amazing beauty of the emperor's wife.

The architecture intertwines several styles, among which notes from Persia, Islam and Central Asia can be traced. The main advantages of the complex are considered to be a chess floor, minarets 40 meters high, and an amazing dome. A special feature of the Taj Mahal is the use of optical illusions. For example, inscriptions from the Koran written along the arches appear to be the same size throughout their entire height. In fact, the letters and the distance between them at the top are much greater than at the bottom, but a person going inside does not see this difference.

The illusions do not end there, since you need to observe the attraction at different times of the day. The marble from which it is made is translucent, so it appears white during the day, at sunset it acquires a pinkish tint, and at night under the moonlight it gives off a silvery appearance.

In Islamic architecture it is impossible to do without images of flowers, but how skillfully the mosaic monument was made cannot fail to impress. If you look closely, you can see dozens of precious stones encrusted just a couple of centimeters deep. Such details are found inside and outside, because the entire mausoleum is thought out to the smallest detail.

The entire structure is axially symmetrical from the outside, so some parts were added just to maintain the overall appearance. The interior is also symmetrical, but narrower in relation to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. The general harmony is disturbed only by the tombstone of Shah Jahan himself, which after his death was installed next to his beloved. Although for tourists it does not matter what the symmetry inside the room looks like, because it is decorated so exquisitely that the eye is distracted, and this is considering the fact that most of the treasures were looted by vandals.

To build the Taj Mahal, it was necessary to install massive scaffolding, and it was decided to use durable brick rather than the usual bamboo. The craftsmen who worked on the project argued that it would take years to disassemble the created structure. Shah Jahan took a different route and announced that anyone could take as many bricks as they could carry. As a result, the structure was dismantled by city residents in a few days.

The story goes that upon completion of construction, the emperor ordered the eyes and hands of all the craftsmen who performed the miracle to be gouged out, so that they could not reproduce similar elements in other works. And although in those days many actually used such methods, it is believed that this is only a legend, and the padishah limited himself to a written assurance that the architects would not create a similar mausoleum.

The interesting facts do not end there, because opposite the Taj Mahal there should have been the same tomb for the Indian ruler, but made of black marble. This was briefly stated in the documents of the son of the great padishah, but historians are inclined to believe that they were talking about the reflection of the existing tomb, which from the pool appears black, which also confirms the emperor’s passion for illusions.

There is a debate that the museum may collapse due to the Jumna river becoming shallower over the years. Recently, cracks were found on the walls, but this does not mean that the reason lies only in the river. The temple is located in a city where it is influenced by various environmental factors. Once snow-white marble takes on a yellow tint, so it has to be cleaned frequently with white clay.

For those who are interested in how the name of the complex is translated, it is worth saying that from Persian it means “greatest palace.” However, there is an opinion that the secret lies in the name of the chosen one of the Indian prince. The future emperor was in love with his cousin even before marriage and called her Mumtaz Mahal, i.e. Decoration of the Palace, and Taj, in turn, means “crown”.

Note to tourists

It is not worth listing what the great mausoleum is famous for, because it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is also considered a New Wonder of the World. During the excursion, they will definitely tell a romantic story about who the temple was built in honor of, as well as give a brief description of the stages of construction and reveal the secrets of which city has a similar structure.

To visit the Taj Mahal, you will need an address: in the city of Agra, you need to get to State Highway 62, Tajganj, Uttar Pradesh. It is allowed to take photographs on the territory of the temple, but only with ordinary equipment; professional equipment is strictly prohibited here. True, many tourists take beautiful photos outside the complex, you just need to know where the observation deck is located, from which you can see the view from above. The city map usually indicates where you can see the palace and from which side the entrance to the complex is open.

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 to the love of the Muslim Mughal king Shah Jahan ("ruler of the world") to to his wife Arjumand Bano Begum, who received the name Mumtaz Mahal during the coronation, which means “chosen one of the court.”

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

The Taj Mahal in India is located near Agra. In its external majestic appearance, it resembles a temple, but in fact it is a mausoleum built in honor of the second wife of Shah Jahan - Mumtaz Mahal (otherwise known as Arjumand Bano Begum).

