India is truly a land of mysteries and secrets, which a Western person may never fully comprehend. Many don’t even try to unravel these mysteries, choosing instead to admire the beauty of this astonishing country, particularly those places that are open to outsiders.
The Taj Mahal is a breathtakingly magnificent and colossal mausoleum-mosque situated on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra (northern India). It was built between 1632 and 1653 by order of Shah Jahan, a descendant of the legendary Tamerlane, in memory of his wife who died during childbirth (she gave him thirteen children). Many have seen beautiful photographs of this sacred place, but how many know its history and the centuries-old secrets it holds?
The complex, which combines elements of Indian, Persian, and Arabic architecture, holds immense historical and scientific value. It has been proclaimed a jewel of Muslim art and a universally recognized masterpiece. Rightly so, it is a symbol of India.
The construction of the building, which began in 1632 and continued for the next 21 years, involved over 20,000 workers. A specially assembled Council of Architects, including renowned builders such as Makramat Khan and Ustad Ahmad Lahori (who is credited as the main architect), led this grand project. Shah Jahan himself personally oversaw the meticulous construction.
The structure stands 74 meters tall, with five domes and four minarets on the sides (interestingly, they are slightly tilted away from the mosque to prevent damage in case of collapse). Adjacent to the mosque is a beautiful garden with a fountain system and a large pool, adding to the building’s magic and charm.
Tombs for Shah Jahan and his wife were intended within the mausoleum, although their actual burial place is underground and inaccessible to the public.
The mosque’s walls are lined with translucent marble from Makrana (a city 600 kilometers from the construction site) and adorned with turquoise, agate, malachite, and other gemstones.
The marble used is especially admired for its beauty—white during the day, pink at dawn, and silver under the moonlight. This magical effect is due to the translucent nature of the material.
The Construction of the Wonder
The best craftsmen from across the country, as well as from Asia and the Middle East, contributed to this architectural marvel. The mosque was built on land that Shah Jahan exchanged for a grand palace in the city center. Workers excavated over one hectare of land, replacing the soil to reduce water infiltration, and raised the construction site 50 meters above the Yamuna River. The foundations were formed by filling wells with rubble stones, creating an almost eternal base for the building.
Instead of wooden scaffolding, brick ones were constructed, encircling the entire tomb. Legend has it that Shah Jahan allowed anyone to take as many bricks as they needed, and so the scaffolding was dismantled by local villagers in just one night.
A 15-kilometer-long earthen ramp was used to transport marble and other building materials, pulled by oxen on specially designed carts. A special frame crane lifted the blocks to the required heights. Water from the Yamuna was delivered to the site using a rope-bucket system, distributed through auxiliary dams and pipes as needed.
It took 12 years just to build the tomb and the “foundation” of the complex, while the minarets, Jawab (the guest pavilion), Great Gate, and mosque were constructed over the next 10 years. Due to the multi-phase construction, there are differing opinions on the exact year the Taj Mahal was completed. For example, the mausoleum was finished in 1643, but the entire complex wasn’t completed until 1653.
Estimating the cost of building the Taj Mahal is difficult due to varying approaches to historical prices. However, rough estimates suggest that the construction of this wonder of the world cost the empire over 30 million rupees—an astronomical sum at the time.
Materials were sourced from all corners of the empire and neighboring Asian countries, transported by a thousand elephants! Marble came from Makrana, jasper from Punjab, Chinese crystals, Tibetan turquoise, sapphires from Sri Lanka, and so on. Nearly 30 types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the marble and decorative elements, adding beauty and value to the structures.
Among the thousands of workers, about forty stood out as specialists—sculptors, calligraphers, stonemasons, tower builders, and marble inlay artisans. Each was a leading expert in their field, making an invaluable contribution to the project.
Interesting Facts
- The name “Taj Mahal” translates to “Crown of Palaces.”
- Only two Europeans were part of the vast international team of craftsmen. They worked on designing the complex structures supporting the dome.
- The walls of the mosque are inscribed with 22 passages and 14 chapters from the Quran.
- The inscription above the main entrance reads: “Enter into my paradise.”
- The original gates were made of pure silver, but they were stolen and have since been replaced with copper replicas. Moreover, the golden railings around the tombs were replaced with marble ones to prevent further theft.
- Visitors can only see the false tombs—cenotaphs. The real burials are much lower underground.
- The garden once housed exotic birds, and the pools were home to rare fish, making the place truly seem like paradise.
Taj Mahal Legends
One legend tells that Shah Jahan intended to build a mausoleum for himself, using black marble as the main material, on the opposite side of the river. However, he was overthrown by his own son, who saw the public discontent over the massive taxes used to fund the complex’s construction.
Another legend claims that some of the architects involved in the project signed a secret agreement promising never to build a similar structure. Some were allegedly killed to prevent them from doing so. However, it’s worth noting that many ancient monumental structures are surrounded by similar myths.
There’s also a story that Governor-General of India, Lord Bentinck, in the 1830s, wanted to dismantle the Taj Mahal and sell it piece by piece at auction. Interestingly, Bentinck is known for selling the marble blocks of Agra Fort.
In recent decades, a theory proposed by an Indian historian suggests that the Taj Mahal was actually built long before Shah Jahan, in 1155. According to Nagesh Oak’s research, the complex was originally a Shiva temple, which Shah Jahan later modified. In the early 2000s, numerous lawsuits were filed in Indian courts to excavate the basement and recognize the Taj Mahal as a Hindu religious site, but they were rejected for various reasons.
Whether these legends are true or not is up to you to decide. However, the Taj Mahal is undeniably one of the greatest architectural creations of mankind.