Taj Mahal Essay

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Taj Mahal 1 Taj Mahal, a dream carved in milky white marble is the matchless monument portraying the beauty of eternal love! A memorial from Shah Jahan to his beloved wife Mumtaz. Taj is indeed India's rich tribute to womanhood. Renowned for its artistic beauty, this extravagant building of timeless beauty is the outcome of a unique combination of passion and architectural zest. A common expression about the Taj is that it was "built by Titans, finished by jewelers." Once you've taken in the grand, Titanic picture of the Taj, you come up close for the fine details.Taj Mahal was built Emperor Shah Jahan (died 1666 C.E.) at Agra, India. It is an expression of a "dream." Taj Mahal (meaning Crown Palace) is a Mausoleum that houses the grave of queen Mumtaz Mahal at the lower chamber. The grave of Shah Jahan was added to it later. The queen’s real name was Arjumand Banu. In the tradition of the Mughals, important ladies of the royal family were given another name at their marriage or at some other significant event in their lives, and the public commonly used that new name. Shah Jahan's real name was Shahab-ud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before ascending to the throne in 1628. The construction took over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees. The construction documents show that its master architect was Ustad ‘Isa, the renowned Islamic architect of his time. The documents contain names of those employed and the inventory of construction materials and their origin. Expert craftsmen from Delhi, Qannauj, Lahore, and Multan were employed. In addition, many renowned Muslim craftsmen from Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara worked on many specialized tasks. The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its

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