Taj Mahal is one of the greatest monuments in India, built in the name of love and devotion for a woman of extraordinary beauty. Having no analogues of its greatness, it reflects the wealth of an entire era in the history of the state. The white marble building was the last gift of the Great Mongol Emperor Shah Jahan to his late wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Emperor ordered to find the best craftsmen and instructed them to create a mausoleum, the beauty of which would have no analogues in the world. Today it is included in the list of the seven most magnificent monuments in the world. Built from white marble and adorned with semi-precious stones and gold, the Taj Mahal has become one of the most magnificent buildings in the world of architecture. It is instantly recognizable and one of the most photographed structures in the world.

Taj Mahal has become a pearl of Muslim culture in India and one of the world's recognized masterpieces. Over the centuries, he has inspired poets, artists and musicians who have tried to translate his invisible magic into words, pictures and music. Since the 17th century, people have traveled across continents to see and enjoy this amazing monument of love. Centuries later, it still captivates visitors with the charm of its architecture, which tells the story of a mysterious love story.

Taj Mahal (translated as "Palace with a dome") is today considered the best preserved and most architecturally beautiful mausoleum in the world. Some call the Taj "an elegy in marble", for many it is an eternal symbol of undying love. The English poet Edwin Arnold called it "not a work of architecture, like other buildings, but the emperor's love agony embodied in living stones," and the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore considered it "a tear on the cheek of eternity."

Creator Taj Mahal

The fifth emperor of the Great Mughals Shah Jahan left behind many remarkable architectural monuments associated with the appearance of India in the eyes of the modern world: the Pearl Mosque in Agra, Shahjahanabad (now known as Old Delhi), Divan-i-Am and Divan-i-Khas in the citadel Red Fort in Delhi. The famous Peacock Throne of the Great Mughals, according to the descriptions of contemporaries, was considered the most luxurious throne in the world. But the most famous of all the surviving monuments is the Taj Mahal, which has immortalized his name forever.

Shah Jahan had several wives. In 1607 he was engaged to Arjumanad Banu Begam. The young girl at that time was only 14 years old. 5 years after the engagement, the wedding took place. During the wedding ceremony, Shah Jahan's father, Jahangir, gave his daughter-in-law the name Mumtaz Mahal (translated as "Pearl of the Palace").

According to the official chronicler of Qazvini, Jahan's relationship with other wives "was nothing more than the status of marriage. The intimacy, deep affection, attention and favor that His Majesty had for Mumtaz was a thousand times greater than that of any other."

Shah Jahan, "Emperor of the Universe", was a great patron of trade and crafts, science and architecture, arts and gardens. He took over the empire after the death of his father in 1628 and earned a reputation as a ruthless ruler. Through a series of successful military campaigns, Shah Jahan greatly expanded the Mughal Empire. The splendor and wealth of Jahan's court amazed European travelers. At the height of his reign, he was considered the most powerful man on Earth.

But the personal life of the powerful emperor was overshadowed by the loss of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal during childbirth in 1631. Legend has it that he promised his dying wife to build the most beautiful mausoleum, incomparable with anything in the world. So it really was or not, Shah Jahan embodied his love and wealth in the creation of just such a monument.

Shah Jahan watched the beautiful creation until the end of his days, but as a prisoner, not a ruler. His son Aurangzeb seized the throne in 1658 and imprisoned his own father in the Red Fort Agra prison. The only consolation was the opportunity to look at the Taj Mahal from the window of his captivity. In 1666, before his death, Shah Jahan asked to fulfill his last wish: to take him to the window overlooking the Taj Mahal, where he again whispered the name of his beloved.

Mumtaz Mahal

She married five years after the engagement, on May 10, 1612. The date was chosen by the court astrologers as the most favorable day for a happy marriage. The marriage bond of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan turned out to be happy for both newlyweds. Even during her lifetime, poets praised her beauty, harmony and mercy. Mumtaz became Shah Jahan's reliable companion, traveling with him throughout the Mughal Empire. Only the war was the only reason for their separation. Later, even the war stopped dividing them. She became a support, love and consolation for the emperor, an inseparable companion of her husband until his death.

For 19 years of marriage, Mumtaz gave birth to 14 children, but the last, fourteenth births became fatal for her. Mumtaz dies, her body is temporarily buried in Burhanpur.

The chroniclers of the imperial court paid unusually much attention to Jahan's feelings in connection with the death of his wife. The emperor was inconsolable in his grief. After Mumtaz's death, Shah Jahan spent a whole year in seclusion. When he finally came to his senses, his hair turned gray, his back was bent, and his face grew old. The emperor stopped listening to music, wearing jewelry and ornate clothing, and using perfume for several years.

Shah Jahan died eight years after the accession of his son Aurangzeb to the throne. "My father tortured great affection for my mother, let his last resting place be by her side," Aurangzeb said and ordered to bury his father next to Mumtaz Mahal.

There is a legend according to which Shah Jahan planned to build a replica of black marble on the opposite side of the Yamuna River. But these plans are not destined to turn into reality.

Creation of the Taj Mahal

In December 1631, Shah Jahan began building the Taj Mahal. Its construction was the fulfillment of the promise made by Mumtaz Mahal in the last minutes of her life: to build a monument that would match her beauty. The central mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the construction of the entire complex was completed five years later, in 1653.

History hides who exactly the Taj Mahal's layout belongs to. In the Islamic world at that time, the construction of buildings was attributed to the customer of the construction, and not to his architect. Based on the sources, we can confidently say that a team of architects worked on the project. Like most of the great monuments, the Taj Mahal serves as a powerful testament to the excessive wealth and excess of its creator. 20,000 workers worked for 22 years to fulfill Shah Jahan's fantasies. Sculptors came from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, inlays were made by masters from southern India, stone cutters came from Baluchistan. Materials were brought from all over India and Central Asia.

