Taj Mahal History: Story, Facts, and Top Tips for Visiting

The majestic Taj Mahal is India's most famous monument, set in an extensive, symmetrical garden on the Yamuna riverbank in the city of Agra, India. Each year, millions of people come from across the world to admire its beauty and listen to the story behind its construction. If you are considering a vacation in India, there is no reason not to discover this beautiful site. Follow this article to get essentials about Taj Mahal history, including the location, stories beind it, facts about Taj Mahal, and useful tips.

Why Is It Called the Taj Mahal

The name of the Taj Mahal is from Persian and Arabic, meaning "Crown of Palace". The word "Taj" means "crown" in Persian, while "Mahal" comes from Arabic, meaning "palace". More interestingly, it was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, whose name means "Crown of the Palace". It's not only fascinating architecture but also shows eternal love.

Taj Mahal in India

The Location of the Taj Mahal

The final resting place of Mumtaz Mahal is on the bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. But no one knows the exactly reasons. Below are some of the possible reasons:

1) In the 17th century, this area was also where all the gardens and palaces of the noble Mughals were located. It was therefore justifiable that the empress should rest in peace here.

2) The Yamuna River is one of the tributaries of the Ganges, a purifying river sacred to the Hindu population. Shah Jahan hoped the soul of her deceased wife would be purified by placing her here.

3) The mausoleum for noble Mumtaz Mahal would be extremely exquisite and heavy. So the banks of the Yamuna River is most suitable, whose water can moiturize the mausoleum's wooden foundation (mainly timber) to keep its stabilization.

What Is the Story Behind the Taj Mahal

The Love Story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

Shah Jahan met Mumtaz Mahal at one of the booths of the royal bazaar in 1607, long before he became the emperor of the Mughal Empire. He was then 15 years old, called Prince Khurram, and Mumtaz Mahal, 14, called Arjumand Banu Baygam, whose father would later become the prime minister. It was love at first sight. However, he didn't marry her until 1612, five years after their betrothal, after marrying Kandahari Begum, his first wife. (He would later have a third wife in 1617).

On March 27, 1612, Prince Khurram and Arjumand Banu Baygam got married. The prince gave his wife the name Mumtaz Mahal, meaning "chosen one of the palace". Despite having three wives, the prince's whole delight was centered on Mumtaz Mahal, according to Inayat Khan, Shah Jahan's historian. The couple had a loving marriage, with intimacy, and deep affection for each other. Throughout Khurram's earlier military campaigns, she always accompanied him in spite of her pregnancies. Even after Shah Jahan's accession to the throne she served as a confidant and trusted advisor who often gave him advice both on private and public matters.

The Death of Mumtaz Mahal

In their 19 years of marriage, they had 14 children altogether, but only 7 of them lived past infancy. The birth of the 14th kid led to the death of Mumtaz Mahal. On June 17, 1631, she died in Shah Jahan's arm in a military tent after giving birth to a healthy baby girl. Her body was temporarily buried near the encampment at Burhanpur. It is said that the emperor was so sad that he started a seclusion for a year, mourning for his beloved wife. When people saw him again, his hair had turned gray and his back was bent.

In December 1631, Mumtaz Mahal's remains were carried to Agra (796 km / 2,611,548 feet from Burhanpur). Her body was escorted by thousands of soldiers, and crowds of mourners lined the road. Shah Jahan had her remains temporarily buried on a land near where Taj Mahal would be built. Still full of grief, he decided to create an exquisite mausoleum that none could rival.

The Last Days of Shah Jahan

A Distant View of the Taj Mahal From the Red Fort in Agra

After the completion of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan was usurped by his third son Aurangzeb, and therefore imprisoned in the Red Fort in Agra (close to the Taj Mahal). During his remaining days, he could only look out of the window, watching the cold mausoleum and missing his beloved wife. When he died in January 1666, he was buried in the mausoleum next to Mumtaz Mahal.

Facts About Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal Is Belended Hindu and Islamic Style

As the best example of Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal is a fusion of Hindu and Islamic architecture, interpreting many of the Hindu traditions in an Islamic form.

