20 Interesting Facts about the Taj Mahal
Hello guys Welcome back again. Today I will tell you about 20 Interesting Facts about the Taj Mahal. Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his late wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is a stunning epitome of love and architectural brilliance. Influenced by Indian, Persian and Islamic architectural principles, the Taj Mahal mausoleum is made of white marble, the color of which appears to change according to the time of day, and the entire mausoleum complex covers approximately 17 hectares (42 acres or about 20 ha). , large football field). The construction of the Taj Mahal took 20 years and 20,000 workers and the tomb houses not only the body of Mumtaz Mahal but also the home of Shah Jahan himself.
Fact 1. The Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan was the fifth Mughal emperor and ruled from 1628 to 1658. When his third and favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal – a princess of the Persian nobility and a native of Agra – died, Shah Jahan was so sad that he wanted to build. Taj Mahal as a proof of his undying love for her. Fact 2. The color of the Taj Mahal changes continuously throughout the day. The gleaming white marble used in the construction of the Taj Mahal changes color according to the time of day – from the evocative yellow of sunrise to the desolate deep blue of night. People poetically imagined that the change in color reflects the feelings the late emperor had during his time with Mumtaz Mahal and after his death. Fact 3. It took 20 years and 20,000 workers to build The Taj Mahal is built in red sandstone and covered in large marble slabs. The craftsmen who helped build this wonder of the world came from many different countries and regions, including Central Asia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It took them 20 years to complete this important project and more than 20,000 artisans were involved in it. Fact 4. The most shocking rumor is probably false. The rumor that Shah Jahan wanted the Taj Mahal to be irresistible and therefore cut off the artisans’ hands to ensure they could never repeat such a feat again is nothing but a myth as this claim is supported. do that. It appears that the workers were not only well paid, but also respected for their skills needed to build the Taj Mahal. please subscribe our channel and press the bell icon for more psychological facts. Fact 5. The name Taj Mahal means “Crown Palace” in Persian. What we do know, however, is that the name Taj Mahal is derived from Persian, the language spoken in the Mughal court. The word Taj means ‘crown’ while the word mahal means ‘palace’. Hence the name “Taj Mahal” can be accurately translated as ‘Crown Palace’ or ‘Crown Palace’. Fact 6. The walls are inlaid with semi-precious stones and engraved with passages from the Quran. The Taj Mahal is made of red sandstone covered with white marble and most of the walls, inside and out, are covered with inlaid stone floral patterns or beautiful Arabic calligraphy. The calligraphy carved on the walls includes verses from the Quran that speak of heaven. Fact 7. The Taj Mahal has both tombs and tombs. In the center of the Taj Mahal are the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. These tombs are empty memorial tombs and both are buried in unmarked tombs in a chamber below because Islam forbids the decoration of tombs. These tombs are surrounded by an exquisite marble screen and beautiful calligraphic inscriptions in the form of Quranic verses frame the arches of the chamber. Fact 8. The Taj Mahal is almost perfectly symmetrical. In keeping with Persian and Islamic architectural principles, the Taj Mahal is almost perfectly symmetrical. The minarets (towers), walls, rooms and even the garden follow a perfect symmetry. Shah Jahan’s tomb – and his tomb – are probably the only elements of the crown that do not follow correct geometric proportions and symmetrical precision. Fact 9. There is a legend that Shah Jahan wanted to build the Taj for himself in black marble. The Kala Taj, also known as the Kala Taj or the Second Taj, is a mythical black marble mausoleum. It is said that Shah Jahan had planned to build this black marble mausoleum as a mausoleum for himself and wanted the two structures (the Black Taj and the Taj built for Mumtaz Mahal) to be connected by a bridge. Fact 10. There is a red sandstone mosque and an inn next to the Taj. There is a mosque and a guest pavilion on the opposite side of the Taj Mahal. Colored red, these two buildings are considered to be completely identical and symmetrical. The mosque is located to the west towards the holy site of Mecca, while another building, the guest house, is to the east of the mausoleum. The mosque is an active place of worship, meaning the entire Taj mausoleum is closed to visitors on Fridays for prayer purposes. Fact 11. 