Taj Mahal architecture

Taj Mahal consists of the following complex of buildings:

Darwaza (main entrance)
Rauza (mausoleum)
Bageecha (gardens)
Masjid (mosque)
Naqqar Khana (guest house)

A mosque and a guest house built for symmetry surround the mausoleum on both sides. The marble building is surrounded by four minarets tilted slightly towards the outside, a design feature designed to prevent the central dome from being damaged if destroyed. The complex is located in a garden with a large swimming pool, which reflects what no architect in the world has been able to repeat - a copy of the beauty of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is surrounded by a beautifully laid out garden. The Islamic-style garden is not just one part of the complex. Muhammad's followers dwelt in vast swaths of dry land under the hot sun, so the walled garden represented Paradise on Earth. It covers most of the complex: out of a total area of \u200b\u200b580x300 m, the garden occupies 300x300 m.

Since the number “4” is considered a holy number in Islam, the location of the Taj Mahal garden is based on the number four and its multiples. Canals and a central reservoir divide the garden into four parts. Each quarter has 16 flower beds (64 in total), separated by footpaths. The trees in the garden are either of the cypress family (meaning death) or fruit trees (meaning life), all arranged in a symmetrical order.

The trees of the Taj garden are either of the cypress family (meaning death) or fruit trees (meaning life), all arranged in a symmetrical order. The Taj Mahal is located at the north end of the garden, not in the center. In fact, in the center of the garden, between the Taj and its central gate, there is an artificial reservoir that reflects the mausoleum in its waters.

History of the Taj Mahal after construction

By the middle of the 19th century, the Taj Mahal had become a pleasant pastime. Women danced on the terrace, and a mosque with a guest house was rented out to newlyweds. The British, along with the Indians, plundered rich carpets, semi-precious stones, silver doors and tapestries that once adorned the mausoleum. Vacationers often came armed with a hammer and chisel to better extract pieces of agate and carnelian from stone flowers.
For a while it seemed that the monument, like the Mughals themselves, might disappear. In 1830, Lord William Bentinck (Governor General of India at the time) planned to dismantle the Taj Mahal and sell its marble. It is said that only the absence of potential buyers prevented the destruction of the mausoleum.

In 1857, during the Indian uprising, the Taj Mahal suffered even more. By the end of the 19th century, it finally fell into decay. The territory was overgrown without leaving, the graves were desecrated by vandals.

After years of decline, the British Governor-General of India, Lord Curzon, orchestrated a massive restoration project that ended in 1908. The building was renovated, the garden and canals were restored. The restoration of the monument helped to restore its former glory.

It is customary to scold the British for their disdain for the Taj Mahal, but the Indians treated their treasure not much better. As the population of Agra increased, the monument began to suffer from environmental pollution and acid rain, which discolored its white marble. In the late 1990s, the future of the monument was under serious threat, while the Supreme Court of India ruled to move particularly hazardous industries outside the city.
The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of the Persian, Indian, and Islamic schools of architecture. In 1983, the monument was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, calling it "the pearl of Muslim art in India and one of the world's most admired masterpieces of world heritage."

The Taj Mahal has become India's most identifiable symbol, attracting around 2.5 million tourists annually. It is one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. The history behind its construction makes it one of the greatest monuments of love ever built in the world.

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Of course, in India this is not the only thing to see, but not all at once :) While we are adding to the list “See the Taj Mahal” ... The story of its construction is a love story ...

Having met a beautiful poor girl with wooden beads in his hands at the bazaar, Prince Khurram fell in love with her at first sight and was determined to marry the beautiful woman. Mumtaz Mahal became a person whom he completely trusted and even consulted. She was the only one of his harem accompanied on military campaigns. For 17 years of marriage, they had 13 children. But Mumtaz Mahal did not survive the difficult birth on the 14th.

The mausoleum was built by more than 20,000 people over a period of 22 years. When the construction came to an end, in 1653, the aging ruler gave the order to start the construction of a second building - a mausoleum for himself, an exact copy of the first, but made of black marble.

But this was not destined to be fulfilled. In 1658 Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb. He stopped the construction of the second mausoleum, and imprisoned his father for the rest of his life in a tower, from the window of which he could see Taj Mahal... And only after death they were reunited again - according to the will, he was buried next to her, in the same crypt. "Here is such a squiggle ... you know ..."

The best twenty thousand craftsmen came from all over the world to build the Taj Mahal. The white marble walls were decorated with mosaics of a large number of different precious stones. In the center of the mausoleum Taj Mahal there were so-called false tombs, but the crypts were located under the floor and reliably protected from prying eyes. The walls of the burial hall were inlaid with graceful stone flowers.

Currently, the Taj Mahal is visited annually by both thousands of tourists and local residents - Hindus. In the past, a special design of silver carnations passed through large silver doors - a symbol of the entrance to heaven. This expensive door in one of the robbery raids was stolen. Later it was decided to install a copper door instead of a silver door. In addition, the decor of the facade was pretty "stripped" - most of the precious stones from it irrevocably disappeared.

From the minarets of the Taj Mahal, more than once unfortunate lovers threw themselves down, similarly committing suicide. Therefore, now the entrance there is closed and reliably guarded by the police. In addition, law enforcement officers ensure that visitors do not photograph details of the mausoleum. Due to strict established rules, it is only allowed to take pictures at the entrance to the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum, located in Agra, is one of the most recognizable landmarks not only in India but throughout the world. The structure was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and also a symbol of eternal love. In this article I will tell you about the history of this miracle, as well as the most interesting facts and events associated with it.

