Scribd
Upload
71 views1 page

Taj Mahal - en

The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. Construction took 20 years and employed over 20,000 workers. The symmetrical white marble structure features a large central dome and four minarets, and its intricate carvings include 46 species of plants that symbolize themes of love, beauty, and the afterlife. Both the mausoleum and surrounding gardens were carefully designed to represent paradise on earth and honor Mumtaz Mahal. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

Uploaded by

Петя Данова
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
71 views1 page

Taj Mahal - en

The Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. Construction took 20 years and employed over 20,000 workers. The symmetrical white marble structure features a large central dome and four minarets, and its intricate carvings include 46 species of plants that symbolize themes of love, beauty, and the afterlife. Both the mausoleum and surrounding gardens were carefully designed to represent paradise on earth and honor Mumtaz Mahal. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

Uploaded by

Петя Данова
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Taj Mahal: Symbol of love

I have chosen to tell you the story of love wrought in stone. There is hardly anyone who has not
heard of the Taj Mahal, the most prominent monument in India, dedicated to the emperor's wife.

Shah Jahan was the fifth ruler of the Mughal dynasty who was married to Mumtaz Mahal. In 1629
Mumtaz died in her husband’s arms after giving birth to their fourteenth child. Her death had a
profound impact on Shah Jahan, who vowed to perpetuate his wife's memory with dignity. He
decided to build a huge marble mausoleum in the city of Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna River, in
memory of his beloved.

The building was completed in 20 years with the help of 20,000 workers. Its name is believed to
mean ‘palace of the crown’ - ‘taj’ meaning crown and ‘mahal’ meaning palace. The symmetry of Taj
Mahal is what leaves a visitor in awe and makes a statement of absoluteness which is a mark of
architectural superiority.

To achieve the desired other-worldly experience, the Taj Mahal's minarets are placed in a specific
way to create an optical illusion. The architects and craftsmen built the monument in such a way that
from a distance the monument appears large, but as you approach it, it shrinks in size.

The heart of this palace-like structure is the Taj Mahal tomb, where the two lovers are buried. But
the most spectacular feature is the 35-meter marble dome that surmounts the tomb.

Another interesting aspect of the architecture of the Taj Mahal is the iconography of the plants
engraved in the walls and floors of the mausoleum. Researchers from around the world have long
been intrigued and continue to study them for symbolic meaning to this day.

So far, 46 species of plants have been established. For example, the use of lotus suggests purity,
beauty, rebirth, and eternity. The cypress symbolizes strength, tulips mean love, and the use of fruits
like pomegranate suggests abundance and fertility. These carefully chosen plants carved and
engraved in stone evoke images of paradise and the overall themes of calm, peace, and eternal life.

While the mausoleum itself is full of symbols, the garden of the Taj Mahal also holds great
significance. Unlike typical Mughal gardens, the Taj Mahal's garden leads up to the tomb instead of
surrounding it. The carefully crafted garden is said to represent the perfection and beauty of heaven
replicated on earth and fits perfectly with the themes of the architecture of the Taj itself.

Another legend considers the Taj Mahal as an embodiment of Shah Jahan’s vision of kingship. The
story goes that he sought to build something akin to heaven on earth, a spectacular and unbelievably
beautiful monument.

Regardless of the motive for building the Taj Mahal, it is considered the most beautiful building ever
constructed.

You might also like