The jewel of Indo-Islamic architecture, the Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful and beloved structures in the world. The monument was built in Agra, India, Mumtaz Mahal, the favorite wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The construction of the tomb began in 1632 and employs over 20,000 workers in 20 years. During the reign of Shah Jahan, the structure was known simply as Rauza falls. Later, the mausoleum would be called the Taj Mahal, a derivative of the name Mumtaz Mahal.
According to the French jeweler Tavernier, who claimed to have seen the Taj Mahal rakentamista from start to finish, a white marble monument, was built when the Mughal empire resources were such that only the best materials with the structure and its decoration and the quality of craftsmanship available in North India was probably better than any previous season.
A well-known symmetry, the Taj Mahal sits on a podium surrounded by four minarets. It is inside of a delicate mosaic and marble walls decorated with intricate designs and precious shells. Shah Jahan is said to mark the anniversary of the death of the mausoleum of his wife, kneeling in front of the kenotafi white marble studded with gems and semi-precious stones, as prayed for peace and rest on the Empress' a 'soul.
Mumtaz Mahal, whose name means Chosen One of the Palace, had been more than the emperor’s wife. Indeed, Shah Jahan had a number of wives. But Mumtaz Mahal was the love of his life. She was his best friend and his most trusted political adviser. Mumtaz Mahal bore 14 children; seven of them survived. She died in 1631 after giving birth to a healthy baby girl.
After his wife’s death, Shah Jahan reportedly locked himself in his rooms and refused food for eight days. According to legend, when the emperor emerged from his seclusion, his black beard - visible in many Mughal miniature paintings - had turned completely white.