The Taj Mahal is the most prominent example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is, in fact, an integrated complex of structures, the central and iconic component of which is a white domed marble mausoleum. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in 1653, and day and night thousands of artisans and craftsmen labored to create this miracle. A council of architects worked on the construction, but Ustad Ahmad Lahauri was the main one

Let's start from the very beginning, namely from what prompted the emperor to build such a miracle. In 1631, grief befell the emperor Shah Jahan, the ruler of the Mughal Empire in the prime of its power. His third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died while giving birth to their 14th child. A year later, construction began, on which Shah Jahan decided, driven by his irrepressible grief and strong love for his deceased wife.

The main mausoleum was completed in 1648, while the surrounding buildings and garden were completed 5 years later. Let's proceed to the description of each of the structural elements of the complex in detail.

Mausoleum Taj Mahal

The tomb is the architectural center of the Taj Mahal complex. This huge, white marble structure sits on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an arched opening topped by a large dome. Like most Mughal tombs, the main elements here are of Persian origin.

Inside the mausoleum there are two tombs - the shah and his beloved wife. The height of the structure is 74 meters, including the platform, and there are 4 minarets in the corners, slightly inclined to the side. This was done so that in the event of a fall, they would not damage the central building.

The marble dome adorning the tomb is the most spectacular part of the Taj Mahal. Its height is 35 meters. Due to its special shape, it is often called an onion dome. The shape of the dome is emphasized by four smaller domed figures placed at the corners of the tomb, which follow the onion shape of the main dome.

The domes are completed with gilded figures in the traditional Persian style. The crown of the main dome was originally made of gold, but in the 19th century it was replaced by a replica of bronze. The crown is captioned with a month in typical Islamic style, with its horns pointing upwards

The minarets, each 40 meters high, also exhibit perfect symmetry. They were designed to function, a traditional element of mosques that calls the Islamic believer to prayer. Each minaret is divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that encircle the tower. All decorative design elements of the minarets are also decorated with gilding

Exterior
The exterior design of the Taj Mahal can undoubtedly be ranked among the best examples of world architecture. Since the surface of the structure is different in different areas, the decoration is selected proportionally. The decorative elements were created using a variety of paints, plaster, stone inlays and carvings. In accordance with the Islamic ban on the use of anthropomorphic forms, decorative elements are grouped into symbols, abstract forms and plant motifs

Passages from the Koran are also used throughout the complex as decorative elements. On the gate at the entrance to the Taj Mahal park complex, four verses from the 89th sura of the Koran "Zarya" are inscribed, addressed to the human soul:
“O you, resting soul! Return to your Lord content and contentment! Enter with My slaves. Enter My Paradise! "

Abstract forms are used throughout, especially in the pedestal, minarets, gates, mosques, and even on the surfaces of the grave. On the lower levels of the tomb, realistic marble figures of flowers and vines are painted. All of these images are polished and inlaid with stones such as yellow marble, jasper and jade

Interior

The interior of the Taj Mahal departs far from traditional decorative elements. A large number of precious and semi-precious stones were used inside, and the inner hall is an ideal octagon, which can be accessed from either side of the structure. However, only the south door from the garden side is used.
The inner walls are 25 meters high with an inner domed ceiling decorated with the sun. Eight large arches divide the interior space into proportional parts. Four central arches form balconies and observation decks, with a viewing window carved in marble. In addition to these windows, light also enters through special holes in the corners of the roof. As well as outside, everything inside is decorated with bas-reliefs and inlays.

Muslim tradition prohibits grave decoration. Consequently, the bodies of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan were placed in a simple crypt, with their faces turned towards Mecca. Both the base and the coffin itself are carefully inlaid with precious stones. Calligraphic inscriptions on the headstone praise Mumtaz. The rectangular rhombus on the lid of her tomb was supposedly created so that it could be written on. The cenotaph of Shah Jahan is located next to Mumtaz, and is the only asymmetric element in the entire complex, as it was completed later. It is larger than the wife's coffin, but decorated with the same elements

There is a calligraphic inscription on the grave of Shah Jahan, which reads: "He set off on a journey from this world to the abode of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth day, the month of Rajab, 1076."

Taj Mahal gardens
We pass to the description of the magnificent garden adjacent to the architectural complex. The Mughal garden is 300 meters long. The architects have come up with elevated paths that divide each of the 4 parts of the garden into 16 recessed flower beds. The water channel in the center of the park is lined with marble, with a reflecting pond in the middle, between the tomb and the gate. It reflects the image of the tomb. The emperor was inspired to create a garden, seeing the same luxuries in the Persian sheikhs. The Taj Mahal Garden is unusual in that the main element is the mausoleum, located at the end of the garden. Early sources describe a garden with an abundance of vegetation, including exquisite varieties of roses, daffodils, hundreds of fruit trees. But over time, the Mughal empire weakened, and there was no one to guard the gardens. During the reign of the British Empire, the landscaping of the garden was modified, and it began to resemble an ordinary lawn in the center of London

Adjacent buildings
The Taj Mahal is bounded on three sides by jagged red sandstone walls, while the side that runs along the river remains open. Outside the walls of the central building, there are several additional mausoleums where the rest of Jahan's wives are buried, as well as a large grave of Mumtaz's beloved servant. These structures are built of red sandstone, typical of the tombs of the Mughal era. Nearby is the House of Music, which is now used as a museum. The main gate is a monumental marble structure. Its vaulted passages follow the shape of the tomb's vaulted passages, and the arches are decorated with the same elements as the tomb. All elements are carefully planned from a geometric point of view

At the far end of the complex are two large buildings of the same red sandstone, located on either side of the tomb. They are absolutely identical, the building on the left was used as a mosque, and the identical building on the right was built for symmetry, but was possibly used as a boarding house. The construction of these buildings was completed in 1643



History of the construction of the Taj Mahal
Here I will tell you about interesting facts from the history of the construction of the complex. The Taj Mahal was built on a piece of land south of the city of Agra. Shah Jahan presented to Maharaja Jai \u200b\u200bSingh a large palace in the center of Agra in exchange for this land. Large-scale earthworks were carried out on the territory of the complex. A huge pit was dug and filled with mud to reduce the flowability of the soil. The site itself was raised 50 meters above the river level. When constructing the foundation of the tomb, deep wells were dug, which were filled with rubble for drainage and foundation support. Instead of scaffolding of bamboo, the workers built huge brick pillars surrounding the tomb - this greatly facilitated further work. Later it took years to dismantle these forests - they were so huge. In order to speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed the peasants to use these bricks for their own needs.

