Why taj mahal in seven wonders?

Inside the Taj Mahal, via Fodor's. Today, the Taj Mahal is widely recognized as the greatest architectural accomplishment of the Mughal Empire. It is also one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic sepulchral architecture.

Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This monument is a symbol of love as it was constructed on the orders of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 for tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took around 32 million rupees to build the complex. Visitors pass through magnificent gates to take a sight of this flattering monument. The beauty of this place holds you for a while.

Information to Know:

For Indians - INR 45 (Additional INR 200 to see the main mausoleum)

For Foreigners - INR 1050 (Additional NR 200 to see the main mausoleum)

History:

The construction of this monument started in 1632 and finished in 1653. It was built by Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1632 while giving birth to their 14th child. She was known for her beauty and she was the favourite of the emperor.

Architecture:

The gardens are square gardens and covered with water bodies with marble on the centre. Main mausoleum standsto the northern end of the complex. The main entrance to Taj is an ornate Mughal structure predominantly made of white marble with tomb-like archways. The arches are rich in calligraphy and have vaulted ceilings and walls with geometric designs. The cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal lies below the main dome with gorgeous jaali and inlay work in marble. The construction is such that sunlight streams in directly through the jaali and falls on the cenotaphs.

What to do in Taj Mahal:

How to reach:

Idgah bus stand is the biggest bus terminal of Agra and Taj Mahal is almost 6kms away from this stand. Agra Cantt is the railway station nearby Taj Mahal, which is also at a distance of 6kms. Agra airport is the nearest airport and it takes approximately 40 minutes to reach Taj Mahal as it is 13kms away from there.

Places to visit near Taj Mahal:

Mehtab Bagh – It is a garden built along the Yamuna River and is situated at the north of the Taj Mahal complex. It is in square shape and is a classical style of Mughal Garden.

Mariam's Tomb - It is the mausoleum of Mariam-uz-Zamani. Built by Sikander Lodi, there are more than 40 chambers. Mariam’s cenotaph is right in the centre of the ground floor. The exterior of the structure is made of red sandstone with a rectangular structure that has an arch.

Ram Bagh - It was constructed by Babur. The garden is divided into quarters by stone-paved pathways. There are three levels in the garden that have been maintained. One level has flowers and vegetables, second has flower beds, with fine stone paved terraces and kiosk, and thone has structures, terraces and tanks.

Today, the Taj Mahal is listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. But, this magnificent white marbled mausoleum has its own story to tell. It is the final resting place of Arjuman Banu, also know as Mumtaz Mahal.

Born on April 6, 1593, Mumtaz Mahal was the daughter of Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, a Persian nobleman and the niece of the Empress Nur Jehan. When she was 14, she was engaged to marry Prince Khurram, also known as Shah Jahan. They were married in 1612.

Mumtaz Mahal travelled with Shah Jehan and even accompanied him on his military campaigns. Shah Jehan trusted her and gave her his Imperial Seat — the Muhr Uzah. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan had 14 children, including Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Roshnara Begum, Jahanara Begum and Aurangzeb.

On June 17, 1631 while she was giving birth to their 14 child, she died. Her body was buried in a walled garden in Burhanpur, on the banks of the Tapti.

Shah Jehan was devastated by her death. He went into mourning that lasted a year. When he returned, his hair had turned white and his face was ravaged with grief and sadness.

He had her body exhumed and taken back to Agra in a golden coffin, escorted by their son Shah Shuja. In Agra, her body was buried in a small building on the banks of the Yamuna.

Shah Jehan now began planning a royal mausoleum for his wife.

The construction of the mausoleum began in 1632 and was completed in 1648. This tomb is made of white marble and is a showpiece of Mughal architecture. It is supposed to represent Shah Jehan’s vision of Mumtaz Mahal’s home in paradise. The architecture of the Taj Mahal combines elements of Islamic, Indian, Persian, Ottoman and Turkish styles of art. The principal architect of the Taj Mahal was Ahmed Shah Lahauri and thousands of artisans and craftsmen were employed during the construction of this monument.

Material from all over India and Asia were used to construct the Taj Mahal and over 1,000 elephants were used to carry building material. The white marble was sourced from Makrana in Rajasthan, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, jade and crystal from China and sapphire from Sri Lanka and Arabia.

It is believed that the Taj Mahal was constructed in such a way that the white marble reflects the sky. So, the monument changes its colours during the day. Early morning the Taj appears pinkish, milky white at noon, a sparkling golden at sunset and shimmering silver in the moonlight.