If Agra is a beautiful garden of Mughal architectural art, then the Taj Mahal is not a castle or temple but the mausoleum of Emperor Shah Jahan’s beloved wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal. Initially, the tomb was named Tat Bibica Rauza, meaning the resting place of the Queen of Hearts, and it was later named Taj Mahal, which in Persian means “Crown of the Mughal.”
At the age of 19, Mumtaz Mahal became the second wife of Prince Guram (later known as Shah Jahan). Although she was the second wife, she was always the most beloved wife of Prince Guram. In 1627, after Guram ascended the throne as emperor, adopting the title Shah Jahan (meaning “King of the World”), Mumtaz also became the Queen of India. However, their married life was suddenly interrupted. In the spring of 1636, Mumtaz fell ill and passed away. Before her death, she requested Emperor Shah Jahan to promise to build her a mausoleum worthy of their love and their 19 years of togetherness.
The death of his beloved wife plunged Shah Jahan into deep sorrow. He immediately set to work on the mausoleum for her as he had promised.
Renowned builders were invited to Agra to devise plans for the Queen’s tomb. Shah Jahan chose the design by Indian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, inspired by traditional Turkish tombs.
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Empress Mumtaz Mahal |
A massive construction team of 24,000 workers was assembled. The finest colored marbles were transported from various regions to Agra. In 1632, the construction of the Taj Mahal commenced. For 24 years, 24,000 laborers worked tirelessly, costing 40 million rupees.
The Taj Mahal was built on a vast rectangular area (580 meters long and 304 meters wide), with spectacular surroundings. The main architectural feature of the mausoleum is an octagonal base structure made of white marble and red sandstone on a high platform. Towering against the blue sky is a massive white marble dome that rises 75 meters high, flanked by four smaller domes. At each corner, four slender minarets soar to a height of 40 meters. Inside the mausoleum, exquisite carvings using twelve different types of precious stones adorn the walls, decorated in the traditional Indian style.
At the center of the spacious and bright second-floor chamber lie two light pink marble sarcophagi, beautifully decorated with floral motifs and Arabic inscriptions drawn from the Quran. However, these sarcophagi do not contain the remains of the deceased. The sarcophagi on the second floor are merely symbolic representations of the actual tombs located below.
According to Islamic belief, from the actual tombs, the souls of the deceased rise and enter the sarcophagi above, from where they ascend through the dome to the heavens, reaching the throne of Allah (written in Arabic as al-Ilah). The remains of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan are placed in the two tombs on the lower level.
The Taj Mahal was indeed created through the blood, sweat, and intellect of the Indian people, becoming one of the masterpieces of architectural art in humanity. The Taj Mahal rightfully deserves its title as the Jewel of Indian Temples or the Dream of the Celestial Maiden turned into white stone.