A fifteen-kilometer trench was dug in the ground to transport marble and other materials to the construction site. Bundles of 20-30 oxen pulled large blocks on specially designed carts. A system of special reservoirs was built, supplying water from the river to the canal and to the complex itself. The pedestal and tomb of the Taj Mahal was completed in 12 years, while the rest of the complex took another 10 years to complete. The total cost of construction was approximately Rs 32 million at the time.

For the construction of the complex, materials from all over Asia were used. More than a thousand elephants were used for transportation. In total, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid in white marble. The construction involved 20 thousand workers from northern India. Most likely, they performed the hardest work in slave conditions, since even today people in India work like slaves - for example, the article "Child labor in India". Sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, stone carvers from Baluchistan, Turkey, Iran were also involved.

Soon after the completion of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his own son Aurangzeb and arrested at Fort Delhi. After the death, he was buried in the mausoleum next to his beloved wife. By the end of the 19th century, parts of the structure fell into disrepair. The Taj Mahal was plundered by British soldiers and officials who chiseled precious materials from the walls of the building. At the same time, Lord Curzon conceived a large-scale reconstruction, which was completed in 1908. At the same time, the famous garden was also modified, giving the lawns a British style.

In 1942, the government established scaffolding in an attempt to disguise the Taj Mahal before an attack by Luftwaffe and Japanese air forces. The same action was taken during the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars. This had an effect, and the structure remained unharmed.

Currently, the complex is threatened by environmental pollution. Due to the pollution of the Jamna River, there was a threat of its shallowing and soil erosion. Cracks began to appear in the walls of the burial vault, and the mausoleum began to settle. Due to air pollution, the building began to lose its whiteness, a yellow coating appeared, which has to be cleaned every year. The Indian government is taking urgent action by closing harmful industries in Agra and expanding the protected area, but this has not yet worked

The Taj Mahal is the main attraction in India, attracting 2 to 4 million tourists annually, of which more than 200,000 are from abroad. There is a special entry price for Indian citizens, many times lower than for foreigners. The complex brings a lot of money to the state treasury, replenishing the budget. Most tourists visit the complex starting in October, during the cooler season. Due to measures to protect nature, it is prohibited to enter by buses here, from special remote parking lots an electric tram is in charge of bringing tourists

The Taj Mahal is included in the list of the Seven New Wonders of the World, as a result of a worldwide vote held in 2007. The monument is open for visits from 6:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, with the exception of Friday, when prayers are held in the mosque. For safety reasons, only water in transparent bottles, small video cameras, cameras, mobile phones and small women's handbags are allowed to be brought into the territory.

Real art means something that helps you to be meditative. Gurdjieff called real art objective art, it helps you to meditate. Taj Mahal is a real art. It is worth going there.
I would like to tell the story of how the Taj Mahal came into existence.
One person came from Shiraz, Iran. His name was Shirazi because he came from Shiraz. He was a great artist, most famous in Shiraz. And he was a wonderful person. Before he appeared in India, there were a thousand and one stories about him. Shah Jahan was the emperor; he had heard of these stories. He invited the sculptor to the court. Shirazi was a Sufi mystic.
Shah Jahan asked him:
- I heard that you can sculpt the whole body of a man or woman, just by touching their hand and not seeing their faces. It's true?
“Give me one chance,” Shirazi replied, “but with one condition. Place twenty-five beautiful women from your palace behind the curtain. Let me touch their hands from behind the curtain. I will touch their hands and choose one, but with one condition. Whoever I choose, I will make a statue of her; if the statue is absolutely true, and you and your entire court are satisfied, then this woman will be mine. I want to marry her, I want a woman from your palace.
Shah Jahan was ready. He said:
- I agree.