History and Legends of Mumtaz Mahal

Translated, Taj Mahal means Crown of the Mughals. For some time it was also called Taj Bibi-ka-Rauza or the burial place of the queen of the heart. According to an old legend, Prince Guram, the future Shah Jahan, once saw a poor girl in the market. Looking into her eyes, he immediately decided to take her as his wife. So at the age of 19, Arjumand Bano Begum acquired the status of the second wife of Prince Guram. Guram had many other wives and concubines, but it was Mumtaz who won the heart of the future ruler for a long time.

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

During the conquest of the throne, Mumtaz became the prince's most faithful companion. But the struggle was serious: the prince was opposed by his brothers, and besides, he had to hide from his own father Jahangir. But still, in 1627, Guram managed to seize the throne and receive the status of Shah Jahan - the ruler of the world.

Mumtaz occupied an important place in the life of the government. Shah Jahan organized various receptions and feasts in her honor. Mumtaz was present at all important state ceremonies, she was listened to even at state councils.

The specific facts about Mumtaz's life and death are mixed up in different sources, which over time made them a legend. So Mumtaz gave birth to nine or thirteen children, and died in 1636 or 1629. The reason is also confused - according to one of them she fell ill, according to the other she died during childbirth. Much comes down to the fact that this event occurred during the return with victory from the Deccan. Legend also says that before her death, Mumtaz asked her husband to build a tomb equal to their love.

History of the creation of the mausoleum

Initially, the queen was buried in Burkhan-Nur, where she died. Six months later, her remains were brought to Agra. And on the anniversary of his death, Shah Jahan began construction of the mausoleum. The best architects of the East took part in the project competition. All the masters were surpassed by the architect Usto Isa Khan Effendi from Shiraz. The emperor as a whole liked his project very much, and was only partially changed later.

It took 22 years for 20 thousand people to build this landmark of India. The tomb itself was surrounded by a wall made of red sandstone. In front of the Taj Mahal mausoleum, a huge courtyard was built for the future garden. According to one of the beautiful legends, on the opposite side of the Jumna River, the ruler began the construction of another mausoleum of the same shape, but made of black marble, for himself. Shah Jahan's love for symmetry is visible in this legend and in the general architecture of the building. The construction of an anti-copy of the mausoleum was not destined to come true - his son Aurangzeb intercepted the throne and imprisoned his father in the Red Fort. So Shah Jahan spent his last years of life under house arrest and died in 1666.

According to his father's will, Aurangzeb transfers his body to the Taj Mahal to his wife. Many other wives of Shah Jahan, as well as some family members and their associates, were also buried here.

The Taj Mahal is truly a very beautiful building. No description, photo or video can convey the true beauty of this structure. The architecture of the building conveys a mixture of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture. The fortress walls are framed at the corners by pavilion towers. In the center rises the tomb building itself in iridescent colors depending on the lighting. At night it appears dazzlingly white, and when the river is in flood, all this beauty is evenly reflected in its flow.

The building is surrounded on three sides by a park. The façade of the palace is made up of a marble portal flanked on either side by two domed towers. Along the central axis of the mausoleum in front of the facade there is an irrigation canal divided by a pool. There are paths from the pool towards the four minarets, to which access has been closed due to suicide cases.

The feeling of lightness of the building from afar is reinforced by its decoration upon closer examination. So the walls are painted with a subtle pattern, the marble blocks are inlaid with gems that shimmer in the light. It seems that this building was erected quite recently. It is not surprising that according to another legend, Shah Jahan ordered the hands of the architect to be cut off so that he could not repeat this.

Two side staircases lead to the second floor of the tomb, where open terraces lie under a huge dome rising to a height of 74 meters. Niches are carved into the facade of the building, which further enhances the feeling of weightlessness of the building. Entering through the facade passage, you can see a spacious hall, in the center of which there are two white marble sarcophagi.

Sarcophagi

The walls of the building are decorated with stone mosaics. They are woven into many plants, garlands of flowers, letters. The vaults of the arches are painted with fourteen suras from the Koran.

The Indian Taj Mahal, the most famous monument of love, has long become a symbol of this country. It is one of the most popular attractions among tourists, perceived as an eternal love story in stone.