20 Years, 53 Billion, 20,000 Workers

How long did it take to build the Taj Mahal? It is not known exactly who was responsible for the design of the monument. But the chief architect is said to be Ustad Ahmad Lahouri, who is also credited with the design of the famous Red Fort of Delhi. The construction of Taj Mahal was built from 1632 to 1648, taking over 20 years. Then another 5 years were spent on the building of the enclosure, the ancillary buildings such as gardens, so the whole complex was completed in 1653.

The number of workers constructing the Taj Mahal is believed to have been around 20,000, including architects, draughtsmen, stonemasons, sculptors, dome builders, calligraphers, and carpenters. And about 1,000 elephants were used to carry building materials. Sadly, a story showed that their hands were all cut off by the minions of Shah Jahan so that they could never create a building like it.

How much did the construction of the Taj Mahal cost? Some say the monument is estimated to have cost 53 billion Indian rupees ($615 million) in modern values. Most was spent on the stones and workers' wages.

The Red Fort in Agra, India

Its Building Materials Were From All Over Asia

The materials used to build the Taj Mahal were from all over India and Asia. Here is a list of the building materials and their origins:

• Brick: Agra
• Sandstone: 28 miles (45km) away from Agra
• White marble: Makrana, 225 miles (360 km) away from Agra
• Jaspers: Punjab
• Jade and crystal: China
• Turquoise: Tibet
• Lapis lazuli: Afghanistan
• Sapphire: Sri Lanka
• Carnelian: Arabia

It Was Damaged and Restored

In its golden days, the wealthy Mughal Empire had enough money for the maintenance of the Taj Mahal. But when the empire fell (which began in 1707), the monument suffered as well. In 1857, the Mughals were ousted by the British who took over India. The beautiful gemstones from the walls were cut, and silver candlesticks and doors stolen. Fortunately, Lord George Curzon, the governor general of the Indies from 1899 to 1905, ordered a stop to the loot and initiated a restoration of the monument.

It Has Received Many Honors

Undoubtedly a masterpiece of the Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal, a must-visit in India, has amazed and astounded a great number of travelers over the centuries (with some 7 million visitors a year or about 70,000 a day in the peak tourist season), and has achieved worldwide recognition. Here're some honors of it:

• UNESCO World Heritage Site (1983) (The UNESCO also describes it as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and India's greatest architectural achievement".)
• One of the New Seven Wonders of the World (2007) voted by over 100 million people worldwide
• One of the 50 Places of a Lifetime by the National Geographic
• The Symbol of Love: shows the eternal love of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal
• One of the Most Beautiful Mausoleums in the World
• The Nobel Literature Rabindranath Tagore described the Taj Mahal as "a teardrop on the cheek of time".
• Asia's Leading Tourist Attraction (2012) by World Travel Awards

To protect this great monument, the India government has taken a number of measures, including closing factories responsible for the deterioration of the mausoleum's gleaming white marble façade, and limiting visiting time to combat overcrowding.

Top Tips for Visiting the Taj Mahal

A Distant View of the Taj Mahal From a Boat on the Yamuna River

1) October to March is the best time of the year to visit Taj Mahal as the climate is most temperate (neither too rainy nor too hot).

2) There has been a 3-hour visit limit in the monument since April, 2018.

3) Taj Mahal is open daily from sunrise to sunset (06:00 am to 06:30 pm) except on Fridays when it is only open for the Muslims to attend prayers in the mosque inside it. Night visit to the monument is only available from 08:30 pm to 12:30 am on the full moon day or two days before/after that, but not on Fridays or during the month of Ramadan.

4) Sunrise and sunset are the best times to admire the Taj Mahal, as you can avoid the heat and the crowds. You'll see it majestically reveals itself surrounded by soft silver light.

5) Though no dress code is enforced, moderate dressing is highly recommended.

6) There are three entry gates to enter Taj Mahal – South, East, and West. If you visit in the early morning, avoid the South gate as it doesn't open until 8 am. West gate is usually the most crowded, with many Indian visitors, but it is a better option at sunrise than the East gate which is close to many famous hotels and mostly used by foreign visitors. Remember to book tickets online to save time.

7) There are certain things that are prohibited inside the Taj Mahal, including food, smoking items, other tobacco products and drinks, mobile phone chargers and tripods. If you do bring these items, you can keep them in the locker room at the entrance.

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