Twenty-five beautiful female slaves were placed behind the curtain. He went from first to twenty-fifth and rejected them all. Just for fun, Shah Jahan's daughter, who stood behind the curtain when all twenty-five were rejected, held out her hand. He touched her hand, closed his eyes, felt something and said:
- Here's my hand.
And he put a ring on his hand as a sign that, if successful, she would be his wife.
The shah looked behind the curtain and was horrified: "What has this girl done?" But he was not worried, because it was almost impossible to make a sculpture of a woman just by touching her hand.
For three months, Shirazi disappeared into his room. He worked day and night. Three months later, he invited the emperor, and the whole court and the emperor could not believe their eyes. She looked exactly like it! He could do it. The emperor did not find a single flaw - he wanted to find a flaw, because he did not want his daughter to marry a poor man, but now there was no way out: he gave his word.
He was alarmed, and his wife was so alarmed that she fell ill. She was pregnant and, giving birth to a child, she died in agony. Her name was Mumtaj Mahal. And the king was desperate - how to save his daughter? He asked the sculptor to come and told him the whole story.
- It was a mistake. The girl is guilty of everything, but look at my situation: my wife died, and she died because she could not agree that her daughter should marry a poor man. And I also cannot agree, although I gave my word.
The sculptor said:
- Nothing to worry about. You should have told me right away; I will return to Shiraz. Do not worry. Forget it!
“But it’s impossible,” said the king. “I cannot forget. I gave you my word. Wait. Let me think.
The Prime Minister suggested:
- Do this: your wife is dead, she is a great artist, and he proved it. Have him make a copy in memory of your wife. You must create a beautiful grave, the most beautiful in the world. And make it a condition that if you approve this copy, you will have to give your daughter to him as his wife. If you don't approve of it, it's over.
This was discussed with the artist, and he agreed.
And I, thought the king, will never approve.
And Shirazi made many copies, and they were so beautiful, but still the king persisted and said: "No, no, no." The First Minister was desperate because these copies were of rare beauty, and it was unfair to reject her. And he spread the rumor, making sure it got to the sculptor, as if the girl he had chosen was very sick. She was ill for a week, a week later she got worse, and in the third week she died - according to rumors. When the rumor reached the sculptor that the girl had died, he made his last copy. The girl died - his heart was broken. And this was the last copy. He brought it to the king, and he approved it. The trick was that the girl was sick, and there was no longer a question of him marrying her.
This copy became the Taj Mahal. This copy was created by a Sufi mystic. How could he create the whole image of a woman just by touching her hand? He was probably in some other space. Probably, at that moment he was not in his mind. This moment was supposed to be a moment of great meditation. In that instant, he touched energy, and just feeling the energy, he recreated the whole image.
Now this is much easier to understand logically thanks to Kirlian photography, because each energy has its own pattern. Your face is not accidental; your face is like that because you have a certain pattern of energy. Your eyes, your hair, your color - it's all because you have a certain personal pattern of energy.
Meditators have worked on energy patterns for centuries. Once you know the pattern of energy, you know the whole personality. You know it through and through, everything, because energy creates everything. You know the past, you know the present, you know the future. Once the pattern of energy is understood, you have a key, an understanding of everything that has happened to you and what will happen. This is an objective art. This man created the Taj Mahal.
As you meditate on the Taj Mahal on a full moon night, your heart begins to throb with new love. The Taj Mahal still carries the energy of love. Mumtaj Mahal died because of love for her daughter; Shah Jahan suffered because of love; and Shirazi created this model because he suffered deeply, because he was deeply wounded, because his future was dark. The woman he had chosen was no longer there. Out of great love and meditation, the Taj Mahal came into existence. He still carries this vibration.

TAJ MAKHAL - HISTORY OF GREAT LOVE

The Taj Mahal is the unspoken symbol of India. It is called a love song frozen in stone. The sophisticated and daring mausoleum is the most famous building in India and one of the most recognizable in the world. He is a symbol of Shah Jahan's eternal love for his wife, who has become a legend.

This ruler was a descendant of Genghis Khan, an outstanding commander, leader of the Great Mughals. The Mughals conquered India in the 16th century and moved the capital from Delhi to Agra. Shah Jahan ("Ruler of the World"), as befits a high ruler in India, had a huge harem. But he loved his young wife Mumtaz Mahal ("Pearl of the Palace") so much that while she was alive, he did not pay attention to the other wives. Mumtaz was the only one accompanying her husband during military campaigns, enduring all the hardships of distant transitions, Shah Jahan trusted her infinitely and even consulted with her on important issues! The couple lived in a happy marriage for 17 years, having got 13 children. But in 1629, Mumtaz Mahal died during the difficult 14th birth. This happened during the return from a successful military campaign to the Deccan, in a camp set up near Burkhanpur. Shah Jahan was so overcome with grief that he almost committed suicide.

He finds consolation in architecture, and will devote the rest of his life to a grandiose project that would be worthy in beauty of his beloved wife, and in grandeur - the strength of his feelings. On the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, where Mumtaz was buried, an architectural masterpiece that will amaze the imagination will be erected! The construction site resembled a city in size. By modern standards, the project would have cost 200 million dollars, despite the fact that the Taj Mahal was nothing more than a tomb for the emperor's wife, in fact - a tombstone.

The Taj Mahal reflected all the pain of Shah Jahan, who lost his beloved spouse. This is a real stone garden in the middle of a hot desert. The construction lasted two decades, and about 20,000 people took part in the work, including the best architects from Turkey, Persia, Venice, Samarkand and India itself. Snow-white marble was brought over 300 km from the famous Rajputan quarry.

The main problem faced by the builders was wet and mobile soils in the riverbed. As soon as they began to dig holes for the foundation, the earth immediately crumbled. The engineers imagined how massive the structure they had to build, so they developed a unique support system for it. The workers dug deep wells down to solid layers of soil (about 6 m deep), filled them with stones, rubble and filled them with iron solution. As a result, the construction site was raised 50 meters above the river level. Instead of the accepted bamboo scaffolding, it was necessary to build huge brick supports, which greatly facilitated further work. But upon completion of construction, it took years to dismantle these forests - they were so huge. To speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed local peasants to use these bricks for their own needs.

The most remarkable part of the building is its dome, which is about 34 meters high. The palace has become not only a symbol of love, but also a testament to the unbridled ambitions of the monarch. Today the complex covers an area equal to 46 football fields, but during the time of Shah Jahan it was even larger. Indeed, despite the fact that the building is protected in every possible way, many of its original elements have been lost.

Photo Andrey CheGueVara

The graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz

It is customary to photograph the mausoleum from one side, which has become the "face" of the Taj Mahal. And it is actually the opposite. Few people know that the imperial entrance was located in the northern part of the complex, from the side of the river. During the Mughal era, the river was the main thoroughfare connecting all the imperial buildings. Today, the entrance to the Taj Mahal is not where it was originally intended. The imperial entrance, decorated with magnificent basalt inlay, was flooded with the waters of an overflowing river.

Now the memorial is in a far from perfect condition: the snow-white marble has darkened, voids gap in the masonry. All this is a consequence of the polluted environment and the influx of visitors. Up to 30 thousand people come here every day! Once the huge doors that symbolized the entrance to this paradise were completely poured out of silver and decorated with the finest design of thousands of silver carnations. They were stolen and are now being replaced by copper ones. There is also no golden parapet, a pearl blanket at the site of the burning of bodies, the precious stones of the facade and interior decoration have noticeably thinned out since the time of the Mughals ...