1,000 elephants were used to transport construction material in Agra. The materials required for the construction of the Taj Mahal were carried with the help of over 1,000 elephants. It was mostly white marble and red sandstone that needed transportation, and it came from all over India and the Middle East. Fact 12. The minarets were built with a slight slope to create an optical illusion. The Taj’s four minarets, or minarets, are angled slightly outward, making the Taj Mahal appear much larger from a distance. Because of this optical illusion, visitors are treated for the first time upon entering the main gate. Fact 13. Other favorite wives and servants of Shah Jahan are buried outside the Taj Mahal. However, when talking about Taj, the focus is mainly on the love story between Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, and hence we can think that it is just a mausoleum for two lovers. Although there are many mausoleums outside the Taj, the same complex where other favorite wives and servants of Shah Jahan are buried also showed a level of respect and admiration for them. Fact 14. Taj Mahal gardens are similar to British gardens. The original gardens of the Taj Mahal included roses and fruit trees, but the landscape was altered by the British during the 19th century. When the British viceroy renovated the garden, he wanted the Taj gardens to resemble London lawns, replacing their Mughal style with rows of shrubs and trees. The European-style lawn has been maintained so far. Fact 15. Taj uses a clay mask for its façade. Pollution levels in India remain alarmingly high and this is especially true in the northern part of the country, where Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, is located. The white marble of the Taj has turned yellow due to the high level of pollution. To combat this yellowing, a special clay treatment was and continues to be given to the iconic monument. According to archaeologists, the cleansing treatment, a traditional recipe used by Indian women to restore the natural glow to their faces, will help restore the tombstone’s natural radiance and complexion. Fact 16. Every year, thousands of people come to see the Taj Mahal. One of India’s biggest tourist attractions, the Taj Mahal – is visited by millions of people from all over the world every year. In the 2018/19 tourism year, around 6.9 million people visited the Taj, an increase of 6% from the previous year. Tourism authorities currently place a limit of 40,000 visitors a day on the mausoleum to help secure the site and protect itself from damage. please subscribe our channel and press the bell icon for more psychological facts. Fact 17. The best time to visit Taj is sunrise, sunset and night. Visitors are free to choose the time of day based on convenience they wish to visit the Taj Mahal, but sunrise is generally considered the best time to visit the historical site. This is especially true during the winter months of November to February. Sunrise is considered the best time of the day to view the Taj due to less crowds. Sunset is also beautiful as it gives the Taj a soft yellow and pink glow, but be aware that more people come during this time, and that makes it more difficult to take good pictures. Fact 18. Vehicles must be at least 500 meters from the Taj. The white marble of the Taj Mahal is rapidly turning yellow due to air pollution in Agra. Visitors will have to walk or take an electric vehicle from the parking area to the Taj Mahal entrance. Battery-powered buses and golf carts are available. Fact 19. The chief architect of the Taj, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, was a Persian, not an Indian. The Taj Mahal is a combination of Islamic, Persian and Indian styles. He was a Persian architect in the court of Shah Jahan during the golden age of Mughal architecture in India. Apart from being heavily involved in the construction of the Taj Mahal, he also laid the foundation of the Red Fort in Delhi. Fact 20. The Taj Mahal hid from the wars with fake structures and scaffolding. The Taj Mahal is India’s most impressive landmark and was extremely vulnerable as a target during the wars. During World War II and conflicts between India and Pakistan throughout the 20th century, the British and Indian governments hid the Taj’s gleaming beauty by installing scaffolding and bamboo canopies on the Taj’s dome to fool enemy pilots. Thus, the Taj Mahal was neglected by German, Japanese and Pakistani bomber pilot missions and this wonder of the world has survived many wars. Thank You