Shah Jahan - After the completion of Taj

Soon after the completion of Taj Mahal Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house arrest by his son Aurangzeb at Agra Fort. It is said that Shah Jahan spent his remainder days by gazing Taj through the window. After the death of Shah Jahan his son Aurangzeb buried him in the Taj Mahal,next to his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Taj Mahal - A World Heritage Site

In the year 1983 the Taj Mahal was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monument constructed in the style of Iranian architecture is a major tourist destination.

Taj Mahal - A Complex of Elements

Taj Mahal is the reminder of the deep love of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. One of the best example of Mughal architectural splendour the monument combines the elements of Indian and Persian styles of architecture. The white domed marble mausoleum is the main part of Taj, but it is actually a complex of several elements.

Calligrapher of Taj

The calligrapher of Taj Mahal was Amanat Khan Shirazi, whose name appears in an inscription on one of the gates of the Taj.

Designers of Taj

Ustad Ahmad Lahauri was the designer of Taj Mahal. Poet Ghiyasuddin had designed the verses on the tombstone. The dome maker was Ismail Afridi from Turkey. Mohammad Hanif was the superintendent of Masons.

Material Used in Construction

Materials from all over the India and parts of Asia were used to construct Taj Mahal. It took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. The white marble was brought from Rajasthan, the jasper from the Punjab, and the jade and crystal from China. The Lapis lazuli from Afganistan,the turquoise was from Tibet, the carnelian from Arabia and the sapphire from Sri Lanka. Over all 28 different types of precious and semi-precious stone were used along with white marble.

Total Cost involved

The total construction cost of Taj Mahal was about 40 million Indian rupees. Today the value of construction cost if Taj is more that 500 million US dollars.