South gate to Taj. The 22 domes symbolize the number of years it took to build it.

The authorities are funding large funds for the restoration of the complex. It is noteworthy that the craftsmen use the same tools to recreate authentic stone carvings as they did 300 years ago: a hammer and a chisel, not modern laser technology. Every element is meticulously handcrafted, even the marble is sawn with twine and wet sand! This is a very time consuming job. The solution is also mixed according to a recipe from 300 years ago.

India has the richest ancient tradition of stone carving, the workflow of which has not changed for centuries. The accuracy of the performance is extremely high. One wrong movement of the chisel and the stone can be thrown away. The secrets of craftsmanship are passed down from generation to generation by masons.

Interior finishing elements

The main finishing material in the construction of the Taj Mahal was white marble, decorated with exquisite carvings. The gates of the main entrance to the palace are decorated with marble slabs, on which suras from the Koran are carved. This is a reminder of the dual purpose of the Taj Mahal: on the one hand, it is a tombstone, and on the other, an imitation of the Garden of Eden. During the Mughal times, the palace was decorated with very lush blooming vegetation of the best varieties of roses, daffodils and hundreds of fruit trees, symbolizing life in heaven, in paradise groves. Today's green lawns are just a pathetic imitation. In the days of Shah Jahan, the magnificent garden really seemed like a paradise, especially for the nomadic people, accustomed to sand and dry wind. To create such a luxurious garden on the scorched earth, an elaborate irrigation system was created. Water was scooped up from the river in buckets and raised to a height of 12 m with the help of winches pulled by oxen. It accumulated in a special tank, and then entered a larger tank, from which water was distributed through long marble channels dug throughout the entire garden. This irrigation system provided the complex with massive amounts of water every day, maintaining a blooming oasis in the middle of the desert.

Surahs from the Koran, carved at the entrance to the Taj. In order for the verses to be the same size from any point of view, they are carved in this way: the higher, the larger the letters.

The memorial is still surrounded by legends, the oldest of which tells about the Black Taj. Shah Jahan intended to erect exactly the same building on the opposite side of the Yamuna River, only of black marble, which would become a mausoleum for himself. India was devastated by wars and a wasteful project, the second one seemed like recklessness, the people began to grumble. As a result, in 1658 one of Jahan's sons, Aurangzeb, overthrew his father and put him under house arrest. The Shah asked for only one thing, so that his brainchild, the Taj Mahal, could be seen from the place of his imprisonment. So the founder of the Mughal Empire spent the rest of his days in the tower of the Red Fort, admiring 9 years from the window at the snow-white palace. According to his will, he was buried in the same crypt where Mumtaz Mahal had already rested, finally reuniting with his beloved.

But rumors about a mirror image of the Taj Mahal - Black Taj, have no material confirmation. Therefore, most archaeologists are inclined to believe that this story is just a beautiful myth. But the fact that Shah Jahan still intended to build some kind of buildings on the other side of the river is reliable information, confirmed by archaeological research. Recently it was revealed that this place used to be a garden called the Lunar Garden with a huge 25-jet fountain in the center. This place was intended only for the emperor and the closest persons. The emperor could, at his first desire, sail here at any time on a ship from his own flotilla. The composition of the garden was surprisingly combined with the Taj Mahal complex, as if continuing it.

At one time, several desperate lovers committed suicide from the high minarets of the building. Therefore, now the entrance there is closed for visitors. The minaret is guarded by the police. Filming on the territory of the palace is prohibited. Tourists are allowed to take pictures only in front of the entrance to the complex.

The majestic buildings erected by Shah Jahan showed the whole world how great his power was. Taj Mahal is called the pearl of Indian architecture. The empire of Shah Jahan has long disappeared, but the grandeur and beauty of his buildings is not subject to time. Following a worldwide vote in 2007, the Taj Mahal is included in the Seven New Wonders of the World. Nowadays crowds of tourists come here every day. After all, as they say, it's one thing to see the Taj Mahal in pictures, and quite another to be near.

Taj Mahal: a story of great love

Taj Mahal is located in the north of India in the city of Agra, on the banks of the full-flowing Jamna River.

In the old days (from 1528 to 1658) Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire. It was during that century that the city managed to get the most famous mausoleum in the world, the unofficial symbol of India today, the beautiful Taj Mahal. The structure, made of snow-white marble, seems to be woven from lace, its lines and details are so elegant.


Taj Mahal.

At the same time, the building is incredibly majestic and grandiose. The Taj Mahal has 5 domes, the largest of which looks like an unblown flower and reaches a height of 74 meters.

The splendor of the building is emphasized by the mesmerizing play of light - during sunrise and sunset, white marble is painted in pinkish, purple or soft golden colors ...

Then it begins to seem that you are in a fairy tale, and every cell of your body feels the enchanting energy of the Taj Mahal, which keeps the memory of the great love of a man and a woman.

Taj Mahal. History

In 1592, the future ruler of the Mughal Empire, Prince Khurram, a descendant of Tamerlane, was born. When he turned 15, he met a beautiful girl, Arjumand Banu Begam, daughter of his father's chief minister, she was a year younger than the prince.

The young people passionately fell in love with each other, but another marriage was prepared for the heir to the throne. The traditional political alliance was between the prince and the Persian princess.

Taj Mahal, history. Mumtaz Mahal

However, fortunately for lovers, according to the laws of Islam, a man can have 4 wives. After a long five years, without ever seeing each other during this time, Khurram and Arjumand were finally able to get married. During the wedding ceremony, the bride received a new name given to her by the groom's father - Mumtaz Mahal (Decoration of the Palace).

In 1628, the prince also takes a new name - Shah Jahan (Ruler of the World), he ascends to the throne of the Empire. Shah Jahan patronized the arts and construction. The structures built under him amazed the imagination of Europeans more than all other monuments created by the Great Mughals. The ruler also owned legendary gems - the Koh-i-noor diamond and Tamerlane's ruby.

Taj Mahal, history. Shah Jahan

Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan lived 19 happy years together until 1631, when the beautiful Mumtaz died giving birth to their 14th child. The ruler's grief was inconsolable, Shah Jahan spent eight days and eight nights locked up, on the ninth he left his chambers aged and informed his subjects that he was declaring mourning throughout the state.

It was forbidden to wear bright clothes and any jewelry, to use cosmetics and incense, and any entertainment and music were also banned.

At the same time, the grieving spouse vowed to build in memory of his beloved wife the most incredible tomb in the world: as beautiful, majestic and gentle as the best of women, his Mumtaz Mahal. The future mausoleum was named after her, the Taj Mahal is one of its options.

In 1632, work began on the construction of a great structure in the name of Love. By 1643, the central building of the complex, a snow-white mausoleum, was completed. Work on the construction of two identical mosques, located symmetrically on both sides of the mausoleum, the imposing entrance gate and the garden, continued until about 1653.

Taj Mahal, history

How did such a grandiose structure manage to be built in just a couple of decades? The fact is that Shah Jahan attracted all the resources of the Empire to build the masterpiece: about 20 thousand people worked at the construction site and more than a thousand elephants were involved in delivering marble from the quarry.

Craftsmen from other countries also took part in the construction, and precious stones for decoration were brought from distant countries, for example, malachite from Russia itself.

According to legend, the ruler wanted to build on the other side of the river exactly the same tomb for himself, only of black marble. The mausoleums were supposed to be connected by a gray bridge, which would symbolize eternal Love, overcoming even death.

Taj Mahal, history

It is a pity, but Shah Jahan's plan was not destined to come true. In 1658, the ruler was overthrown from the throne by his son Aurangzeb, who was thirsty for power. The defeated Shah, according to one version, was imprisoned in the Red Fort, from where a wonderful view of the Taj Mahal opened up.

According to this legend, Shah Jahan spent his last years looking from the other side of the river at the snow-white domes of his Mumtaz Mahal's tomb. After his death, he found his peace next to his beloved wife - his remains were buried in the Taj Mahal.

Now in the center of the mausoleum there is an octagonal room, behind an openwork fence of which there are the gravestones of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. However, their remains are actually not in the tombs themselves, but under them in the ground.

Taj Mahal. History in our time

Today, the Taj Mahal is one of the most important architectural monuments in India; several thousand people visit the site every day! At the expense of tourists, including many foreign ones, the most legendary symbol of love of the planet brings a lot of money to the Indian treasury: from 3 to 5 million tourists visit it a year!

Of course, the Taj Mahal is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, it is recognized as "the pearl of Muslim art in India." Moreover, the Taj Mahal is included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Taj Mahal, history

Unfortunately, warning signs were recently discovered - cracks on the walls of the legendary building. Scientists suggest that this is due to the shallowing of the Jamna River. Their forecasts are not encouraging - if the shallowing continues, the soil under the mausoleum may sink, which, in turn, can even lead to the destruction of the wonder of the world!

Let's hope that the Indian authorities, as well as UNESCO, will not allow this terrible loss for the world heritage.

Taj Mahal is one of the most grandiose buildings located in India, annually the number of visitors to the majestic mausoleum exceeds 5 million people. Tourists are attracted not only by the beauty of the building, but also by the beautiful history associated with it. The mausoleum was erected by order of the padishah of the Empire, who wished to tell the whole world about his longing for his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. What is known about the Taj Mahal, declared the pearl of Muslim art, and also about the love thanks to which it was created?

Shah Jahan: biography of the padishah

“Lord of the World” is the meaning of the name that one of the most famous Mughal padishahs received from his father, who loved him more than other children. Shah Jahan, the famous creator of the Taj Mahal, was born in 1592, led the Mughal Empire at the age of 36, seizing the throne after the death of Jahangir's father and getting rid of his rival brothers. The new padishah quickly declared himself as a decisive and ruthless ruler. Through several military campaigns, he managed to expand the territory of his empire. At the beginning of his reign, he was one of the most powerful men of the 17th century.

Shah Jahan was interested not only in military campaigns. For his time, the padishah was well educated, cared for the development of science and architecture, took care of art workers, appreciated beauty in all its manifestations.

Fateful meeting

Legend has it that the ruler of the Mughal Empire met his future wife Mumtaz-Mahal by chance, while walking through the bazaar. From the crowd of people, his gaze snatched a young maiden, holding wooden beads in her hands, the beauty of which captivated him. Padishah, who was still the heir to the throne at that time, fell in love so much that he decided to marry the girl.

Mumtaz Mahal, an Armenian by nationality, came from the family of the vizier Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, who was a member of the circle of close associates of Padishah Jahangir. The girl, who was named Arjumand Banu Begam at birth, was the niece of Jahangir's beloved wife Nur-Jahan. Consequently, she could boast not only attractive appearance, but also a noble birth, so there were no obstacles for the wedding. On the contrary, such a marriage strengthened the position of the heir as a contender for the throne, but he still married for love.

Marriage

Jahangir gladly allowed his beloved son to marry the girl he liked Mumtaz Mahal; the bride's nationality was also not perceived as an obstacle, given the noble origin of her father. The betrothal ceremony took place in 1607, when the bride, born in 1593, was no more than 14 years old. For unknown reasons, the wedding was postponed for 5 years.

It was during the wedding that she received her beautiful name Mumtaz Mahal. The biography of the famous wife of the ruler of the Mughal Empire says that it was invented by her father-in-law Jahangir, who still ruled at that time. The name is translated into Russian as "pearl of the palace", which is proof of the girl's extraordinary beauty.

The spouse of the "pearl", as befits the heir to the throne, had a huge harem. However, not a single concubine managed to win his heart, forcing him to forget about the charming Arjumand. During her lifetime, Mumtaz Mahal became the favorite muse of famous poets of that time, who praised not only her beauty, but also her kind heart. The Armenian woman became a reliable support for her husband, she accompanied him even on military campaigns.

Misfortune

Unfortunately, it was Arjumand's devotion that cost her her life. She did not consider pregnancy a hindrance to being close to her beloved husband during all his travels. In total, she gave birth to 14 children, which was typical until that time. The last childbirth turned out to be difficult, exhausted by a long campaign, the empress was unable to recover from them.

Mumtaz Mahal passed away in 1631, just a little before her 40th birthday. The tragic event took place in a military camp located near Burhanpur. The emperor was with his beloved wife, with whom he lived together for 19 years, in her last minutes. Before leaving this world, the empress took two promises from her husband. She made him swear that he would not remarry, and also build a grand mausoleum for her, the beauty of which the world could enjoy.

Mourning

Shah Jahan until the end of his life could not come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife. For 8 whole days, he refused to leave his own chambers, refused food and forbade talking to him. Legend has it that grief even pushed him to attempt suicide, which, however, ended in failure. By order of the ruler of the Mughal Empire, mourning in the state lasted for two years. During these years, the population did not celebrate holidays; music and dancing were banned.

The famous padishah found some consolation for himself in the execution of the dying will of Arjumand. He really refused to marry again, completely lost interest in his huge harem. By his order, the construction of the mausoleum began, which today is one of the most magnificent structures in the world.

Location of the Taj Mahal

In which city is the Taj Mahal located? For the construction of the mausoleum, the city of Agra was chosen, located approximately 250 km from Delhi. Padishah decided that a tribute to the memory of his beloved wife would be located on the banks of the Jamna River. He was attracted by the picturesque nature of this place. This choice brought certain inconveniences to the builders due to the instability of the soil near the water.

A unique technology, previously not used anywhere, helped to solve the problem. An example of its application in modern construction is the use of piles in the construction of skyscrapers in the UAE.

Construction

Six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, the inconsolable husband ordered the construction of the mausoleum. The Taj Mahal took a total of 12 years to build, and construction work began in 1632. Historians are unanimous that no other building in the world has required such costs as this one. Fulfilling the will of his deceased wife, according to the palace chronicles, cost the padishah about 32 million rupees, today it is several billion euros.

Shah Jahan made sure that the builders did not save on materials. The cladding of the building was carried out using the purest marble, which was supplied from the province of Rajasthan. Interestingly, according to the decree of the ruler of the Mughal Empire, the use of this marble for other purposes was prohibited.

The construction costs of the Taj Mahal were so significant that famine broke out in the state. The grain that was supposed to be sent to the provinces ended up at the construction site, used to feed the workers. The work was completed only in 1643.

Secrets of the Taj Mahal

The majestic Taj Mahal gave immortality to the padishah and his beautiful beloved Mumtaz Mahal. The story of the sovereign's love for his wife is told to all visitors to the mausoleum. The interest in the building cannot be surprising, because it has amazing beauty.

The builders were able to make the Taj Mahal unique thanks to the optical illusions that were used in the design of the mausoleum. It is possible to enter the territory of the complex only after passing the arch of the entrance gate, only then the building opens before the eyes of the guests. To a person who approaches the arch, it may seem that the mausoleum is decreasing, moving away. created when moving away from the arch. Thus, it may seem to every visitor that he is taking the grand Taj Mahal with him.

A clever trick has also been used to create the building's striking minarets, which appear to be strictly vertical. In reality, these elements are slightly deflected to the sides of the building. This solution helps keep the Taj Mahal from being destroyed by an earthquake. By the way, the height of the minarets is 42 meters, and the height of the mausoleum as a whole is 74 meters.

For the decoration of the walls, as already mentioned, a snow-white shining under the influence of sunlight was used. Malachite, pearls, corals, carnelians served as decorative elements, gracefulness of carving makes an indelible impression.

Burial place of Mumtaz Mahal

Many people with an interest in history and architecture know which city the Taj Mahal is located in. However, not everyone knows exactly where the empress's burial site is located. Her tomb is not at all under the main dome of the building erected in her honor. In fact, the burial place of the ruler of the Empire of the Great Mongols is a secret marble hall, for which a site was allocated under the mausoleum.

The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal was located in a secret room for a reason. This decision was made to ensure that visitors do not disturb the peace of the "pearl of the palace".

End of story

Having lost his beloved spouse, Shah Jahan practically lost interest in power, no longer embarked on large-scale military campaigns, took little interest in the affairs of the state. The empire weakened, mired in the abyss of an economic crisis, riots began to break out everywhere. It is not surprising that his son and heir Aurangzeb found loyal supporters who supported him in an attempt to take power from his father and deal with the challenger brothers. The old emperor was imprisoned in a fortress, in which he was forced to spend the last years of his life. Shah Jahan left this world as a lonely and sick old man. The son ordered to bury his father next to his beloved wife.

The last wish of the emperor remained unfulfilled. He dreamed of building another mausoleum opposite the Taj Mahal, exactly repeating its forms, but trimmed with black marble. He planned to turn this building into his own tomb; a black and white openwork bridge was supposed to connect it with the burial place of his wife. However, the plans were not destined to come true, the son of Aurangzeb who came to power ordered to stop construction work. Fortunately, the emperor still managed to fulfill the will of his beloved woman and build the Taj Mahal.